Horsing around with more idioms on four legs

Kung Hei Fat Choi. This is the Year of the Horse. On the third day of the Lunar New Year (February 14), Young Post explored references to the revered animal on the front page. Below are more English idioms based on the horse.

During the holidays, Tung Chee-hwa did not have a chance to relax as he is seeking a second-term as the SAR Chief Executive. When he first stood for the position five years ago, he was 'tipped by some as the dark horse in the race' (SCMP, January 20, 1996).

A dark horse refers to someone in a competition who is not well-known. Indeed, before taking up the post, Mr Tung had kept a low profile.

In a contest, if you pick the wrong horse, you support someone who is not successful. You can also use the phrase in other contexts. For example, some investors invest in a range of stocks to reduce their risks because they are afraid of picking the wrong horse.

A clothes horse is a folding frame used inside the house to dry wet washing. Yet when you call someone, especially a woman, a clothes horse, you are criticising them for thinking too much about their clothes.

Believe information that comes straight from the horse's mouth because it is from someone who is in a position to know the truth.

Have you heard the story of the Trojan Horse? It was a gift used by the ancient Greeks to gain access to the city of Troy during a war. A Trojan Horse also refers to something that at first seems good, but later causes damage. For example, many criticise the International Monetary Fund for 'acting like a Trojan Horse to impose the economic system of the West' on countries that borrowed money from it (SCMP, July 3, 2000).