Horse
Pronunciation:
thu-ro-bred
Breed Description:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse is a supreme athlete that was bred specifically for racing in England during the 17th and 18th centuries. From England Thoroughbred breeding quickly spread to Ireland and by the 20th century they were being bred all over the world. Today Thoroughbred breeding is a multi-national industry with people making and losing great fortunes in racing. These horses are known for their courage, agility, speed and spirit both on the racetrack and over fences, for example in steeplechase racing. Many riders the world over take Thoroughbreds off the race track and train them to do other disciplines. People also breed Thoroughbreds specifically because they want them for other horse sports, like show jumping, dressage and eventing. Today the smaller Thoroughbreds are also a very popular choice for polo, although they are not normally bred specifically as polo ponies. Thoroughbreds are usually tall, lean and leggy horses. They can be any color, but bay, chestnut and grey are most common. Many Thoroughbreds also have markings ranging from white stars, blazes, stripes and snips on their faces, to white socks and stockings on their legs. They are exceptionally well muscled animals, with an elegant-looking head on an arched neck. They have prominent withers, big powerful hind quarters, sloping shoulders, and clean legs (which often are not so clean after racing). The modern Thoroughbred is known to be the fastest horse in the world, which is why it is generally bred for the popular world-wide, multi-billion dollar sport of racing. It’s hard to imagine, but the Thoroughbred has been clocked at about 40 miles per hour (64 km/h) on a mile-long (1.6 km/h) track. The Thoroughbred is often crossed with other breeds such as Warmbloods, (as well as Quarter Horses, and Anglo Arabs). In particular, the Thoroughbred’s athletic build and ability coupled with the Warmblood’s strong build and quiet nature produces top quality sport horses.
Temperament:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse is a highly strung, sensitive kind of horse, but bold, spirited and energetic.
Height:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse height averages between 15 to 17 hands, or 60 to 68 inches at the withers.
Weight:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse weight averages around about 1,100 to 1,200 pounds. Weight can vary from 880 to 1320 lbs depending on height and build.
Health Problems:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse as a race horse performs with great exertion, and this has resulted in high rates of accidents and other health problems. Thoroughbreds can also be prone to health complications, such as bleeding from the lungs, low fertility, abnormally small hearts and a small hoof to body mass ratio, which leads to many hoof problems. Also, because they are incredibly muscular animals and have small and dense bones, splints and chips are very common – especially on the track.
Living Conditions:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse is sensitive, and so extreme weather conditions and rough going should be avoided.
Exercise:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse needs daily exercise when in training for racing to keep it fit and healthy.
Life Expectancy:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse will live for 20 to 35 years largely depending on how much stress was put on them during their racing career.
Grooming:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse has a short, sleek coat. Because it is used for sport and regular riding of various kinds, it needs daily attention. These horses should be groomed at least once or even twice every day.
Origin:
The Thoroughbred breed of horse has a history that goes back to the 17th century when the British gentry and their kings and queens bred horses that they could race. So clearly the development of the Thoroughbred as a breed owes a lot to the involvement of the British monarchy because it was the kings and queens who wanted to produce a race of horses that was superior in speed and power to any other. In fact Henry VIII was the first royal patron of horse racing, and that was in the 15th century, long before the three foundation sires of the breed were imported from the East. These were the Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian, and Godolphin Arabian.
While all three eastern breeds were in Britain in the early 18th century, it wasn’t until 1821 that the word Thoroughbred appeared in that country’s General Stud Book.
The founding stallions of the Thoroughbred breed of horse were chosen to improve the speed of the horses that were already being used for racing. And it has been established that more than 80% of the Thoroughbred genes come from just 31 ancestors all of which were bred from the three founding stallions. 