# Russian Race Horse??!!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 12, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848 "2004-03-12T04:15:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Gutgore\_Blooddrink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Captain\_Gutgore\_Blooddrink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Gutgore_Blooddrink)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848/1 "2004-03-12T04:15:40Z")

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Just where in the hell does "I have to piss like a Russian race horse come from?

Do breeds from Russia have extremely small bladders or something?

Filthy MeatBeasts are expected to know these things!!

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**Author:** ![RandomLetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8edcca/32.png) [@RandomLetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandomLetters)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848/2 "2004-03-12T04:22:43Z")

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I would presume the Russian part of “have piss like a Russian Race horse” refers to the “drunk Russian” sterotype - you drink a lot of booze, you tend to have urinate more. A simple derivative of the “have to piss like a race horse” phrase, which came about since houses can urinate a lot at a single time.

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**Author:** ![aerodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f08c70/32.png) [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848/3 "2004-03-12T04:33:24Z")

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Well, I had aways heard (sorry, no cite) that the phrase “piss like a race horse” came about because of the training methods allegedly used on race horses (or some horses, at an indeterminate time in the past).

According to the myth, trainers would tie off the horse’s genitals, thus preventing it from urinating. That, coupled with large amounts of water, would enable a straightforward reward for the horse. The horse would learn that after completing the circuit, he’d get untied and could relieve himself. This simple positive reinforcement would obviously encourage the horse to finish the run as fast as possible once given the chance.

Whether this is true is not the question…but it’s the origin of the phrase. Perhaps someone thought the Russians were infamous for maintaining this practice. Perhaps the drunk Russian stereotype plays into it. I dunno.

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**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848/4 "2004-03-12T04:45:10Z")

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I think “Russian” is just there for alliteration.

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**Author:** ![ccwaterback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@ccwaterback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ccwaterback)\
**Post date:** [March 12, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/russian-race-horse/233848/5 "2004-03-12T04:53:05Z")

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Perhaps it wasn’t Russian but rushin’.