Good common sense. The origin of this Americanism is a matter of dispute, since there is considerable disagreement concerning the native intelligence of horses. Some think they are rather stupid animals, although it is generally conceded that they have enough sense to return to their barn whenever they have a chance. Others believe the shrewdness denoted by horse sense is possessed principally by horse traders, who are well known for that quality. In any event, the term originated in the first half of the nineteenth century in the American West and was still considered relatively new in 1870, when it was defined in an issue of The Nation, although it had appeared in print a number of times from 1833 on. Comedian W. C. Fields supposedly said, “Horse sense is a good judgment that keeps horses from betting on people.”