Re: It's a horse apiece.

Posted by bob on February 29, 2000

In Reply to: Re: It's a horse apiece. posted by Bruce Kahl on February 29, 2000

: : I'm looking for an origin or meaning for this phrase. I've been looking everywhere...can someone help me please?

: I have no reference books/sites to give you so I will give you the sense of what the phrase means. It seems to mean "Six of one, half a dozen of another" or "take your pick".
: I contribute to various technology forums and the following is a paste from one of them that will give you an idea of how the phrase is used:

: "Personally, I think current Mac systems and current PC systems are about a horse apiece. If you're comfortable with Mac, I'd say stick with it, and if you're comfortable with the world of Bill Gates, by all means be happy where you are, but there's no reason for the infantile flame-fests between mac and pc advocates."

I heard (and, in fact, used) the phrase in the context of a common dice game, where the last round comes down to two individuals, where the game is decided best two out of three. If you lose the first round, it's "a horse on you." If you win the next, it's "a horse apiece," meaning all square and the next turn decides it. (That is, decides who buys the round of drinks....)