умыкали бурку крутые горки

• УКАТАЛИ (УХОДИЛИ, УМЫКАЛИ) СИВКУ <БУРКУ> КРУТЫЕ ГОРКИ

[saying]

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⇒ a hard life, old age, and/ or hardships have sapped a person's strength and made him weak, sick, or apathetic:

- - he (she) is not the man (the woman) he (she) used to be;

- the old gray mare ain't what she used to be.

     ♦ Боль в сердце становилась все горячее. На лбу у него [Григория] выступила испарина. Он сошел с крыльца, испуганно прижимая к левой стороне груди ладонь, подумал: "Видно, укатали сивку крутые горки..." (Шолохов 5). The pain in his [Grigory's] heart had grown more intense. Perspiration broke out on his forehead. He walked down the steps, pressing his hand to his left side in fright and telling himself he was not the man he used to be (5a)