pit pony
Frequency: 2.50.5 per million words
A pony used to haul coal in underground mines, a historical term.
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Examples (10)
- Pit ponies were used in most mines at the turn of the last century.
- The dark, cramped conditions of the coal seams were the daily reality for a pit pony.
- Many pit ponies spent their entire lives underground, rarely seeing daylight.
- The introduction of machinery gradually replaced the need for pit ponies in mining operations.
- Despite their harsh working lives, some pit ponies formed strong bonds with their handlers.
- A pit pony's strength and small stature made it ideal for navigating narrow mine shafts.
- Legislation was eventually passed to improve the welfare of pit ponies.
- Stories of brave pit ponies saving trapped miners are part of mining folklore.
- The last working pit pony in Britain retired in 1999, marking the end of an era.
- Children working in the mines often developed deep affection for the pit ponies.