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"Race horse..."
Posted by R. Berg on October 11, 2003
In Reply to: "Pee like a Russian race horse..." posted by TheFallen on October 11, 2003
: : Can you please tell me how the term "I have to pee like a Russian race horse" originated? I've looked online and can only find the meaning, but not the origin.
: I've never heard the word "Russian" in this phrase, so am now more mystified than before. If the phrase was/is simply "pee like a racehorse", then its origin is more easily understood. All horses urinate visibly, audibly and above all copiously, and presumably this is an occurrence highly noticeable at a race meeting when the competing horses are led around the parade ring for the crowds to examine before the off.
: All of which reminds me of an apocryphal story allegedly involving Elizabeth II, Queen of England and a visiting head of state from one of the African nations. Apparently, the Queen and the head of state were being driven in an open-topped landau to some function or other, when one of the horses pulling this state coach very audibly broke wind. The Queen at once said "Oh, I'm so sorry." whereupon the President or whoever he was replied "That's quite all right, your Majesty. If you hadn't spoken, I'd have thought it was one of the horses."
This thread from the archives might help (www.phrases.org.uk bulletin_board 12 messages 168.html):
