Ride a Cock-Horse to Shrewsbury Cross Lyrics
Little Johnny rides off to Shrewsbury to get a galloping horse of his own, one that trots and ambles, and he plans to ride it until he cannot ride any more.
Ride a Cock-Horse to Shrewsbury Cross
Ride a cock-horse to Shrewsbury cross,
To buy little Johnny a galloping horse:
It trots behind and it ambles before,
And Johnny shall ride, till he can ride no more.
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/ride-a-cock-horse-to-shrewsbury-cross/
- Type
- Action Songs, Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Knee-bouncing rhyme
- Best for ages
- 1 to 4 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| Ride a cock-horse to Shrewsbury cross | Sit your child on your knees and bounce gently. |
| It trots behind and it ambles before | Bounce faster, then slower. |
| Till he can ride no more | Slow down and stop with a big hug. |
What Does Ride a Cock-Horse to Shrewsbury Cross Mean?
A cock-horse is a toy horse, or a grown-up's knee used as one. Shrewsbury is a market town in Shropshire, England, and the cross was a market cross where people met to buy and sell. The horse "trots behind and ambles before", a joke about a horse doing two speeds at once. To amble is to walk slowly and easily.
History and Origin
The rhyme comes from The Little Mother Goose (1912). It is a cousin of the better-known Ride a Cock-Horse to Banbury Cross, and towns all over England had their own versions, swapping in a local market cross.
Learning Activities
- Knee ride: bounce your child on your knees, changing speed for trot and amble.
- Your town: swap Shrewsbury for your own town and sing it again.
- Horse speeds: act out walk, amble, trot and gallop around the room.