Stalking Horse - Usage

Usage

The expression is generally used in politics and business. In politics, the circumstances are an attempt to bring down a powerful leader, usually by members of their own party. In business, the circumstances are an attempt at testing the market for a potential (hostile) takeover of a business. In each case, there is the 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, thus a full-blooded challenge is only mounted by the main party when there is a real likelihood of success.

The loser in the exercise appears to be the stalking horse. If the idea is viable and/or popular, the stalking horse person will lose out because the anonymous figure will discard him or her and take over the concept themselves. If the concept is unpopular, the stalking horse will be 'shot down in flames' and will get metaphorically burned. The understanding is that the anonymous party is a major player, probably only a little weaker than the target him or her self, and the stalking horse very much a minor figure—a minnow—who has little or no reputation to lose. The anonymous figure is not sufficiently powerful, or does not have sufficient confidence in his power, to risk a direct attack first off, but the stalking horse is a form of distraction tactic to enable better positioning.

The 'horse' is therefore, in politics, a junior figure who expects patronage from the senior figure, or, in business, an associated company that expects a share in the contracts or the market-share that will result from the demise of the business rival. In the event of success, the 'horse' will be rewarded soon, in the event of failure they will have to wait a while, but as they are on the bottom rung of the ladder they have little or no distance to fall and can only rise. The loyalty in volunteering, or agreeing to be 'volunteered', will ensure their name becomes known to those who matter and should guarantee help in advancing their interests. As a weaker player, they can afford to wait a while for the due reward.

Alternatively, the 'horse' may be acting in a more altruistic and self-sacrificial manner, knowing there is no possibility of realistic reward from the Third Party for the exercise, but is motivated by duty or loyalty to do so for the greater good of the party or organization or cause to which they both belong. In this case, the 'horse' will probably not be a young person hoping for advancement, but an older figure at the end of their career, who volunteers as a pay-back of thanks for all the benefits they believe the cause has given them and/or as a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.

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 honest broker 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 stalemate 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 slipstream in his/her wake.