The Thoroughbred Horse

Picture 1 shows Thoroughbreds racing in Europe. Picture 2 shows the Darley Arabian. Picture 3 shows a current Thoroughbred from Australia.

The Thoroughbred horse is the most popular, or at least one of the most popular horse breeds in the racing world. Thoroughbreds are synonymous with horse racing and lots of money. Some people refer to any purebred horse as a Thoroughbred, however, this is not accurate as the Thoroughbred is a distinctive breed of horse.

The Thoroughbred horse originated in the 17th century when horses were brought from the Middle East to England. Three stallions, the Darley Arabian, the Godophin Arabian and the Byerly Turk, along with a number of Arabian or Barb mares were brought to England. There, these mares and some English mares formed a foundation of 74 horses which were bred by these stallions to form the horse we know today. Approximately ninety-five percent of today's Thoroughbred pedigrees trace back to the Darley Arabian.

The most agile and swift offsprings were allowed to breed to ensure that the fastest possible horse would result from the union. Often Thorougbred owners refused to name their horses until they had proven themselves on the race track.

The first Thoroughbred horse imported into the United States in 1730, was named Bulle Rock. In those days, Maryland and Virginia became the centers for breeding Thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred horses are listed in the group of horses known as "hot blooded" horses. This term refers to any horse breed that is bred for speed and agility.

Thoroughbred horses are among the most expensive horses to buy. A colt in Florida sold for 16 million dollars before it even ran a race. It fetched this high price because it's a descendant of two Kentucky Derby winners.

One of the main reasons for the high price of Thoroughbred horses is that owners of stallions cannot use artificial insemination of mares, like other breeds can. Each mating between a stallion and mare must be witnessed by a person. This means stallions can only service, at most, a couple of hundred mares a year, versus several thousand that would be possible through artificial insemination.

Thoroughbred horses aren't only used for racing; their speed and agility make them valuable in other horse events as well. These horses are frequently used in jumping contests, dressage and polo games.

Many of the most famous horses in history have been Thoroughbreds. Man O' War and Secretariat are considered to be among the greatest race horses of all time because they each won so many races during their lives.

So, the next time you tune in to watch the Kentucky Derby, you'll have a better understanding of the type of horses taking part in the race. You will also realize why their price keeps rising.

Until next time,

Teia