Plural of dobbin; a generic name for a horse, especially a workhorse or an old, tired horse.
From 'dobbin,' a diminutive or affectionate name for a horse, possibly from 'Robert' or from Dutch/Low German origins. The word became a generic term for any common horse.
Before cars existed, 'Dobbin' was the everyman's horse name — like calling a computer 'Windows' today — and medieval ballads and folk tales are full of references to faithful Dobbins pulling carts and carrying knights.
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