Have you ever felt “Like a Pig in Slop? “Have you run around “Like a chicken with their head cut off?” Maybe you have had “Ants in yer pants.”
These phrases are known as Idioms and come from historical roots and experiences. Idioms are great to say what you want in a cute or different way, that most folks can understand.
Here are a herd of Animal Idioms that you can relate to.
Sly as a Fox Foxes and coyotes are sneaky and slick. That describes some people and many politicians.
Ducks in a Row It is so important to be organized like a parade of ducks walking in a line with Momma Quackers in the lead.
Hold Yer Horses This racetrack term was used to calm down your horse before the race starts. Everyone needs to be at the same level of being ready.
Beef Up Cattle fattens up before market, so they get a better price. People do the same.
Get someone’s Goat Goats were used to calm horses. They would put a goat in the stall next to a racehorse for this calming effect. If you Got someone’s goat, they would become agitated, and the horse would be too excited.
When Pigs Fly Pigs are generally fat and unlikely to jump, let alone become airborne. This term refers to the unlikely ability of something to happen.
Eager Beaver Beavers are great dam builders and have a lot of energy.
Cock n Bull Many of us know this as simply BS. A story or tall tale is just not believable. Roosters and cattle rarely get along with one another.
Neck and neck in a close horse race, the horses are often close to each other.
Turn Turtle Flipping onto your back makes you helpless. This happens in a wagon or car wreck, or when fly fishermen slip and fall in the river.
Tail wagging the Dog Normally the head of a dog is smarter than the tail. This term fits politicians perfectly.
Getting Goosed Farm geese have a habit of nipping at your clothes buttons. They are noted for nipping the buttons on your pants at the wrong moment.
Bull in a China Shop Bulls are big and brazen. If they were to get into a China shop or home, everything would get broken.
Blind as a Bat Poor marksmen were lousy shots because they had bad eyes.
Black Sheep The majority of sheep are white. Being a black one was for the sheep that just don’t fit into the flock.
Cash Cow Some cattle are worth more than others. The Cash Cow made a bigger paycheck.
Fish out of Water Fish and people do not do well when out of their comfort zones. Flopping around helplessly is no fun.
We have all heard or used these odd terms and understand their meanings. It is fun to enjoy the local color where folks use these phrases. Now that you have seen this list, you will not become a Dark Horse or feel like you are the Black Sheep in the conversation. If you end up “Ass over Tin cups”, it’s because a horse went wild around the cowboy campfire!
Watch yer top knot!
Montana Grant
