--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No matter how good a man is, there's…" description: "\"“No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can pitch him.”\" — John Steinbeck" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg" --- # No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can… ![“No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can pitch him.” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg) > ““No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can pitch him.”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even a good person can be undermined by a single, unexpected challenge. **In simple terms:** Goodness can be toppled by a small flaw. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant for hidden risks. Themes vulnerability humility risk human nature Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - business negotiations - personal relationships - leadership decisions Key Concepts Moral frailty unforeseen obstacles Questions to Reflect On - What hidden flaw could undermine your success? - How can you protect against unexpected setbacks? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on weakness may ignore strengths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horse/) [Pitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitch/) ## Related quotes > [A man on a horse is spiritually, as well as physically, bigger then a man on foot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/a-man-on-a-horse-is-spiritually-as-well-as-physically-bigger-then-a/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Jesus Christ… Thank fuck for that,” Picnic said. “Nope, not Jesus, just a man,” Horse whispered. “Although when women see my dick for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-wylde/jesus-christ-thank-fuck-for-that-picnic-said-nope-not-jesus-just-a/) [Joanna Wylde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-wylde/) > [“Death is a force, not a man in a horse”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dry-the-river/death-is-a-force-not-a-man-in-a-horse/) Dry the River > [A man without a horse is like a man without a weapon: stunted and naked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-abbey/a-man-without-a-horse-is-like-a-man-without-a-weapon-stunted-and-naked/) [Edward Abbey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-abbey/) > [Give a man a horse he can ride, give a man a boat he can sail; and his rank and wealth, his strength and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/give-a-man-a-horse-he-can-ride-give-a-man-a-boat-he-can-sail-and-his/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Me and my friends used to joke about the fact that you don't see a Black man on a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rege-jean-page/me-and-my-friends-used-to-joke-about-the-fact-that-you-don-t-see-a/) [Rege-Jean Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rege-jean-page/) > [ The poor old Duke \[of Wellington\]! What shall I say of him? To be sure he was born in Ireland, but being born in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-o-connell/the-poor-old-duke-of-wellington-what-shall-i-say-of-him-to-be-sure-he/) [Daniel O'Connell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-o-connell/) > [“Horses are mirrors. They'll show you back whatever you show them. Watch a man with a horse, and you'll see what's inside his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-doria-russell/horses-are-mirrors-they-ll-show-you-back-whatever-you-show-them-watch/) [Mary Doria Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-doria-russell/) > [The man whose horse trots a mile in a minute does not carry the most important messages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-man-whose-horse-trots-a-mile-in-a-minute-does-not-carry-the-most/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [One man, one horse, one holocaust on demand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-morris/one-man-one-horse-one-holocaust-on-demand/) [Janet Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-morris/) > [There is no secret closer than what passes between a man and his horse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-smith-surtees/there-is-no-secret-closer-than-what-passes-between-a-man-and-his-horse/) [Robert Smith Surtees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-smith-surtees/) > [Everything you do off the pitch always shows so you have to work on yourself physically as well, it's not just working on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hector-bellerin/everything-you-do-off-the-pitch-always-shows-so-you-have-to-work-on/) [Hector Bellerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hector-bellerin/) > [When a liquid boils, the temperature has been raised to such a pitch that the evaporating molecules are sufficient in number and speed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-henry-bragg/when-a-liquid-boils-the-temperature-has-been-raised-to-such-a-pitch/) [William Henry Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-henry-bragg/) > [When we speak about equality, you want to be playing on the best pitches with the best facilities. You want to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-we-speak-about-equality-you-want-to-be-playing-on-the-best/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [Playing shortstop is 75 to 80 percent anticipation, knowing the hitter and the pitch being thrown.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-boudreau/playing-shortstop-is-75-to-80-percent-anticipation-knowing-the-hitter/) [Lou Boudreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-boudreau/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. 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The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Good man quotes > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Good manners are not bred in moments, but in years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mcnair-wright/good-manners-are-not-bred-in-moments-but-in-years/) [Julia McNair Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mcnair-wright/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [The life of a good man was a continual warfare with his passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/the-life-of-a-good-man-was-a-continual-warfare-with-his-passions/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [ I don't see \[ Trainspotting \] as an albatross, I see it more as a calling card. It's got me out to Hollywood, I've… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-don-t-see-trainspotting-as-an-albatross-i-see-it-more-as-a-calling/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [“I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-put-no-stock-in-religion-by-the-word-religion-i-have-seen-the/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [To follow good manners willingly is like paving the road and to tell somebody to follow them is like the road which is always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/to-follow-good-manners-willingly-is-like-paving-the-road-and-to-tell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“It is said that the hallmark of a gentleman is that he is only ever rude intentionally. Arthur Bryant was no gentleman. His rudeness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fowler/it-is-said-that-the-hallmark-of-a-gentleman-is-that-he-is-only-ever/) [Christopher Fowler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fowler/) > [I'm a good man with a good heart had a tough time, got a rough start But I finally learned to let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayer/i-m-a-good-man-with-a-good-heart-had-a-tough-time-got-a-rough-start/) [John Mayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayer/) > [ I've often thought about that and the only suitable member to join me on that climb \[to Everest\] was George Lowe: he was strong,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-hillary/i-ve-often-thought-about-that-and-the-only-suitable-member-to-join-me/) [Edmund Hillary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-hillary/) > [Of course, when you play football yourself you can think you want to become a manager but it does not make you a good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaap-stam/of-course-when-you-play-football-yourself-you-can-think-you-want-to/) [Jaap Stam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaap-stam/) > [“Falsehood of a good man is better than truth of a bad one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/falsehood-of-a-good-man-is-better-than-truth-of-a-bad-one/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“Atticus adjusted his glasses as he peered down at the blanket. “Hey, is that the book Nellie told us about?” Jake’s eyes flicked to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-watson/atticus-adjusted-his-glasses-as-he-peered-down-at-the-blanket-hey-is/) [Jude Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jude-watson/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [“Grits Glossary blues \\’blüz\\ n: nothing but a good man singing about hardship, sorrow, and the things he’s done wrong--but sake’s alive, they make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/grits-glossary-blues-bl-z-n-nothing-but-a-good-man-singing-about/) [Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/) [Browse all 2,081 Good man quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can pitch him.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Steinbeck" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-always-some-horse-can-pitch-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-always-some-horse-can-pitch-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5e3/john-steinbeck-71_good-man_no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-alwa_3015024.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“No matter how good a man is, there's always some horse can pitch him.” — John Steinbeck", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Steinbeck", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“No matter how good a man...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-always-some-horse-can-pitch-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/no-matter-how-good-a-man-is-there-s-always-some-horse-can-pitch-him/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```