Citations:give someone his head

English citations of give someone his head

19th century, in Transactions of the Rhode Island Society for the Encouragement of Domestic Industry in the year 1858 (1859, Providence, Knowles Anthony & Company, page 151):
"When horses stumble, they often break the bearing-rein, and thus getting the head free, are enabled to save themselves. We all know, that when a horse is down, the first thing done is to give him his head, that he may get up... the surest way to keep a horse on his legs, is at all times to give him the free use of his head."
20th century, in "HORSE RACING; Perfect Run for Zito Except for the Finish", New York Times, May 22, 1994:
"'That's exactly where I wanted the horse,' Zito said. 'Everything was perfect. That's the way the horse wants to run, so you've got to give him his head.'"
21st century, in ESPN Horse Racing, "Baffert horses finish 1-2 in San Rafael", March 1 2003:
"He kind of didn't know what the first turn was about, and I had to give him his head to make the turn..."