‘Hell bent’ or ‘Hell for leather’

Have you ever heard someone say they are hell bent on doing something and know they mean they are very determined but don’t really know what the phrase means?

This saying has been has been popular since the early 19th century and describes someone who is prepared to go “to the gates of hell” to achieve their purpose.

Going hell for leather, comes from the idea of riding very hard, the leather referring to either the horse’s saddle or the rider’s crop.

The first recorded use of “hell for leather,” was in a story written in 1889 by Rudyard Kipling, who probably either invented the phrase or picked it up from British Army troops in India.

The phrase is thought to refer to the wear and tear inflicted on the saddle by the strenuous riding, or to the reckless nature of the ride.