Similar to the famous Jeca Tatu character created by Monteiro Lobato (the clumsy, rural "man of the earth"), Northern comedy often uses the "égua" slang to ground characters in a specific, relatable regionalism.
Far from a simple horse reference, linguists believe the expression may have roots in Tupi-Guarani interjections like "e'guá" , which were absorbed into Portuguese during the 16th and 17th centuries. 2. Masculinity and the Horseman Culture (South Brazil) homem transando com a egua free