Are your kids hounding you to go to the waterpark? You could tell them, "hold your horses," and ask them to be patient while preparing the food and drinks for the day. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this expression.
Meaning
The expression "hold your horses" means to be patient or to slow down. The term applies to words, actions, and thoughts. If someone tells you to hold your horses, they're asking you to pause and think about the consequences of your actions before you speak or act.
To "hold your horses" means you should slow down and pay better attention to your actions to avoid making mistakes or bad judgment calls.
Example Usage
"I know you're excited, but hold your horses. Have you thought about the repercussions of your actions and how that's going to affect the outcome of the situation?"
"The kids won't leave me alone, they keep pestering me. They want to go to the waterpark in the afternoon. I told them to hold their horses while I speak to you and ensure it's okay."
"Listen, hold your horses on that. I know you want to start as soon as possible, but we can't let you jump in right away, or you'll get hurt."
"This team is outstanding, but a few of them are reckless. Next time they ask you for something, tell them to hold their horses and think about what they do before jumping right into it."
"Hold your horses. There's no need to go there right now and cause a stir. Take an hour to calm down, and you might think differently about things."
Listen, Joey, hold your horses. I know you want to get up on stage right now, but you're not ready. Give it a few more weeks and polish your act before you leap to the big time."
Origin
The expression "hold your horses" originates from New York City around the early-to-mid-19th century. It was a common phrase heard around New York's Erie Canal, where a significant proportion of logistics and transport occurred through barges towed by horses.
The horses pulled the boats by trekking along a pathway next to the water. The towpaths would often feature several horse teams pulling barges. As a result, there was plenty of confusion between horse teams and barge masters. If horse teams got in each other's way, the team leader would shout out, "hold your horses," to manage the passing of horses so as to avoid confusion.
The term was first introduced into the practice in 1836, a decade after the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825. The phrase changed its meaning to the modern context of being patient sometime in the early 1900s.
Phrases Similar to Hold Your Horses
- Wait a minute.
- Give pause.
- Look before you leap.
Phrases Opposite to Hold Your Horses
- Jump right in.
- Don’t hold back.
- Good to go.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Hold your horses.
Ways People May Say Hold Your Horses Incorrectly
The phrase has nothing to do with horses. The "horse" in the saying refers to the person's overly-enthusiastic attitude, "Holding the horse" means you want them to consider the weight of their actions before they jump into doing or saying something.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Hold Your Horses
You can use the expression "hold your horses" in situations where you want to tell someone to slow down their thought process, speech, or actions. The phrase suits social and professional use. For instance, you could use it at home when your children ask you to visit their friend's house. You could tell them to hold their horses while you speak to their friend's mother.
Or you could use it at work to stop an over-zealous college from jumping into something without thinking about it. The term suits occasions when you want to give pause for thought. It's suitable for text-based communications and verbal exchanges.