About Thoroughbred Racehorses

The Thoroughbred was developed in England beginning in the 1600s from a very limited pool of bloodstock of imported Arabian and native English horses. Although the fastest horse in the world, often reaching speeds of more than 40 miles per hour, they are also a breed on the verge of self-destruction through poor breeding practices.

  1. History

    • Thoroughbreds were bred for horse racing. The only concern from breeders is how fast they can go. All other considerations have been ignored. All Thoroughbreds are descended from three Arabian stallions imported into England from the late 1600s to the early 1700s. They are the Byerly Turk, the Golodphin Arabian and the Darley Arabian. Of all Thoroughbreds alive, 95 percent of them trace back to the Darley Arabian. They gradually spread around around Europe, over to North America and now can be found all around the world except for Antartica.

    Function

    • There is a concerted effort by breeders today to make the Thoroughbred best in all horse sports, although those in racing still, as the saying goes, "breed the best to the best and hope for the best." Today, Thoroughbreds can be found from the Olympics to being police horses to being a pet. They are also often sold for their meat.

    Identification

    • Thoroughbreds vary greatly in size from 15 to 18 hands high (a hand is four inches). They have long limbs, a short, sleek coat, big eyes and big nostrils. Their profile is generally straight or slightly dished. They come in a wide variety of colors, but the usual are bay, brown, black, chestnut, gray and roan. They are unpredictable in behavior but can become reliable and trustworthy companions when they are more than 12 years old. They can live to be 30 years old.

    Misconceptions

    • Thoroughbreds got their name because they are thoroughly bred for speed. The name is often used incorrectly as another word for purebred.

    Theories/Speculation

    • These are magnificent, beautiful, affectionate creatures that are burdened with many physical problems including infertility, knee problems and SDS (sudden death syndrome). An estimated 60 percent to 75 percent of all Throughbreds today trace back to one stallion, Northern Dancer, born in 1962. The breed is losing its genetic diversity and its overall health.

    Expert Insight

    • There are very exacting rules when naming a Throughbred for registry. The name can be only 18 characters long, including any contraction marks ('), hyphens or spaces. You can't use a real person's name without their written permission. You can't use a sexually suggestive name or the brand name of a product. You can't use a name that another Thoroughbred has until the previous name holder has been dead for at least 50 years. And you can't name your horse after a previous Thoroughbred champion.

    Potential

    • Throroughbreds are often used to cross with other breeds. The results have been incredible, producing breeds as diverse as the Quarter Horse, many Warmblood breeds and interesting crosses like the Thercheron (half Thoroughbred and half Percheron). Throughbreds are also used for breeding racing mules. Although their bodies may be weak, the Thoroughbreds' characteristics and will to compete are admirable. It seems their best qualities are enhanced when crossed with other breeds.