tall in the saddle
- idiom
- Informal
:
seguro de sí mismo
- After years of experience, he felt tall in the saddle, ready to take on any challenge at work.
Examples
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The manager was tall in the saddle during the presentation, commanding the attention of everyone in the room.
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When Obama was tall in the saddle and determined to exploit the economic crisis on his terms, there was no point in offering real alternatives.
Blog text (21) -
She walked into the meeting tall in the saddle, confidently presenting her ideas to the team.
Synonyms
1
7.8
Has control and confidence when leading others
Antonyms
How Confident
Surface Forms
Morphology
The literal words ('tall' + 'in the saddle') evoke a rider's posture and the idea of being in control of a horse, which gives a metaphorical clue to confidence and command. However, the specific meaning 'confident, self-assured, and in control' requires mapping the physical image to a social/psychological state and is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, so it is best classified as semi-transparent.
Etymology
Tall in the saddle comes from horse riding: a rider who sits tall in the saddle looks steady and in charge of the horse. So, that picture of someone sitting ready and steady is why it means 'confident' and 'in control'.