Green’s Dictionary of Slang

walking, on foot; usu. as ride/take/mount/travel on/go by/go on/use... (see ride shank’s mare under ride v.).

1785, 1788, 1796		Grose Classical Dict. of the Vulgar Tongue n.p.: Shanks naggy, To ride shanks naggy: to travel on foot. (Scotch).
1814		J. Wetherell Adventures of John Wetherell (1954) 26 Jan. 206: We rested a while took a draw of the pipe [...] and then mounted shank-naggy and away we went through thick and thin.
1821		‘An Amateur’ Real Life in London I 608: †† Padding the hoof—Travelling on Shanks’s mare, or taking a turn by the marrow-bone stage, i.e. walking.
1827		Australian (Sydney) 4 July 3/3: Many a ‘cove’ that would not, or could not raise the wind, toddled it on ‘shanks mare’.
1833		Windsor & Eton Exp. 14 Dec. 4/5: One of the whippers-in was compelled to leave his horse behind and ride Shank’s mare.
1841		Chelmsford Chron. 15 Jan. 3/2: Time was [...] when the public were used more frequently to ride Shank’s mare.
1854		E.R. Sullivan Bungalow or Tent 138: Hunting [...] in the mountains of Ceylon must be prosecuted on foot [...] I have [...] respect and affection for that useful hack, Mother Shanks’ Mare.
1855		C. Kingsley Westward Ho II 216: ‘To London? How wilt thou get there?’ ‘On Shanks his mare,’ said Jack, pointing to his bandy legs.
1857		Carroll Free Press (Carrollton, OH) 19 Mar. 4/2: Give the farmer a serviceable cob to ride when ‘shanks’ mare’ gets old and stiff.
1864, 1867, 1870		Hotten Sl. Dict.
1868		Dly Phoenix (Columbia, SC) 21 Mar. 2/5: [He] from that point to Danville [...] and thence to Washington, will ‘ride shank’s mare’.
1873		Sl. Dict. 284: Shank’s mare ‘to ride shank’s mare,’ to go on foot.
1875		Leics. Chron. 6 Mar. 5/2: ‘I came on shanks’ nag, my own legs’.
1881		Bulletin (Sydney) 26 Mar. 9/1: That peculiar species of locomotion which was known to the Ancient Greeks as ‘prancing out on shanks’ pony’.
1882		Bristol Magpie 14 Dec. 10/2: ‘Well, gentlemen, my advice is to use shank’s ponies — they're good hosses, an’ tramp it’.
1885		Chambers’s Journal 2 May 287: Your true swagsman detests the sight of a horse... give him shanks’ mare [F&H].
1889		N.Z. Press 12 Dec. 6/6: We had to use bullock drays in our times [....] or else shank’s pony.
1891		Licensed Victuallers’ Gazette 9 Jan. n.p.: The distance had choked off those whose only mode of locomotion was shanks’s mare [F&H].
1895		E.W. Rogers [perf. Marie Lloyd] Not for Bill 🎵 ‘Shank’s pony’ made our little masher cuss .
1895		C. Crowe Aus. Sl. Dict. 72: Shanks’ Pony, to go on foot.
1900		Marvel 12 Nov. 16: Two tramps were travelling through a wood, each doing the journey on Shank’s pony.
1907		C. M’Govern By Bolo and Krag 204: Two heavily-looded [sic] pack ponies, and me and Oyster on Shanks’ mares.
1911		Boys’ Best 20 Oct. 45: He was pretty smart doing five miles on shank’s pony.
1914		Alexandra Gaz. (DC) 16 Nov. 4/1: The majority of the men and boys would ride ‘Shanks’ Mare’.
1916		J.G. Cruickshank Black Talk 54: To ‘take walk’ does not necessarily mean to go on Shank’s mare.
1922		Aberdeen Press 19 May 4/2: Motorists, like people who ride shanks mare, have many grievances.
1926		Maines & Grant Wise-crack Dict. 8/2: Go by shank’s Mare – Walk.
1928		Aberdeen Jrnl 15 Dec. 3/5: There was naething for’t than but t’ set oot on Shank’s naiggie.
1929		C.G. Gordon Crooks of the Und. 225: The tramp would scorn to avail himself of any such mechanical means of transport as the ‘iron horse,’ ‘Shanks’ pony’ being quite good enough for him.
1931		Dly Mercury (Mackay, Qld) 22 June 11/4: To his more law-abiding brothers in poverty who preferred Shanks’ mare, he was looked, upon as a hobo apart, a disgrace to the profession.
1935		Dundee Courier 4 Mar. 7/3: [headline] A City Rides Shank’s Mare. No Buses, Trams or Trains.
1939		P.G. Brewster ‘Folk “Sayings” From Indiana’ in AS XIV:4 261: When travelling, ‘uses Shanks’ mare’ in order to save money.
1940		Sevenoaks Chron. 1 Nov. n.p.: It ran only twice a day. Any other time [...] you had to ride Shank’s pony.
1943		[Poster] Go by shanks’ pony Walk short distances and leave room for those who have longer journeys.
1955		D. Niland Shiralee 65: ‘How’re you travelling?’ ‘Shanks.’.
1957		‘Nino Culotta’ They’re a Weird Mob (1958) 72: Done me shirt on the first, though. Shanks’ pony ’ome, I reckoned.
1961		T. Williams Night of the Iguana Act II: I will go on shank’s mare, Mrs Faulk – islanders are good walkers.
1962		R. Cook Crust on its Uppers 103: Long time since I did much of this shank’s lark.
1964		J.A. Lee Shiner Slattery 26: I’m going by shank’s pony with my swag upon my back.
1974		P. Adam-Smith Barcoo Salute 25: Before the first plane landed here, the only access was on Shank’s pony.
1980		T. Jones Adrift 61: [Ch. title] Shank’s Pony.
1989		H. Harrison Bill [...] on the Planet of Robot Slaves (1991) 210: Shank’s mare, boyo, good for the muscle tone.
1995		P. O’Keeffe Down Cobbled Streets, A Liberties Childhood 36: There was no other way to school except on shank’s mare.
1999		G. Seal Lingo 17: A foot-falcon is a widespread indigenous Lingoism for travelling on foot, similar to shank’s pony.
2001		S. King Dreamcatcher 156: The poor man’s steed, shank’s mare.
2012		(con. 1943) G.S. Manson Irish Fandango [ebook] He was off shanks’s pony for now, and that was the main thing.
2020		G. Armstrong Young Team 38: Due tae a lack ae disposable funds [...] it’s shanks’ fuckin pony.