Growing up in Jamaica, a woman used to hear her fashion-designer mother invoke this phrase to indicate that something was good enough, even if it was flawed: “A man on a galloping horse wouldn’t see it.” Variations include “it’ll never be seen on a galloping horse” and “a blind man on a galloping horse wouldn’t see it.” The idea is that the listener should relax and take the long view. The expression has a long history in Ireland and England, and the decades of Irish influence in Jamaica may also account for her mother’s having heard it. This is part of a complete episode.
Transcript of “Seen From a Galloping Horse”
Hello, you have A Way with Words.
Hi, this is Faye. I am calling from Heath, just a little bit outside of Dallas, the city.
Cool.
Excellent.
What’s on your mind?
Well, I was calling because when I was growing up, we’re from Jamaica. When we were growing up, my mom, she, you know, she was a fashion designer and hot couturian in specific. And she used to say a phrase that I have caught myself using quite a bit. And the phrase is, a man on a galloping horse wouldn’t see it. And she would use it in particular. Suppose someone came in and they were fitting on one of their outfits and maybe there was a flaw, maybe a little flaw in the material or maybe the hem was a little bit off or something. And maybe I would notice it. She would say, oh, a man on a galloping horse wouldn’t see it. Or, you know, it’s as if she was saying, oh, don’t worry about it. It’s not very noticeable. But I have caught myself using it so much more now, even with my, you know, my children. And I have often wondered what the origin of it is. Do you guys know anything about it?
Well, we’ve certainly run across that and versions of it before. The one that I’m most familiar with is It’ll Never Be Seen on a Galloping Horse. Yeah, and the one that I know is a blind man on a galloping horse wouldn’t notice. Yeah, more intensified, yeah. Yeah, or I’ve also heard somebody say It’ll Never Be Seen on a Galloping Goose. Remember, somebody called us about that one time. But you’re absolutely right, Faye, that the idea is just sort of this sort of helpfully absurd image and something that’s very liberating. I mean, I’m assuming that when she said it, she was just sort of saying, relax, take it easy, don’t worry about it.
Yes, yes, like as if it was noticeable. And I know I do have a keen eye for detail, you know, and I usually see things that nobody else sees. And I think it was maybe her way to kind of trivialize what I was seeing. Oh, that doesn’t make a big difference to anything. Oh, don’t worry about it.
That’s right. You know?
Well, I can definitely see using that in fashion. I like the idea of applying it to everything, whether it’s a messy house or, I mean, how do you use it?
Pretty much the same. If, you know, the kids, my daughter in particular, she might see, you know, something on her outfit and might think it’s all, you know, it’s big, everybody will notice it. And I would say, don’t worry about it. A man on a galloping horse wouldn’t see it. Or if she has, I remember using it in particular when she had like a pimple.
Yep. I was thinking the same thing. I would say, don’t worry, a man a galloping horse wouldn’t see it.
I don’t think she got the humor.
Right. That was probably cold comfort for her, right? At least there’s one person who won’t notice, right?
Yeah.
But I love that it’s also kind of reflects that we tend to notice the defects in our own appearance and the work that we’re doing more than other people do. And there’s a long history on that one. What, 1800s from the United Kingdom, all over the British Isles. And I know it still is used in Ireland to a degree today. And the Irish had a long history in Jamaica.
Yes, they did. And so there’s a chance that that’s the conduit by which you speak it, that you say the expression now.
You know what? You are probably pretty right about that one. Because my grandmother, I know we have some mixed heritage somewhere, so it could easily be that. I know that the Irish in Jamaica a lot of times were schoolteachers as well, so it’s possible they could even just be taught in a more formal setting and not necessarily through family.
Okay, okay. But who says galloping horse nowadays? Nobody, right?
Well, people who’ve inherited an expression, yeah.
Yes, my daughter used to, you know, with wide open eyes. My son even started doing that, too, when I would say the words, you know. A man on a motorcycle wouldn’t notice.
How do we update that?
A galloping horse sounds better to me.
Yeah, me too. I guess that’s a more modern term, right?
Yes.
Well, Faye, we are so grateful for your calling. I think you’ve given people a gift here, all of us who are trying not to be so caught up in details like that.
Yes.
Okay, wonderful. Thank you very much for your call. Wonderful work, Lada. Thank you so much for your insights, and I love your show.
Thank you very much.
Take care now.
Take care.
All right, then.
Thank you so much.
Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.
So in Jamaica.
In Jamaica.
Interesting.
Yeah, but you’ll still find it in novels in particular coming out of the U.K., far less often in the United States, but here and there.
Mm—
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