It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.

Stevenson’s line uses a vivid military image to make a psychological point about leadership: effective command requires a willingness to appear unselfconscious and to accept the outward trappings of authority. If a leader is preoccupied with how they look—whether literally in uniform or figuratively in the role—they will hesitate at the moment decisive action is needed. The “cavalry charge” suggests urgency, risk, and visibility; it is not something one can do halfheartedly. More broadly, the remark critiques vanity and self-doubt as forms of self-sabotage, implying that credibility and courage often begin with embracing the role rather than anxiously performing it.