Hey everyone, long time no see! HOLD YOUR HORSES! I know my page was down for a long time last year, but it’s back, and so am I. I’m looking forward to enjoying English conversation with you this year.
Happy New Year 2026!!
So, 2026 is the year of the horse.
Let’s learn some common English horse idioms. I’m looking forward to learning some Japanese 馬 idioms also.
- Strong as a horse. (Very strong.) Those sumo wrestlers are as strong as a horse!
- One horse town. (A small town. ) I come from a one horse town, so to me, Akita is a big city.
- Change horses in midstream. (Change plans after a decision has been made and started.) It’s too late to change horses in midstream; the election is next week, and we need to stick with our current campaign manager.
- Hungry enough to eat a horse. (Very hungry.) After snowshoeing for four hours, I was hungry enough to eat a horse!
- A dark horse. ( Someone who unexpectedly wins.) Do you think Prime Minister Takaichi was a dark horse candidate?
- Beat (flog) a dead horse. (Keep focusing on something after it has been settled.) Talking about how terrible President Trump is, is only beating a dead horse!
- Horse around. (Goofing off). Can you tell the kids to quit horsing around, they need to finish their homework by tomorrow!
- A Trojan horse. (Something that seems okay but is actually bad, or a trap.) Many investment schemes are actually only Trojan horses.
- Hold your horses. (Don’t get too excited. Be patient.) Just hold your horses until they read the last number of the lottery!
- Look a gift horse in the mouth (Don’t be ungrateful about a gift or a favor.) Complaining about the taste of the cake is looking a gift horse in the mouth.
Today’s BGM:
America, A Horse With No Name (1971)
| On the first part of the journey I was looking at all the life There were plants and birds and rocks and things There was sand and hills and rings The first thing I met was a fly with a buzz And the sky with no clouds The heat was hot and the ground was dry But the air was full of soundI’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name It felt good to be out of the rain In the desert you can remember your name ‘Cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain La, la …After two days in the desert sun My skin began to turn red After three days in the desert fun I was looking at a river bed And the story it told of a river that flowed Made me sad to think it was dead You see I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name After nine days I let the horse run free You see I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name
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