When I was at Yale in the '60s some Yale grad students of an earlier generation ('30s perhaps?) claimed to have originated the story of Catherine and her horse. I don’t know how far back the story goes, or if their claim has ever been verified.
Welcome to the SDMB, and thank thee for posting thy comment.
Please include a link to Cecil’s column if it’s on the Straight Dope web site.
To include a link, it can be as simple as including the web page location in thy post (make sure there is a space before and after the text of the URL).
Cecil’s column can be found on-line at this link:
Is it true about Catherine the Great and the horse? (17-Nov-1978)
moderator, «Comments on Cecil’s Columns»
The Straight Dope column says “There is some thought that Polish emigres might have invented it after her death to discredit her”, so tghe story must date from before 1930.
Not necessarily, Noodles. It doesn’t say how long after her death, after all. 