Horse–Figures of Speech–44-68

45. to hold one’s horses  =  to wait patiently; to be patient; not to rush into action in a hurry

46. to look a gift horse in the mouth  =  to show dissatisfaction openly or to find fault with a gift

47. you may lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it (him) drink [a piece of advice for someone who tries to force others to do what they do not want to do, though the forcing may be for their own good]

48. to make someone a stalking horse  =

(a)  to make someone do mean or painful work

(b)  to use someone else for one’s own purpose, advantage, etc.

(c)  to make someone else a pretext so as to hide one’s own bad intentions

49. hearty as a horse, but not quite as swift [said to refer to man’s built or appetite comparing, often insultingly, with his clumsy, awkward movements or work – meaning he looks or eats well but not good at work]

50. (they) can’t set (their) horses together [said to mean that there is no agreement, or they cannot agree among themselves]

51. to play horse with  =  to treat (somebody or something) roughly, impolitely, etc.

52. blood shows on a grey horse  (in this context, ‘blood’ = the origin of birth; ‘grey’ = old) [said of an old man showing his best social behaviour]

53. the master’s eye fats the horse [said to imply that proper supervision will bring good results]

54. a horse will see the corn but not the fence [said of a person who often overlooks the difficulties or disadvantages while thinking only of the benefits or profits]

55. you won’t break a wild horse with a silk thread [said to imply that strict discipline is needed for troublesome or disobedient children]

56. to shoe the horse  =  to embezzle money, funds, etc. (‘embezzle’ = to cheat; to show false records or accounts in money matters)

57. to buy a white horse  =  to spend money wastefully on simple pleasures

58. a saddle to fit every horse [said of something that is a cure for all diseases, or problems, conditions, etc.]

59. to put/set the saddle on the right horse  =

(a) to arrange things in the right order

(b) to blame the guilty, but not the innocent (‘the guilty’ = a person who does wrong doings or some crime; ‘the innocent’ = a person who does not do any wrong doings or any crime)

60. to ride a free horse to death  =  to misuse or use badly someone’s kindness, generosity or patience

61. (a)  to swap horses in midstream  (‘to swap’ = to exchange; to change places or things, etc.)

(b)  don’t change horses in the mid-steam [ = (a) a comment on a change of plan, idea, players in a team, or a leader in the middle of a course of action or in the middle of a game;  (b) a piece of advice not to change the plan, idea, players in a team or a leader in the middle of a course of action or in the middle of a game or during a crisis, problems, etc.]

62. to run before one’s horse  =  (of someone) to behave in a laughable manner; to take unnecessary trouble; to count profits before getting any

63. to go and catch a horse  =  to leave one’s friends or other people to pass urine

64. don’t hang all your bells on one horse [said to imply that one should not give all one’s attention, or everything to only one child or person]

65. to find a horse-nest [said when someone laughs without reason]

66. to back the wrong horse  =  to support, favour or bet on the losing side, team, etc.

67. a horse of another (or a different) colour [said of something completely different from what you expect or feel; something that is to be considered separately from the present matter or point]

68. to drive a coach and horses through (something)  =  to expose or reveal a very serious weakness in someone’s argument