A stalking horse is a person or thing that is used as an experiment, test case or a means to gauge the reaction of others. It is a term that originated from the sport of hunting, where a rider on horseback would ride in front of the main group to flush out game, allowing the hunters to follow and take their shot. In a similar way, the phrase "stalking horse" is used to describe a candidate or party that is put forward as an initial option, in order to gauge the reaction of others and then withdraw, allowing another option to be chosen.