ProverbWisdomEnglish origin

The horse thinks one thing, and he that rides him another.

Meaning: Intentions diverge between those who control and those controlled; agreement cannot be assumed despite outward cooperation.

Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.

Equivalents in Spanish

  • Spanish: Una cosa piensa el bayo, y otra el que lo ensilla (literally: The bay horse thinks one thing, and the one who saddles it another)

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