Naturally our first thoughts when we see this phrase are about a horse rearing up on his hind legs and refusing to move forward. It is similar but more aggressive than the phrase "Amad al shelo" - stood up for his own. It may have actually been taken from the German "sich auf die Hinterbeine stellen."

"Hamenahel amad al raglav haAchoriyot v’serev lehipagesh im haovdim sheshavtu" - The manager refused to budge from his stand not to meet with the striking employees. Sounds to me more like something related to a horse...

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