Hold Your Horses

Hold your horses is an old American saying meaning "be patient" or "slow down". While it sounds perfectly Southern, it’s actually a broader American idiom that dates back to the 1800s.

#Southernish #Animals

synonyms: slow down, take it easy, wait a minute, don’t rush

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard folks down here say 'hold your horses!' plenty. But Southern? More ish.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

I've heard folks down here say 'hold your horses!' plenty. But Southern? More ish.

Pronunciation

[HOHL’ yer HOR-suhz]
/hoʊld jɚ ˈhɔɹ.sɪz/

Meaning & Usage

- Be patient or wait (interjection)

Tina:

You got them biscuits done yet?

Mabel:

Hold your horses, I just put ’em in the oven!

variations: hold them horses, just hold your horses now

Origin

The saying likely came from the early 19th century United States, when horses were part of daily life and "holding" them meant keeping control or waiting. It first appeared in newspapers and military writing in the mid-1800s, not tied to any one region. Its lively, down-home rhythm made it a natural fit in Southern and rural speech, where it still feels right at home today.

Verdict: Southernish. Born as a general American idiom, not uniquely Southern, though often used in Southern and Appalachian talk.

Notes

Used nationwide, but especially natural in casual, rural, or family speech.
Common in both spoken and written form since the 1800s.
Fits neatly into the rhythm and humor of Southern English, even if it didn’t start there.
Still a gentle, folksy way to tell someone to wait or calm down.

Kin Topics

Animals

Common Questions

What does "hold your horses" mean?

It means "be patient" or "wait a moment before acting."

Is it a Southern saying?

Not originally-it started as a general American expression but sounds perfectly natural in Southern speech.

Why horses?

It comes from the literal act of restraining horses so they don’t bolt too soon-used figuratively for people rushing ahead.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, October 18). Hold Your Horses. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/hold-your-horses
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "Hold Your Horses." HillbillySlang.com, 18 Oct. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/hold-your-horses.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "Hold Your Horses." HillbillySlang.com. October 18, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/southernish/hold-your-horses.