Wiktionary
beat the dust
vb. 1 To take in too little ground with the forelegs, as a horse. 2 To perform curvets too precipitately or too low.
Usage examples of "beat the dust".
The only brushing up I'd done was to beat the dust off my hat and wipe my guns off careful.
They got up, and Julie beat the dust out of her clothes 'It really is a hell of a thing,'she complained, 'when a spy has to actually go out of his way to pay his lousy taxes.
First, I beat the dust out of my clothes, standing outside my room.
Casca drew himself erect and beat the dust off his legs, glancing at the two gambling Syrians.
Taking turns, they beat the dust off each other as well as they could, then Hal threw the cycling switch.