you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Alternative form of you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink” mean?
Alternative form of you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
Is “you can lead horses to water, but you can't make them drink” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.