# gift horse origin **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [August 17, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-horse-origin/29759 "2000-08-17T18:25:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![krodine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@krodine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/krodine)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2000, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-horse-origin/29759/1 "2000-08-17T18:25:22Z")
I remember learning in school that the gift horse expression came from the story of the Trojan Horse, a “gift” that brought down the fortified city of Troy. The Greek Army wasn’t having any luck breaking into Troy, so a giant wooden horse was built as a gift to Troy and wheeled inside the city’s gates. But the belly of the beast was filled with soldiers who, once inside, slipped out and sacked Troy. (actually, a better expression from that story would be “always look a gift horse in the mouth” to see what motives might be hidden inside) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2000, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-horse-origin/29759/2 "2000-08-17T19:00:43Z")
I see that krodine had posted the question in the correct forum also. You can see the other thread (which already includes a comment on the statement in the OP) [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=35014). ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2000, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gift-horse-origin/29759/3 "2000-08-18T00:37:00Z")
Rather than have six topics on the same subject, I’m closing this one. Follow the link provided by Arnold.