On Shank’s mare.
This proverb means to travel on foot, or to go by one’s own means rather than relying on a vehicle or other mode of transportation. The phrase “Shank’s mare” refers to one’s own legs and feet, and suggests a willingness to undertake a journey despite its challenges or difficulties.
Etymology
The expression -- believed to be Scottish in origin -- derives from shanks' nag (shanks-naig 1774), referring to the use of shank to refer to the part of the human leg between the knee and ankle. One theory cites "shank's mare" derived from a horse-drawn lawn mower, manufactured by Shanks & Company Ltd. (founded 1853) which required that the human operator walk behind the device to guide the horse; however, references to the phrase in Scottish literature pre-date the existence of the Shanks lawn mower.
From standard English shank for the part of the leg from the knee to the ankle, which comes from Old English sceanca, the leg bone. This verb developed into shank’s naig or shank’s naigie (where the second words are local forms of nag, a horse) and later into shank’s mare. It was a wry joke: I haven’t got a horse of my own for the journey, so I’ll use Shank’s mare to get there, meaning I’ll go on my own two feet. This supposed link with a person called Shank explains why the first word is often capitalised.
An equivalence in Chinese will be Bus No. 11 (11號巴士), referring to the shape of legs.
