What Do People Mean by “Hold Your Horses”?

Have you ever been told to “hold your horses” and wondered, “Wait… what horses? I don’t even own a horse!”

It’s one of those funny English phrases that makes no sense unless you know it doesn’t mean literal horses. It just means, “Calm down” or “Be patient.” Imagine someone yelling this at you while you’re anxiously waiting for a coffee order. Horses? Where? Is there a parade I missed?

But honestly, asking “What horses?” is the kind of innocent mistake that makes people smile. And that’s the beauty of learning a language—making people laugh while you’re learning something new. I hope you learned something you didn’t know about.

0 Comments

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

English Plus

Author

English Plus Podcast is dedicated to bring you the most interesting, engaging and informative daily dose of English and knowledge. So, if you want to take your English and knowledge to the next level, you're in the right place.

Daily Shorts 12 | Full Throttle Failure, Moneyless Musings & Brain Benders

by English Plus | Apr 8, 2025

This episode explores the high-energy expression “put the pedal to the metal,” delves deep into the meaning and impact of failure, imagines the radical possibilities of a world without money, unpacks the weighty word “ignominious,” challenges your logic with the classic “Bridge Crossing” brain teaser, and offers motivation for turning setbacks into valuable lessons.

Daily Shorts 11 | Word Power, What Ifs, Brain Sparks & Mysteries Unveiled

by English Plus | Apr 7, 2025

Explore the diligent power of “leaving no stone unturned,” ponder the ripples of changing past habits, unleash your inner child imagining a world run by kids, find hope in the delicate word “glimmer,” marvel at the brain’s communication network via synapses, and delve into the enduring mystery of the lost Knights Templar treasure.

Daily Shorts 10 | A Collection of Profound Perspectives

by English Plus | Apr 4, 2025

In this episode, we’ll explore the awkwardness of “putting your foot in your mouth,” reflect on unresolved conflicts we might be avoiding, ponder the implications of eternal life, discover the dual meaning of “efflorescence,” delve into the paradox of free will, and unpack the wisdom of Lao Tzu on the strength of being loved and the courage of loving.

The Dance, The Drift, and The Handle: How We survive the Morning After

Dec 19, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, Thinking Out Loud, When the Bells Stop Ringing

As 2025 comes to a close, we look at the transition from holiday magic to ordinary reality. Through stories set in a nursing home in Buenos Aires, a dark river in the Amazon, and a drought-stricken well in Turkana, we ask: How do we keep the music playing when the orchestra stops?

When the Bells Stop Ringing | A Prayer for the Day After

Dec 18, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

And finally, we look to the day after. The bells have stopped ringing, the guests have gone, and the wax has hardened on the table. We often treat the holiday spirit like a decoration—something to be packed away in a box until next year. But what if the kindness, the open doors, and the shared bread were not a seasonal performance, but a blueprint for how to live? In this final reflection, we ask what it means to carry the light of the feast into the famine of the ordinary days ahead.

When the Bells Stop Ringing 15 | The Water at The Well

Dec 17, 2025 | English Plus Podcast, When the Bells Stop Ringing

In the drought-stricken lands of Turkana County, the sun is a hammer and water is more precious than gold. Zola, a young woman from the Turkana tribe, walks miles to the only working well, knowing it sits on the dangerous borderlands of the enemy Pokot tribe. When she arrives, she is not alone. A woman from the opposing tribe is already there. With no men and no guns—just two women and a rusted, heavy pump handle—they face a choice: hold onto the history of war, or work together to survive the day.