Ride herd on somebody/something

Pro Tip 1/3

Implies actively overseeing someone's actions, not just passively observing.

Our manager has to ride herd on the new hires to ensure they follow procedures.

Pro Tip 2/3

Suggests a person has been given the responsibility to control or guide.

As the oldest cousin, I often have to ride herd on my younger cousins at reunions.

Pro Tip 3/3

It's a casual expression, not typically used in formal writing or speech.

In meetings, I'm informal and say I'll ride herd on the project's progress.