Hold Your Horses Idiom: Meaning, Origin, Usage & Exercises

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where someone is rushing ahead, making a decision too quickly, or getting overly excited about something? It is a common human tendency to act impulsively. In such moments, ‘hold your horses’ is a timeless piece of advice we often turn to, an idiom from the common idioms list for IELTS Speaking that perfectly captures the need to slow down and exercise patience.

This blog examines the meaning, history, context, and application of the idiom 'hold your horses,' accompanied by examples and exercises to reinforce the learning.

Hold Your Horses Idiom: Meaning

The idiom ‘hold your horses’ is an informal and friendly way of telling someone to wait, slow down, or be patient. It is a verbal brake pedal, a gentle nudge to reconsider a hasty action or to not get carried away by excitement. 

The phrase implies the need to take a moment to think, to gather one's thoughts, or to let a situation unfold before acting. It is the equivalent of saying, "Don't be so quick to judge," "Don't jump to conclusions," or "Let's consider all the options first”.

Origin of Hold Your Horses Idiom

There have been a variety of sources documenting the use of the phrase ‘hold your horses’. However, the literal meaning comes from the 1600s. At that time, when somebody broke the law, they would be trampled by horses. The one in charge would first say, “Hold Your Horses”, and then would tie the lawbreaker with a wooden piece and lay them on the ground. After this, horses would trample the person. 

The current meaning of the idiom came into existence back in the 19th century in the USA. Back then, it used to be written as ‘hold your hosses’ as hoss was used as US slang for horses. This idiom appeared in print many times from 1843 onwards.

Hold Your Horses Idiom Usage

The idiom ‘hold your horses’ can be used in various situations, from everyday conversations to more formal settings. Here are some examples demonstrating its application:

• Hold your horses; the result is not out yet.
• Hold your horses, and let’s discuss this topic first before concluding. 
• “Why are you so excited? Hold your horses, will you?”
• Please hold your horses. There are already two people in the queue in front of you.
• Just hold your horses until everything is official. Don’t announce anything yet.
• The manager said, “Hold your horses, we can’t launch the product until the legal approval comes through.”
• Before finalizing her university application, her teacher told her to hold her horses and review the documents carefully.

Hold Your Horses Idiom: Synonyms and Related Phrases

In the table below, you will find the common idioms in IELTS Speaking related to the idiom ‘hold your horses’.

Hold Your Horses Idiom: Detailed Usage in IELTS Contexts

The idiom ‘hold your horses’ can be a powerful tool to demonstrate a nuanced understanding of English in the IELTS Speaking test, as it shows a grasp of informal, idiomatic language.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 (Home)

• Question: What is your favourite room in your house, and why?
• Sample Answer: “I'd have to say my living room. I remember a time when my family was redecorating it. My brother wanted to get a huge, modern TV immediately, but my dad said, 'Hold your horses! Let's decide on the furniture and wall color first to make sure everything fits together.' It taught me that sometimes, you need to be patient and plan things out properly before rushing into them.”

IELTS Speaking Part 3 (Technology)

• Question: Do you think technology is making people more or less patient?
• Sample Answer: “I think in some ways, technology has certainly decreased our patience. We expect instant gratification, whether it’s a webpage loading or a delivery arriving. For instance, if an app takes more than a few seconds to load, we get frustrated. So, in a way, we're constantly being told by technology not to wait. However, I believe that it's important for us to hold our horses and remember that some things, like creative work or building relationships, simply can't be rushed. It’s a skill we need to consciously cultivate in this fast-paced world.”

Hold Your Horses Idiom: Practice Exercise

Now, it is time to test your understanding of the idiom ‘hold your horses’ with the following exercises.

1 If your teacher says, “Hold your horses, I haven’t explained the topic yet,” what does it mean?

A You should wait and not rush.

B You should leave the class. 

C You should speak louder.

D You should stop studying.

2 Which of the following situations best fits the idiom?

A Eating slowly at dinner.

B Rushing to submit an assignment without reading instructions.

C Playing a game with friends.

D Traveling on holiday.

3 Choose the sentence where the idiom is used incorrectly.

A  Hold your horses, we’ll leave once everyone is ready.

B Before jumping into conclusions, hold your horses. 

C I was exhausted, so I decided to hold my horses and take a nap.

D The coach shouted, hold your horses, we’re not starting yet.

4 The idiom usually implies:

A Urgency

B Slowing down or waiting

C Anger

D Avoiding responsibility

5 Which is closest in meaning to ‘hold your horses’?

A Relax and wait

B Run faster

C Don’t eat quickly

D Stop working

Hold Your Horses Idiom: Answer Key for Practice Exercise

1 A

2 B

3 C (It doesn’t fit naturally in the sense of resting)

4 B

5 A

To conclude, the idiom ‘hold your horses’ brings both imagery and practicality into English communication. Whether in workplace discussions, personal advice, or IELTS answers, this idiom is an excellent tool for expressing the idea of slowing down and thinking carefully. So, master this idiom and boost your IELTS vocabulary and your confidence.

Useful Links:

• Be Back to Square One Idiom: Meaning, Origin, Usage & Exercises
• One Horse Town - Idiom Of The Day For IELTS Speaking
• Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth - Idiom of the Day for IELTS
• Jumping the gun - Idiom of the day
• How to Improve Your Vocabulary Score in IELTS Writing and Speaking?
• Useful Resources & Websites for IELTS Vocabulary
• Mind Maps to Improve Your IELTS Vocabulary