tall in the saddle

tall in the saddle

Proud, stoic, or august in one's manner or composure. Even after two years of a losing war, the general still rode tall in his saddle before his troops.

See also: saddle, tall

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2015 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

tall in the saddle

AMERICAN

If someone is tall in the saddle, they are confident and successful. The England manager will be riding tall in the saddle as he heads for Europe. The old cowboy of French politics is sitting tall in the saddle again.

See also: saddle, tall

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

tall in the saddle

mod. proud. (Often with sit.) I’ll still be tall in the saddle when you are experiencing the results of your folly.

See also: saddle, tall

McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.