أعلى مافي خيلك اركبه
“Ride the Highest Part of Your Horse”
Pronounced: A’ala Ma Fe Khaylik… Irkabah!
Arabic Proverb
Origin Unknown
!أعلى ما في خيلك… اركبه
Ride the highest part of your horse
Literal translation- The highest part of your horse… Get on it!
Means- “Give me everything you’ve got!”
A’ala ma fe khaylik… irkabah!
This saying recently went viral on TikTok, becoming a trend across the Arab world. The sound became popular after a clip of Marzouq Al-Ghanem (مرزوق الغانم), the former Speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, was edited into the catchy video above.
In the clip, Marzouq Al-Ghanem is seen telling a member of parliament:
!روح .. روح .. روح
Go… Go… Go!
Rooh… Rooh… Rooh!
!أعلى ما في خيلك… اركبه
The highest part of your horse… Get on it!
A’ala ma fe khaylik… irkabah!
!انت و معزبك
You & your superior!
Ent weh ma’zbik
This line became a meme, and TikTok users started using it in a playful way to challenge others. The saying was taken out of its political context and turned into a humorous challenge on social media, where people would use it to taunt others.
The saying isn't about the literal height of the horse. It's metaphorical, representing your maximum strength and confidence. It’s about giving your all in a challenge, not holding back.
So, when someone says, "A’ala ma fe khaylik… irkabah!" they’re not asking you to literally ride the highest part of a horse; they’re challenging you to give everything you have, to push yourself to the limit and show what you’re really made of.
Folklore
In the old days, schools were often located far from the villages, and students had to travel to get an education. Wealthy students would ride on horses, while poorer students would walk or ride donkeys or mules.
It’s been told that one day, a group of wealthy students arrived late to school and were stopped by the school guard, who refused to let them in. Frustrated, they decided to take matters into their own hands, and chose the tallest horses they had to jump over the school’s fence.
In that moment, the phrase "A’ala ma fe khaylik… irkabah!" was born—meaning "Ride the highest part of your horse." Over time, it became a metaphor for using all your strength to confront a challenge.
With time, it evolved into a way of saying, “Bring it on! I’m ready for whatever you’ve got.” It's about defiance, strength, and confidence in the face of adversity. It’s used when someone is ready to confront a threat head-on, saying, "Hit me with your best shot."