# What is the origin of the phrase "I need to see a man about a horse"?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926>\
**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:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/21 "2007-01-16T16:57:37Z")

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[QUOTE=Surok]  
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.  
[/QUOTE]

The floridated water did it.

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**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2007, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-i-need-to-see-a-man-about-a-horse/387926/22 "2007-01-16T18:25:37Z")

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[QUOTE=FRDE]  
I’ve never heard it about a horse

- but ‘_I need to see a man about a dog_’ is familiar.  
[/QUOTE]

From the first cite in the second post:

> [@](#):
>
> The variations on these expressions are endless and include: Go see a dog about a horse, go and see a dog about a man, go and shoot a dog, go and feed a dog…

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