# What is the origin of the phrase "I need to see a man about a horse"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 14, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926 "2007-01-14T11:27:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/1 "2007-01-14T11:27:07Z")
Well? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/2 "2007-01-14T12:40:30Z")
> **[Man about a horse - phrase meaning and origin](https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/10/messages/441.html)** > > Man about a horse - the meaning and origin of this phrase > **[See a man about a dog - phrase meaning and origin](https://www.phrases.org.uk/bulletin_board/9/messages/439.html)** > > See a man about a dog - the meaning and origin of this phrase ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/3 "2007-01-14T12:42:51Z")
A bit of poking about on [the interweb](http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-see1.htm) seems to suggest the first written use of the phrase so far located is an 1866 play called “_The Flying Scud_”. I haven’t found any source that suggests that play actually coined the phrase, it may have been in popular verbal use before that. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/4 "2007-01-14T15:30:33Z")
Before someone else says it, use [Google](http://www.google.com/search?q=see+a+man+about+a+horse&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) next time my man. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/5 "2007-01-14T15:44:27Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] Before someone else says it, use [Google](http://www.google.com/search?q=see+a+man+about+a+horse&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a) next time my man. [/QUOTE] We’ve kicked this around before. And I’ve been guilty of using the dread phrase “Google is your friend” my own self. But after a number of spirited debates, most dopers seem to agree that telling people to use Google instead of asking their questions here is really sort of counter-productive to the purpose of the SDMB. Even if the answer is easily found, it will lack the give-and-take repartee, the commentary, the arguments, the various anecdotes that often accompany queries here. Just my two cents, which carry absolutely no weight of authority. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/6 "2007-01-14T16:16:56Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Just my two cents, which carry absolutely no weight of authority. [/QUOTE] If you would take the simple trouble to google “Qadgop the Mercotan” I think you’d find that you carry considerable authority around here. Google is your friend, my friend–please don’t fill up this thread with silly, erroneous nonsense when a little searching saves us all so much time and effort. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/7 "2007-01-14T17:03:50Z")
[QUOTE=Qadgop the Mercotan] Just my two cents, which carry absolutely no weight of authority. [/QUOTE] Well, despite opinions to the contrary, I’m wit’ youse! ---
**Author:** ![Septima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dc4da7/32.png) [@Septima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Septima)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/8 "2007-01-14T17:32:30Z")
Thanks, guys. I’ve been wondering about this phrase for a while, and then it turned up in _A Song of Ice and Fire,_ of all places. I just had to find out, and google didn’t even occur to me. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/9 "2007-01-14T17:41:37Z")
[QUOTE=pseudotriton ruber ruber] If you would take the simple trouble to google “Qadgop the Mercotan” I think you’d find that you carry considerable authority around here. Google is your friend, my friend–please don’t fill up this thread with silly, erroneous nonsense when a little searching saves us all so much time and effort. [/QUOTE] Forgive me, but I gotta ask: If you feel this way, why are you wasting your time and effort on this thread? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/10 "2007-01-14T18:04:00Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] Forgive me, but I gotta ask: If you feel this way, why are you wasting your time and effort on this thread? 😕 [/QUOTE] \<\\> **PRR** , thanks. Compliment received on this end. ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/11 "2007-01-14T18:18:08Z")
I’m so confused! ---
**Author:** ![MadTheSwine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MadTheSwine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadTheSwine)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/12 "2007-01-14T18:22:14Z")
I say the OP’s horse line all the time,never even thought about where it came from.Good Question, **Septima**. Now,excuse me, I gotta go take a shit. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/13 "2007-01-14T18:32:18Z")
[QUOTE=BJMoose] I’m so confused! [/QUOTE] The “silly, erroneous nonsense” **prr** was referring to was **Qadgop’s** plainly wrong statement that he “carries absolutely no weight of authority” around here. Clearer? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/14 "2007-01-14T18:39:45Z")
Oh. ::slinks off into the sunset:: ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2007, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/15 "2007-01-14T23:59:49Z")
Maybe I’m the only one to take DIGGLEBLOP’s post as a whoosh. He has been beat to death over the last few months with the ‘Google is your friend’ line. Pay back time, DIG? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/16 "2007-01-15T00:14:50Z")
[QUOTE=ltfire] Maybe I’m the only one to take DIGGLEBLOP’s post as a whoosh. He has been beat to death over the last few months with the ‘Google is your friend’ line. Pay back time, DIG? [/QUOTE] One of his better posts in GQ. 🙂 He was right to post it. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/17 "2007-01-15T02:26:52Z")
I’d always thought it was mule, not horse, and I first heard it in the movie **Kalifornia**. Really. ---
**Author:** ![FRDE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e68b1a/32.png) [@FRDE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FRDE)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/18 "2007-01-15T09:55:38Z")
I’ve never heard it about a horse - but ‘_I need to see a man about a dog_’ is familiar. ---
**Author:** ![neutron\_star](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/51bf81/32.png) [@neutron\_star](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/neutron_star)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/19 "2007-01-15T10:43:41Z")
Just for the hell of it: “I need to see a man about a horse.” –Cotton Hill, from the FOX animated series, “King of the Hill.” How common is this phrase, as that’s the only place I’ve ever heard it? ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2007, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/20 "2007-01-15T11:16:43Z")
[QUOTE=FRDE] I’ve never heard it about a horse - but ‘_I need to see a man about a dog_’ is familiar. [/QUOTE] That’s the one I know, as well, so perhaps we can assume that’s the British variant. And someone, when it crossed the pond, the dog mutated into a horse. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926.md?page=2)