“To get upon his high horse.” To give one’s self airs.
“To set the cart before the horse.” To reverse the right order of things.
“When the horse is stolen lock the stable door.”
“Working on a dead horse.” Doing work which has already been paid for.
I could continue to play on this horsey fiddle almost ad infinitum, thanks to old Dr. Brewer, who very clearly illustrates how from the most ancient days the horse came to the forefront in mythology, history, poetry, and romance. The one quadruped created for the benefit of man, and honoured with the first place from the earliest ages in man’s affections. Notwithstanding the fact that in these last days man has devised sundry inventions aimed at his dethronement, such as steam and motor power, let us hope that he may long survive those machinations.
In the illustrious days of Roman greatness it is worthy of note that the horse was promoted almost to divine worship, as, indeed, he had been in Grecian mythology. The Emperor Caligula made him a priest and a consul. We have come to regard horses as of some value, when we are not afraid of appraising one of them at nearly £40,000, and selling our casts off at £20,000 and upwards.
The fables which I have ventured to string together here may have their transient interest, and help owners of racehorses with a few appropriate names for their best. This will aid to prove the truth of their worth, and show that although the world has grown older, and the age of romance and love of mythology has passed away, the horse in all his beauty and perfection is with us still, and we trust that he ever will be so.
Borderer.
