# you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink

idiom · CEFR B1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/you-can-lead-a-horse-to-water-but-you-cant-make-him-drink
Updated: 2026-06-07

## Meaning

You can't force someone to make the right decision

## Examples

- You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
- I bought my son all the books he needs for his exams, but you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
- The manager provided every resource necessary for the team's success, yet he soon realized that you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

## Origin

One of the oldest recorded English proverbs, appearing in Old English Homilies around 1175: 'who can give water to the horse that will not drink of its own accord?' (disputed)

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.