40:
123:
262:
that the anonymous party is a major player, perhaps only a little weaker than the target itself, and the stalking horse is a minor figure who has little or no reputation to lose. The anonymous figure is not sufficiently powerful, or does not have sufficient confidence in that power, to risk a direct attack first off, and the stalking horse is a form of
321:
stalking horses are not working for a particular individual but may wish to provoke a response that leads others to join in. In politics, the truth about the relationship between an individual stalking horse and a candidate may never be known, as both sides may claim that the (alleged) stalking horse acted without the agreement of anyone else.
24:
the failed concept and can either drop the idea completely or bide its time and wait until a better moment for launching an attack. The relationship between the stalking horse and third party is usually, but not always, hidden from the public. In many cases, the scheme is one-sided, with only one party aware of the arrangement.
320:
The phenomenon occurs particularly in politics, where a junior politician acts as the stalking horse to promote the interests of a senior politician, who remains unseen in case the actions would be damaging but nevertheless wants to provoke a debate or challenge to a party colleague. In some cases,
277:
that will result from the demise of the business rival. The loyalty in volunteering, or agreeing to be "volunteered", will ensure that their name becomes known to those with power and should guarantee help in advancing their interests. As a weaker player, they can afford to wait a while for the due
257:
of a business. In each case, there is a clear understanding that the anonymous party, whether a company or an individual, has a valuable reputation that could be damaged by the failure. The stalking horse is an exercise in assessing accurately the degree of risk, so that a full-blooded challenge is
261:
The loser in the exercise appears to be the stalking horse. If the idea is viable or popular, the stalking horse person will be sidelined and the anonymous figure will take over the concept. If the concept proves unpopular, the stalking horse will suffer any negative reaction. The understanding is
23:
is a figure used to test a concept or mount a challenge on behalf of a third party. If the idea proves viable or popular, the third party can then declare its interest and advance the concept with little risk of failure. If the concept fails, the third party will not be tainted by association with
285:
and self-sacrificial manner, knowing that there is no possibility of realistic reward from the third party for the exercise, and instead being motivated by duty or loyalty to do so for the greater good of the party, organization, or cause to which they both belong. In this case, the "horse" will
298:
between the "horse" and the target. This is a further opportunity to enhance the reputation of the third party and boost their status at the expense of the target. If the exercise is viable, the third party gains power immediately, but even if it fails it engineers an opportunity to resolve a
219:
The term began appearing in
English-language newspapers in the late 18th century. It was used to describe the Protestant branch of Christianity as "a stalking horse to power" in Ireland in 1785. Early examples of its use in a political context occurred in the London newspaper
293:
In the event of failure, the anonymous party is seen as being sufficiently powerful to protect the "horse" from any real retribution on the part of the target, particularly since the anonymity will allow the third party to step in and pretend to be an
249:. They may also include the presentation of a bill by a minor party representative, who is also acting in the interests of a silent partner such as a larger, more risk-averse, political party. In business, the circumstances are an attempt at
67:. Hunters would therefore slowly approach their quarry by walking alongside their horses, keeping their upper bodies out of sight until the flock was within firing range. Animals trained for this purpose were called
373:
elements in the
Republican Party, since Buchanan had been a well-known ardent foe of abortion and had suffered political fallout for bringing abortion and "cultural war" to the center of the public policy debate.
286:
probably not be a young person hoping for advancement, but an older figure at the end of their career, who volunteers as a gesture of gratitude for all the benefits they believe the cause has given them, or as a
797:
352:
303:
and enhance the contender's reputation, so that ultimate success is another step nearer, to the benefit of both the third party and the "horse", who expects to
362:
273:
from the senior figure they are assisting. In business, an associated company that acts as a stalking horse may be given a share in the contracts or the
792:
59:. Hunters noticed that many birds would flee immediately on the approach of humans, but would tolerate the close presence of animals such as
245:
and business. In politics, the circumstances may include an attempt to bring down a powerful leader, usually by members of their own
206:
39:
787:
140:
329:
187:
144:
159:
629:
166:
133:
234:
173:
369:
had secured victories in New
Hampshire and Louisiana led many to believe that Keyes was a stalking horse for
337:
80:
155:
428:
580:
556:
43:"Approaching the fowl with stalking-horse", an 1875 illustration of a cut-out horse shape used in hunting
532:
433:
263:
250:
802:
387:
228:
760:
390:
is a first, favorable bid solicited by the bankrupt company's creditors strategically to prevent
348:
714:
650:
31:, it refers to a horse, or a model of a horse, behind which a hunter hides when stalking game.
630:"Kathleen Reardon: Is North Korea a Chinese Stalking-horse? - Politics on The Huffington Post"
333:
807:
438:
355:
by promising support, then not providing it and hinting at his own entry into the campaign.
344:
180:
739:
692:
443:
423:
408:
370:
246:
781:
671:
448:
418:
295:
533:"8 Apr 1785, Page 4 - The Belfast Mercury or Freeman's Chronicle at Newspapers.com"
500:
366:
287:
274:
222:
325:
122:
520:
403:
383:
358:
304:
761:"Stalking Horse Bidders Try To Calm Creditors And Courts | Bowne Review"
604:
300:
270:
84:, when Johnson and Chris Lapp ("Bear Claw") are hunting elk in the Rockies:
72:
258:
only mounted by the main party when there is a real likelihood of success.
413:
391:
282:
254:
242:
56:
147: in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
52:
28:
609:
Sydney
Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842)
92:: Wind's right, but he'll just run soon as we step out of these trees.
64:
476:"What exactly is a "stalking horse"? - By Ed Finn - Slate Magazine"
475:
60:
38:
332:
challenged and helped to bring about the eventual resignation of
116:
581:"24 Feb 1808, Page 1 - Hartford Courant at Newspapers.com"
324:
For example, in
Britain, the elderly and largely unknown
78:
An example of the practice figures in the 1972 film
281:Alternatively, the "horse" may be acting in a more
97:: Trick to it. Walk out on this side of your horse.
672:"Politics | Tory 'stalking horse' Meyer dies"
269:In politics, the stalking horse figure can expect
557:"18 Dec 1796, 3 - The Observer at Newspapers.com"
651:"A Symbolic Stalking Horse - Political Machine"
107:: Elk don't know how many feet a horse have!
16:Figure used to test an idea for a third party
8:
363:1996 Republican Party presidential primaries
353:1968 Republican Party presidential primaries
521:Jeremiah Johnson (1972) - Memorable quotes
207:Learn how and when to remove this message
351:had used him as a stalking horse in the
51:originally derived from the practice of
798:Political metaphors referring to people
463:
469:
467:
695:. Fandmpublications.co.uk. 1984-03-05
605:"To the Editor of the Sydney Gazette"
7:
474:Politi, Daniel (23 September 2003).
288:chance to go out in a blaze of glory
241:The expression is generally used in
145:adding citations to reliable sources
14:
632:. Huffingtonpost.com. 2006-07-05
121:
75:are used for a similar purpose.
713:Lemann, Nicholas (2012-10-01).
132:needs additional citations for
742:. Investopedia.com. 1993-04-02
266:to enable better positioning.
1:
793:Metaphors referring to horses
501:"Online Etymology Dictionary"
232:in the US in 1808 and in the
102:: What if he sees our feet?
824:
253:for a potential (hostile)
788:English-language idioms
611:. 1822-09-27. p. 3
693:"Events and Incidents"
674:. BBC News. 2005-01-09
429:Placeholder (politics)
343:In American politics,
238:in Australia in 1822.
110:
44:
434:Plausible deniability
235:Sydney Morning Herald
86:
42:
740:"Stalking-Horse Bid"
141:improve this article
229:Connecticut Courant
71:. Sometimes mobile
388:stalking horse bid
349:Nelson Rockefeller
338:Conservative Party
264:distraction tactic
251:testing the market
55:, particularly of
45:
715:"Transaction Man"
361:' entry into the
334:Margaret Thatcher
217:
216:
209:
191:
815:
772:
771:
769:
768:
757:
751:
750:
748:
747:
736:
730:
729:
727:
725:
710:
704:
703:
701:
700:
689:
683:
682:
680:
679:
668:
662:
661:
659:
658:
647:
641:
640:
638:
637:
626:
620:
619:
617:
616:
601:
595:
594:
592:
591:
577:
571:
570:
568:
567:
553:
547:
546:
544:
543:
529:
523:
518:
512:
511:
509:
508:
503:. Etymonline.com
497:
491:
490:
488:
487:
471:
439:Sacrificial lamb
345:George W. Romney
212:
205:
201:
198:
192:
190:
156:"Stalking horse"
149:
125:
117:
81:Jeremiah Johnson
823:
822:
818:
817:
816:
814:
813:
812:
778:
777:
776:
775:
766:
764:
759:
758:
754:
745:
743:
738:
737:
733:
723:
721:
712:
711:
707:
698:
696:
691:
690:
686:
677:
675:
670:
669:
665:
656:
654:
649:
648:
644:
635:
633:
628:
627:
623:
614:
612:
603:
602:
598:
589:
587:
579:
578:
574:
565:
563:
555:
554:
550:
541:
539:
531:
530:
526:
519:
515:
506:
504:
499:
498:
494:
485:
483:
473:
472:
465:
460:
454:
444:Straw man (law)
424:Paper candidate
409:Dummy candidate
400:
380:
371:neoconservative
318:
313:
213:
202:
196:
193:
150:
148:
138:
126:
115:
109:
103:
98:
93:
69:stalking horses
37:
17:
12:
11:
5:
821:
819:
811:
810:
805:
800:
795:
790:
780:
779:
774:
773:
752:
731:
719:The New Yorker
705:
684:
663:
653:. News.aol.com
642:
621:
596:
585:Newspapers.com
572:
561:Newspapers.com
548:
537:Newspapers.com
524:
513:
492:
462:
461:
459:
456:
452:
451:
446:
441:
436:
431:
426:
421:
416:
411:
406:
399:
396:
379:
376:
347:believed that
317:
314:
312:
309:
215:
214:
129:
127:
120:
114:
111:
87:
49:stalking horse
36:
33:
21:stalking horse
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
820:
809:
806:
804:
801:
799:
796:
794:
791:
789:
786:
785:
783:
762:
756:
753:
741:
735:
732:
720:
716:
709:
706:
694:
688:
685:
673:
667:
664:
652:
646:
643:
631:
625:
622:
610:
606:
600:
597:
586:
582:
576:
573:
562:
558:
552:
549:
538:
534:
528:
525:
522:
517:
514:
502:
496:
493:
481:
477:
470:
468:
464:
457:
455:
450:
449:Trial balloon
447:
445:
442:
440:
437:
435:
432:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
419:Hunting blind
417:
415:
412:
410:
407:
405:
402:
401:
397:
395:
393:
389:
385:
378:In bankruptcy
377:
375:
372:
368:
364:
360:
356:
354:
350:
346:
341:
339:
335:
331:
330:Anthony Meyer
327:
322:
315:
310:
308:
307:in its wake.
306:
302:
297:
296:honest broker
291:
289:
284:
279:
276:
272:
267:
265:
259:
256:
252:
248:
244:
239:
237:
236:
231:
230:
226:in 1796, the
225:
224:
211:
208:
200:
189:
186:
182:
179:
175:
172:
168:
165:
161:
158: –
157:
153:
152:Find sources:
146:
142:
136:
135:
130:This section
128:
124:
119:
118:
112:
108:
106:
101:
96:
91:
85:
83:
82:
76:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
54:
50:
41:
34:
32:
30:
25:
22:
765:. Retrieved
755:
744:. Retrieved
734:
722:. Retrieved
718:
708:
697:. Retrieved
687:
676:. Retrieved
666:
655:. Retrieved
645:
634:. Retrieved
624:
613:. Retrieved
608:
599:
588:. Retrieved
584:
575:
564:. Retrieved
560:
551:
540:. Retrieved
536:
527:
516:
505:. Retrieved
495:
484:. Retrieved
479:
453:
381:
367:Pat Buchanan
357:
342:
340:leadership.
323:
319:
292:
280:
275:market share
268:
260:
240:
233:
227:
223:The Observer
221:
218:
203:
194:
184:
177:
170:
163:
151:
139:Please help
134:verification
131:
104:
99:
94:
89:
88:
79:
77:
68:
48:
46:
26:
20:
18:
803:Obfuscation
763:. Bowne.com
482:. Slate.com
328:politician
316:In politics
782:Categories
767:2013-02-18
746:2013-02-18
699:2013-02-18
678:2013-02-18
657:2013-02-18
636:2013-02-18
615:2017-12-03
590:2017-12-03
566:2017-12-03
542:2017-12-03
507:2013-02-18
486:2013-02-18
458:References
404:Dark horse
384:bankruptcy
359:Alan Keyes
326:back-bench
305:slipstream
283:altruistic
197:March 2013
167:newspapers
724:2 October
301:stalemate
271:patronage
105:Bear Claw
95:Bear Claw
47:The term
414:Fall guy
398:See also
394:offers.
392:low-ball
311:Examples
278:reward.
255:takeover
243:politics
100:Jeremiah
90:Jeremiah
57:wildfowl
808:Hunting
336:in the
181:scholar
53:hunting
29:hunting
365:after
183:
176:
169:
162:
154:
65:cattle
61:horses
35:Origin
480:Slate
247:party
188:JSTOR
174:books
113:Usage
73:hides
726:2016
386:, a
160:news
63:and
382:In
143:by
27:In
784::
717:.
607:.
583:.
559:.
535:.
478:.
466:^
290:.
19:A
770:.
749:.
728:.
702:.
681:.
660:.
639:.
618:.
593:.
569:.
545:.
510:.
489:.
210:)
204:(
199:)
195:(
185:·
178:·
171:·
164:·
137:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
