you can take/lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink

You can give someone an advantage or provide them with an opportunity, but you can't force them to do something if they don't want to. A: "I just don't understand. We've given him the very best education and introduced him to the right people, but he just won't pursue a meaningful career." B: "Well, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink."See also: but, can, drink, horse, lead, make

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Prov. You can present someone with an opportunity, but you cannot force him or her to take advantage of it. Jill: I told Katy about all the jobs that are available at our company, but she hasn't applied for any of them. Jane: You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.See also: but, can, drink, horse, lead, make

you can ˌtake/ˌlead a horse to ˌwater, but you ˌcan’t make it ˈdrink

(saying) you can give somebody the opportunity to do something, but you cannot force them to do it if they do not want toSee also: but, can, drink, horse, lead, make, take