western australia

endurance riding

Shank's pony - or maybe not

@JudyEv (352955)

Rockingham, Australia

March 26, 2023 7:51pm CST

I found something to write about which gives me an excuse to put up some more horse photos from the endurance ride. I used to assume myLotters would know most of the terms I did but I’m much more hesitant now. So have you heard of Shank’s pony? It simply means to walk. If you don’t a means of conveyance then you have to go by/on Shank’s pony. ‘Shanks’ is an old word for ‘legs’ and it is believed that that is how the phrase came about. Maybe you’ve heard of it; maybe you haven’t.

17 people like this

18 responses

@RubyHawk (99397)

• Atlanta, Georgia

27 Mar 23

I’ve always heard the term, Shanks pony. I take shanks pony everyday. We have a lot of those sayings in Appalachia where I grew up. I live a little further south now.

6 people like this

@shaggin (74174)

• United States

27 Mar 23

@RubyHawk I couldn’t figure out how this would work in a sentence so I’m glad to see “I take shanks pony everyday” now it makes more sense to me.

5 people like this

@Fleura (31656)

• United Kingdom

27 Mar 23

@shaggin We would say something like 'I'm going on Shanks' pony'.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

@RubyHawk @shaggin @Fleura It seems a few have heard of it but not everyone. Some of these older terms get forgotten over time I guess.

4 people like this

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@shaggin (74174)

• United States

27 Mar 23

I’ve never heard of shanks pony. This one is baffling to me. Does it mean anytime anyone walks or just when a horse is walking?

4 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

I know you've caught up now with the meaning. I haven't heard it for ages myself.

3 people like this

@jstory07 (143892)

• Roseburg, Oregon

27 Mar 23

I heard of it. I used to ride my friend's horse all the time.

2 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

It's a great hobby that's for sure.

1 person likes this

@wolfgirl569 (115835)

• Marion, Ohio

27 Mar 23

I don't remember ever hearing that one

3 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

It's pretty old.

1 person likes this

@JamesHxstatic (29411)

• Eugene, Oregon

27 Mar 23

My wife recalls it as "Shank's Mare"

2 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

See above!

1 person likes this

@JamesHxstatic (29411)

• Eugene, Oregon

27 Mar 23

Ohhhh, I did hear of that long ago, so long I didn't recall it until you said it was walking.

3 people like this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

When I researched it 'Shank's Mare' came up but I forgot to put that in my discussion.

1 person likes this

@JamesHxstatic (29411)

• Eugene, Oregon

27 Mar 23

@JudyEv I see, it's been many years since I heard either.

1 person likes this

@snowy22315 (189182)

• United States

27 Mar 23

Nope, but I know a shank is part of a horse's leg and other vertebrates too.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 23

And of course lamb shanks are a delicacy now. In my day, they were boiled for soup and then the meat minced or given to the dog.

1 person likes this

@allknowing (145359)

• India

28 Mar 23

I have not heard it before I have not heard of so many others too (lol)

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 23

I'm sure there are many I haven't heard of either.

1 person likes this

@RebeccasFarm (94526)

• Arvada, Colorado

27 Mar 23

I seem to recall hearing it Judy yes. And I knew the shanks term as slang for legs.

1 person likes this

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@RebeccasFarm (94526)

• Arvada, Colorado

27 Mar 23

@JudyEv Oh you did as well then Judy

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

We used to say sometimes that a person had skinny shanks.

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@FourWalls (74515)

• United States

27 Mar 23

With all the time I spent down in “the country” with my grandparents I had never heard that saying.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 23

Really? A few have heard of it. And I'd forgotten about lamb shanks which are legs too.

1 person likes this

@DaddyEvil (147754)

• United States

28 Mar 23

I've read a similar term in books... In the military, people who don't have enough rank to drive say they get around by shanks' mare, meaning they walk or trot where ever they need to go.

1 person likes this

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@DaddyEvil (147754)

• United States

28 Mar 23

@JudyEv That's the only way I've ever read it... But yeah, they'd mean the same thing.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 23

Yes, shank's mare/pony mean the same. I forgot to mention 'mare' in the text.

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Lenore Plassman

@sallypup (64220)

• Centralia, Washington

28 Mar 23

You got me on the gray horse. Arab? The horse has a dished head so possibly.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

28 Mar 23

Yes, an Arab. Some nowadays are bigger and stronger than they once were. They are the most popular breed for endurance. The horse top left is an Arabian Warmblood; the others are all Arab.

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (318816)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

27 Mar 23

Thank you for letting me know about another term. I've heard of a shank, but never gave it a thought to what it meant.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

Even 'shank' isn't used much nowadays.

1 person likes this

Valerie J. Routhieaux

@just4him (318816)

• Green Bay, Wisconsin

27 Mar 23

@JudyEv No, it's not.

1 person likes this

@LindaOHio (188287)

• United States

16 Apr 23

I've never heard that phrase. Nice looking horses.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

19 Apr 23

It's a very old saying but some knew it.

1 person likes this

@Fleura (31656)

• United Kingdom

27 Mar 23

I know this, though haven't actually heard anyone say it for quite a while now I come to think of it.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

I haven't heard it for ages either.

1 person likes this

@Ronrybs (20546)

• London, England

27 Mar 23

Edward 1 was known as 'Long Shanks', so we knew he was tall, but like me it seems to be mostly leg!

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

I didn't know about Edward 1. We would sometimes say someone had 'skinny shanks'.

1 person likes this

@Beestring (15335)

• Hong Kong

27 Mar 23

No. I haven't heard of it before. Learned something new.

1 person likes this

@JudyEv (352955)

• Rockingham, Australia

27 Mar 23

It's a very old term and not used much nowadays. @Beestring @thebos

1 person likes this

John nyambegera

@thebos (5960)

• Kisumu, Kenya

27 Mar 23

I haven't heard of that before

1 person likes this