# The phrase "throwing a shoe": Have you ever heard of it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 29, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740 "2010-10-29T06:06:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/1 "2010-10-29T06:06:13Z")
I don’t think anyone would describe my language as being in general “folksy”, but there are a few phrases that I use (for some weird reason) that are undeniably cornpone. I have told several students “how the cow ate the cabbage” (gave them an honest, direct, unpleasant message) and have even used the phrase “the whole shootin’ match” in describing to my students how to calculate the sample standard deviation by hand\* (“Just make sure to take the square root of the whole shootin’ match when you’ve finished summing up the squared deviations from the sample mean and dividing by n-1”). Today while I gave my lecture, the overhead projector suddenly failed. I told my students that “it threw a shoe.” Many looked at me as if they had never heard of the phrase. Now, I live in West Texas, so there are plenty of folksy sayings around here, so it’s not that. I went online a while ago and tried to find the phrase. Most of the links are about the Bush incident in Iraq. I can’t find a site that defines the phrase “throwing a shoe” as I used it (when something breaks, it “throws a shoe”). Did I just make this phrase up? \*I’m a doctoral student and the class is “coordinated”, so I don’t have complete freedom to teach what I want. I have to follow an archaic departmental syllabus. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/2 "2010-10-29T06:22:58Z")
Never heard it. ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/3 "2010-10-29T06:26:35Z")
It’s to do with horses, I assume. When I think of shoe-throwing I think of the bit in Austin Powers where Random Task throws his shoe and Austin goes “Who throws a shoe? Honestly?!” ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/4 "2010-10-29T06:32:43Z")
> [@voguevixen](#): > > It’s to do with horses, I assume. … When they lose one or IIRC one gets loose (oxen too). CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/5 "2010-10-29T07:14:11Z")
I know the term but I’ve never heard it used outside of equestrian contexts where, yes, it means the horse has lost a shoe and thus can’t work until it’s replaced. As **voguevixen** , If I heard anyone use it outside this specific context, my mind would go Austin Powers before nags. In other news, today I learned “cornpone”. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/6 "2010-10-29T07:23:17Z")
I’ve heard it, but only in its literal sense of, as mentioned, horses losing a horseshoe. But I grew up in the country, and my Dad was a fan of betting on and going to horse races, so there may be a more direct link for me. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/7 "2010-10-29T07:42:30Z")
Like others, I’ve heard of a horse throwing a shoe but I’ve never heard it used metaphorically before. I think I would be smart enough to understand it if I had, though 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/8 "2010-10-29T09:00:50Z")
I’ve heard it and it makes perfect visual sense to me (i.e. the horse can’t work anymore as it has lost a shoe). I’ve also heard it as “throw a cog” with the same connotations. Here’s a rural one that often perplexes my southern friends. (to clarify, I’m from the north east of England and I when I use this phrase in my training to multi-country groups I always have to explain it…doesn’t stop me using though as I like it!) “there’s a rabbit off!” to mean something is strange or wrong. The equivalent of “something fishy” I suppose. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/9 "2010-10-29T09:09:52Z")
Yes, as an ex-equestrian competitor, I heard it quite frequently. Horses will throw shoes - that is the origin of the phrase. My roomie is a farrier [blacksmith that specifically deals with horses feet] and is _very_ familiar with the phrase =) ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/10 "2010-10-29T11:21:40Z")
Never heard it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/11 "2010-10-29T11:37:44Z")
I’ve heard it (although only in thr context of horses). If I heard it in the context of malfunctioning machinery, I might interpret it as a reference to sabotage (depending on the wording of the statement). ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/12 "2010-10-29T11:51:36Z")
Relatively common 50+ years ago when it was still possible in some areas to see horse-drawn vehicles on the roads. Others in that same vein, probably from the same era, include: Busted a casing Pulled up lame Came uncranked ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/13 "2010-10-29T12:08:56Z")
The only thing that pops into my mind is the Bush shoe-throwing incident. If someone used the phrase metaphorically, I’d probably know what they meant in context, but at first would think they were referring to symbolically dissing someone with a shoe. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/14 "2010-10-29T12:10:13Z")
“Busted a casing” - as in automobile tire, I presume? To answer the OP, yes, I’ve heard the phrase (central Miss. here). Consider this proverb: _For want of a nail the shoe was lost. For want of a shoe the horse was lost. For want of a horse the rider was lost. For want of a rider the battle was lost. For want of a battle the kingdom was lost. And all for the want of a horseshoe nail._ For a horse to “throw a shoe” at a critical moment is a Very Bad Thing. ---
**Author:** ![bucketybuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@bucketybuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bucketybuck)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/15 "2010-10-29T12:15:12Z")
Yeah, I’ve heard it. Come back to me when you regularly hear “stall the bailer” in everyday conversation. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/16 "2010-10-29T12:22:02Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > When they lose one or IIRC one gets loose (oxen too). [nitpick]Oxen are cloven hoofed and when used as draught animals are not fitted with metal shoes. [/nitpick] The phrase is more commonly heard in the context of horse racing. Shoes are weighted so that the horse strides evenly. Losing a shoe can seriously alter the gait of a horse at full gallop. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/17 "2010-10-29T12:34:50Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > “Busted a casing” - as in automobile tire, I presume? That’s how I’ve heard it used by older folks, back in the day. You’re going to play hell getting any online confirmation on this one! Probably _too_ quaint and/or dated. I would suspect the horse racing/breeding/riding community still finds use of “threw a shoe” to this day, but that would be a guess on my part. I have used it in jest from time to time just to get the blank stare the OP suggests! 😃 It might make a fun poll if you combine age-range with “have you heard of…?” ETA: Just now reading other responses where it’s clear that horse people still use it. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/18 "2010-10-29T14:15:34Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > “Busted a casing” - as in automobile tire, I presume? I’d have assumed that one was talking about a crank casing or similar - broken by a machine ‘throwing a rod’ (there’s another one). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/19 "2010-10-29T14:16:36Z")
Heard it, use it myself on occasion. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2010, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740/20 "2010-10-29T14:25:33Z")
You can’t expect today’s college students to be familiar with a phrase like this. This is the sort of thing one would only encounter if one had read literally _dozens_ of books on a variety of subjects, and it does not routinely appear on Twitter. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-phrase-throwing-a-shoe-have-you-ever-heard-of-it/558740.md?page=2)