High horse

Origin of: High horse

High horse

A person who mounts his or her high horse is someone who adopts a superior attitude. To tell someone to get down from their high horse is to urge them to stop being superior or condescending. In the 14th century, high horses were tall warhorses or chargers, strictly reserved for the nobility, knights, and the upper classes. The current figurative use of the expression dates from the 18th century.