on the hoof

prepositional phrase4

1. •
   Of livestock, not yet butchered.

   • A 150-pound whitetail on the hoof can be reduced to 100 pounds of pure meat. — 1990
2. •
   (UK, informal) Without proper thought or preparation; done as one goes.

   • To make such an expensive commitment without properly thinking about how best to help travellers on low incomes shows that the policy was developed on the hoof. — 2020
3. •
   Alive; embodied in a living animal (including a human); in working order.

   • In 1920, votes at the Republican National Convention were selling at $2,500 on the hoof. — 1958
4. •
   Of a human activity, while standing, walking, or running; on foot.

   • Look at this crowd! Bound to be a lot of pussy on the hoof in a crowd like this. — 2005