(straight) from the horse's mouth

/stɹˈeɪt fɹʌmðə hˈɔːsɪz mˈaʊθ/

/stɹˈeɪt fɹʌmðə hˈɔːɹsɪz mˈaʊθ/

[phrase]

[PHRASE]

(of information) from an accurate or valid source

What is the origin of the idiom "from the horse's mouth" and when to use it?

The idiom "from the horse's mouth" has its origins in horse racing, particularly in the practice of obtaining reliable information about a racehorse's condition and prospects directly from the horse's trainer or owner. To get accurate and trustworthy information about a horse, one would go directly to the source, which is the person most knowledgeable about the horse's capabilities and performance.

Examples

1. The only way to fight the MSM lies is to hear the unfiltered truth straight from the horse's mouth.

2. The only way to fight the MSM lies is to hear the unfiltered truth straight from the horse's mouth.

3. Early Days Most of the information surrounding the detective's early years comes straight from the horse's mouth courtesy of the Memoirs of Vidocq, the autobiography he published with the help of a ghost-writer around 1828.

4. Early Days Most of the information surrounding the detective's early years comes straight from the horse's mouth courtesy of the Memoirs of Vidocq, the autobiography he published with the help of a ghost-writer around 1828.