ride (one's) luck
To find success through fortune or chance rather than through one's own agency or risk-taking. (Used especially in reference to sporting events.) Primarily heard in UK. Cheltenham has been riding their luck lately, winning their last two games on penalty kicks alone, but they'll need to step up their game if they hope to have a place in the championship.
ride (someone's) ass
1. To frequently or constantly harass, nag, or upbraid someone to do, accomplish, or complete something. The boss is riding everyone's ass to get the project finished by next week. Quit riding my ass, I'll get it done eventually!
2. To tailgate, i.e. to follow unnecessarily closely behind another vehicle while driving. I wish that trucker wouldn't ride my ass down this hill.
ride (someone's) back
To frequently or constantly harass, nag, or upbraid someone to do, accomplish, or complete something. The boss is riding everyone's back to get the project finished by next week. Quit riding my back, I'll get it done eventually!
ride (someone's) butt
To frequently or constantly harass, nag, or upbraid someone to do, accomplish, or complete something. The boss is riding everyone's butt to get the project finished by next week. Quit riding my butt, I'll get it done eventually!
ride tall in the/(one's) saddle
To be or remain proud, stoical, or august in one's manner or composure. Even after two years of a losing war, the general still rode tall in his saddle before his troops. I'll have nothing to do with your schemes or plot. One day, you're going to be locked up and lose everything, and I'll be riding tall in the saddle when you do.
ride (on) the coattails of (someone)
To benefit from someone else's success; to use someone else's success as a means to achieve one's own. Everyone knows you've been riding on the coattails of the governor these last two years, but once her term ends, you'll be on your own! Jonathan rode the coattails of his professor to get some recognition for his own work in several esteemed academic journals.
ride the pine
In sports (especially baseball), to remain sitting on the bench, rather than be an active participant in the game. Primarily heard in US. I'm not going to play next year if coach makes me ride the pine again this season. I rode the pine for the rest of the game after I pulled my hamstring sliding to first base.
ride (on) the wave (of something)
To enjoy the advantage or benefit of a particularly successful, popular, fortunate, interesting, etc., moment or period of time. Jonathan has been riding the wave of his sister's celebrity ever since she was cast in that blockbuster film series. The popular Internet artist has ridden the wave of support from her fan base to launch an incredibly successful crowd funding campaign for a new project. Ever since I won the lottery, everybody has been really friendly to me, and I've just been riding the wave ever since!
ride with the punches
1. Literally, in martial arts (especially boxing), to maneuver one's body away from a blow so as to lessen the force of its impact. He's not the most aggressive fighter—instead, he relies on his endurance and skill, riding with the punches to wear down his opponent until the best moment to strike.
2. By extension, to adapt to setbacks, difficulties, or adversity so as to better manage or cope with their impact on one's life. (Note: This phrase is a less common variant of the phrase "roll with the punches," which carries the same literal and figurative meanings.) Losing my job was really tough, but I've just been trying to ride with the punches until I get back on my feet. I learned that my grandfather passed away right before my final exams in college, but I just rode with the punches and did the best that I could.
ride on a rail
To be punished harshly, often publicly, and perhaps culminating in exile. The phrase originally referred to a punishment in which a wrongdoer was paraded around town on a rail and then exiled. Now that this scandal is public knowledge, I'm afraid that I'm going to ride on a rail before it's all over.
ride shanks' mare
To walk. "Shanks" refers to one's legs. The store is close enough that we don't need to drive, we can just ride shanks' mare.