Thoroughbred | Racing, Performance, Pedigree (2024)

Thoroughbred, breed of horse developed in England for racing and jumping (see photograph). The origin of the Thoroughbred may be traced back to records indicating that a stock of Arab and Barb horses was introduced into England as early as the 3rd century. Natural conditions favoured development of the original stock, and selective breeding was encouraged by those interested in racing. Under the reigns of James I and Charles I, 43 mares—the so-called Royal Mares—were imported into England, and a record, the General Stud Book, was begun in which were listed only those horses that may be traced back to the Royal Mares in direct line, or to one of three other horses imported to England: the Byerly Turk (imported in 1689), the Darley Arabian (after 1700), and the Godolphin Barb (about 1730). The English Thoroughbred has since been introduced to most countries, where it is bred for racing or used to improve local breeds. A son of the Darley Arabian, Bulle Rock, was imported to Virginia in 1730. During the following 45 years, 186 Thoroughbreds imported from England became the foundation of Thoroughbred breeding in the United States.

Thoroughbreds have delicate heads, slim bodies, broad chests, and short backs. Their short leg bones allow a long, easy stride. They are sensitive and high-spirited. Averaging 16 hands (64 inches, or 163 cm) high and weighing about 1,000 pounds (450 kg) at maturity, Thoroughbreds are usually bay, chestnut, brown, black, or gray. Outstanding for speed and stamina, they have been combined with and have improved several other breeds of horses. The term thoroughbred is sometimes incorrectly used to mean purebred, but Thoroughbreds are a specific breed, registered in the General Stud Book of the English Jockey Club, organized about 1750, or in the studbooks of similar clubs in other countries.

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A horse having only one Thoroughbred parent is called a Grade Thoroughbred in the United States and a half-bred in Great Britain. Grade Thoroughbreds may be used as hunters, polo ponies, stock horses, or riding horses, depending on their training.

See the Table of Selected Breeds of Light Horses for further information.

Selected breeds of light horses
name origin height (hands)* aptitude characteristics comments
*1 hand = 4 inches (10.16 cm).

Akhal-Teke Turkmenistan 14.2–16 riding, racing long neck carried almost perpendicular to body; long, slender legs; metallic golden-dun colour is unique to the breed ancient breed; noted for its endurance and speed

American Paint Horse U.S. 15–16 riding two colour patterns—overo and tobiano—determined by location of white markings developed from Quarter Horse, Thoroughbred, and Paint breeds; versatile riding horse

American Quarter Horse U.S. 14.2–16 riding, racing, herding short, fine head with a straight profile; short back; long, powerful croup and shoulders; well-muscled thighs, gaskins, and forearms one of the most popular breeds; noted for its agility and quick bursts of speed; adapts easily to any riding discipline

American Saddlebred U.S. 15–16 riding, light draft small head with long neck lying almost vertical to shoulder; short back; level croup with high tail carriage performs three gaits (walk, trot, canter) or five gaits (three plus slow gait, rack)

Andalusian Spain 15.1–15.3 riding arched neck; round and muscular hindquarters with low-set tail; mane and tail are often profuse and wavy influenced breeds worldwide; used in bullfights

Appaloosa U.S. 14.2–16 riding several colour patterns: snowflake, leopard, marble, frost, and blanket; black and white striped hooves descended from the spotted horses of the Nez Percé Indians; influenced by Arabian and, most recently, American Quarter Horse blood

Arabian Middle East 14–15 riding, light draft head profile is uniquely concave (dished), tapering to a dainty muzzle; wide-set, large eyes; long, graceful neck; short back; flat croup with distinctive high tail carriage has refined almost every breed worldwide; considered one of the most beautiful horses; noted for its stamina, excels in endurance competitions

Argentine Criollo Argentina 14 riding short, deep body; long head; heavily muscled one of the soundest breeds; descended from the Barb, Arab, and Andalusian; common throughout South America; noted for its endurance

Cleveland Bay England 16–16.2 riding, light and medium draft, farm work powerful and substantial build; short legs; always bay in colour oldest British breed; often crossed with Thoroughbreds to produce excellent hunters and sport horses

Hanoverian Germany 15.3–17 riding, light draft long, muscular neck; deep body; powerful hindquarters excels in dressage and show jumping; elegant, fluid gaits; developed from Holstein, influenced by Thoroughbred and Trakehner blood

Lipizzaner Austria (now in Slovenia) 15–16.1 riding, harness, draft, farm work long head with crested neck; compact, powerful body; foals are born black or brown in colour and usually mature to white-gray descended from Spanish horses; famous for its association with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, where it is trained in difficult "high school" movements

Missouri Fox Trotting Horse U.S. 14–16 riding wide, deep-chested body; muscular hind legs noted for its natural smooth "fox-trot" gait, the horse canters with the front feet while trotting with the hind, producing little movement in the back

Morgan U.S. 14.1–15.2 riding, light draft fine head with arched neck; well-defined withers; long, sloping shoulders; muscular hindquarters descended from one prepotent stallion; noted for its versatility; possesses great stamina

Paso Fino Puerto Rico 14–15 riding medium-sized; small head with large, wide-set eyes; legs delicate in appearance noted for its natural four-beat lateral gait, in which the hind foot touches the ground a fraction of a second before the front; gait executed at three speeds—paso fino, paso corto, and paso largo

Standardbred U.S. 15–16 harness racing, riding long, sloping, muscular hindquarters; long, thick mane and tail; typically bay in colour primarily used for harness racing

Tennessee Walking Horse U.S. 15–16 riding solid build; sturdy, muscular legs; numerous colours and markings noted for its running walk, a natural smooth four-beat gait in which the horse's head nods in rhythm with the rise and fall of its hooves; considered the most naturally good-tempered horse breed

Thoroughbred, also called English Thoroughbred England 15–17 riding, flat and jump racing large, expressive eyes; exceptionally long, sloping shoulders; fine-boned legs with small hooves; thin skin bred primarily for racing, but also excels at dressage, eventing, and jumping; possesses great stamina and courage; bred extensively to improve other breeds

Trakehner East Prussia (now in Lithuania) 16–17 riding, light draft refined head with large, expressive eyes; long, elegant neck; strong, sloping shoulders considered one of the most elegant European warmbloods; excels at dressage and show jumping; influenced by Thoroughbred and Arabian blood
Thoroughbred | Racing, Performance, Pedigree (2024)

FAQs

How to find a Thoroughbred pedigree? ›

Pedigrees for Thoroughbreds as well as many other horses can be found at www.allbreedpedigree.com , though care should be taken to verify all pedigrees. Like the well-known Wikipedia website, www.allpedigree.com allows users to input data, which may or may not be precise.

What horse are 90% of all Thoroughbreds descended from? ›

One genetic study indicates that 95% of all male Thoroughbreds trace their direct male line (via the Y chromosome) to the Darley Arabian.

What two breeds make a Thoroughbred? ›

The term Thoroughbred describes a breed of horse whose ancestry traces back to three foundation sires – the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerly Turk.

How do I find my Thoroughbred history? ›

For a free 5-cross pedigree and to order reports such as race records and progeny records, visit equineline.com, the online Thoroughbred information service of our subsidiary, The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc. (TJCIS).

Can you look up a pedigree? ›

All online research pedigrees are viewed on the web and are available for any AKC-registered dog, 24 hours a day. An online research pedigree includes complete information about dogs in the pedigree, including competition titles and any related health information available (i.e., OFA).

At what age is a Thoroughbred fully grown? ›

Horses don't finish maturing until they're at least 4 years old and some take as long as six years, but most of them have reached 90% of their mature height by the age of one year. By the age of 18 months, most of them have attained some 95% of their mature height.

What are rare Thoroughbred colors? ›

Black is a rare color for Thoroughbreds, even though it is dominant to chestnut, the other base color. Pictured at right is the Aussie Champion Lonhro, a magnificent true black Thoroughbred stallion.

What breed was secretariat? ›

Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who was the ninth winner of the American Triple Crown, setting and still holding the fastest time record in all three of its constituent races.

How inbred are thoroughbred horses? ›

Thoroughbreds have been bred within a closed studbook, with all registered horses being traced back to three foundation sires and around thirty mares. Artificial insemination and cloning are not permitted, so breeding practices contribute significantly to the breed's current genetic diversity.

What is a female Thoroughbred horse called? ›

Mare = a mature female horse. Stallion = a mature male horse capable of producing offspring.

What is the average lifespan of a Thoroughbred horse? ›

Thoroughbred Horse Lifespan and Health Issues

The average life expectancy of a Thoroughbred horse is 25 to 35 years. Due to inbreeding, some Thoroughbreds may be more prone to health issues such as: Abnormally small hearts.

What are the disadvantages of Thoroughbred horses? ›

Common Health and Behavior Problems

Because they're often pushed to physical extremes on the race track, the rate of health complications and accidents—such as life-ending fractures—for thoroughbreds is high. In terms of behavior, many thoroughbreds are too spirited and energetic for beginning equestrians.

How do you read a Thoroughbred pedigree? ›

A horse is “by” a sire and “out of” a dam. When reading Quarter Horse pedigrees, remember that the sire will be on top, and the dam will be on the bottom. The tree reads from left to right, with each successive generation branching out. The dam's mother is known as the second dam, and her mother is the third dam, etc.

What are the three original thoroughbred horses? ›

Nearly all of today's racehorses can be traced back to one of three 'foundation' stallions – The Darley Arabian, The Godolphin Arabian and The Byerley Turk. These Arabian horses were imported into England between the late 17th and early 18th Century by gentlemen who wanted to breed better racehorses.

What are the three sires the Thoroughbred ancestry traces back to? ›

Thoroughbreds today can be traced back to three stallions, known as the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian, which were imported to Great Britain from the Middle East and Turkey between the years 1689 and 1729.

How do I know if my Thoroughbred is registered? ›

To check registration status, please log into your account at www.registry.jockeyclub.com.

Where can I find a horse pedigree? ›

Pedigree Online's All Breed pedigree database consists of more than 6.4 million horses from around the world cover all breeds of horses.

How do you find a pedigree chart? ›

How To Read a Pedigree Chart? First of all, determine whether the condition is recessive or dominant. If the trait is dominant, the trait must be one of the parents'. If the phenotype is recessive, because they may be heterozygous, no parent is expected to have the phenotype.

How do I claim a Thoroughbred? ›

Deposit sufficient funds to cover the claim with the horsem*n's bookkeeper at the track where you will place the claim. On race day, have your trainer discreetly scope out the horse's condition when he comes to the paddock for the race. If the horse passes the physical inspection, have your trainer drop the claim slip.

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