TOP 3 TYPES OF RACEHORSESB Y C H R I S T I E S H O K L E R

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T H O R O U G H B R E D S0 1 – 0 4

A RA B I A N S0 5 – 0 8

S TA N D A R D B R E D S0 9 – 1 3

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Thoroughbred racing is the most popular form of horse racing in the world and attracts far and away the most betting interest. Although there are plenty of races for other breeds, the biggest races in the world are open only to Thoroughbred horses. Horses of this breed are known for their strength, speed and athleticism, and they are also used for other equestrian sports as well as racing.

The word thoroughbred is commonly misused, often to describe any horse that is purebred. While all Thoroughbreds are purebred not all purebreds are Thoroughbreds.

A purebred is basically any horse that is bred from two horses of the same breed, whereas a Thoroughbred is a specific breed which was developed in England through the 17th and 18th centuries.

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The breed was developed by the crossbreeding of native female horses,

known as mares, with male horses, known as stallions, which had been

imported from overseas for the specific purpose of breeding racehorses. Any modern Thoroughbred can be traced

back to one of three stallions – Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian or Godolphin. These

are the three major foundation sires of the Thoroughbred breed.

In the early days of the breed, Thoroughbreds were bred and raced only

by a few wealthy individuals in Britain. Over the years, though, horses were

exported to other parts of the world and the breed spread. A worldwide industry

has developed around Thoroughbred breeding and there are many commercial

operations in existence today. Thoroughbreds are typically sold either

at a public auction or by a privately negotiated sale and then entrusted to a

professional racehorse trainer.

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The value of a Thoroughbred horse will be influenced by a number of contributing factors, such as age and pedigree. Assuming a horse has been raced, its performance will affect its value too. Thoroughbreds which have successful racing careers are often sold or leased for breeding purposes once they have retired.

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An average Thoroughbred horse is between 15 and 17

hands high (a hand is four inches or approximately 10 centimeters). It has a long

neck, a deep chest, long legs and a lean body. It’s a hot-

blooded breed so will generally be expected to have a certain spirit and

boldness.

For the sake of standardizing race entry requirements

based on age groups, Thoroughbred horses have a

fixed “birthday”. In the Northern hemisphere they

are officially one year older on January 1st, in the

Southern Hemisphere they are one year older on August

1st.

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The Arabian breed is one of the oldest breed of horses there is, with

evidence of its existence dating back over 4,000

years. Originating on the Arabian Peninsula, the

breed spread around the world through trading and because of wars. Arabian

horses were commonly bred with other horses to

add speed and endurance so many modern breeds

have some Arabian blood in them, including Thoroughbreds.

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As a versatile breed, Arabians compete in several forms of equestrian activity. They dominate endurance riding thanks to their strength and stamina, and are also commonly used for show jumping and eventing.

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INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT ARABIAN HORSES

The Arabian breed is over 5,000 years old and is known as the oldest breed and the first domesticated breed of horse.

Arabians were originally bred in the Middle East. The Arabian horse is the oldest purebred horse in the world. The Arabian was the horse the Bedouin people (nomadic people) of Arabia as early as 3000 to 2500 BC. They were later introduced into Europe and throughout the world.

Arabians were bred by the Bedouins, a desert tribe in the Arabian Peninsula. This tribe used them as war horses because they could travel far distances in harsh desert conditions due to their large lung capacity and incredible endurance.

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Standardbred horses are well suited to harness racing, thanks to their powerful shoulders and hindquarters. The breed was developed in North America, starting in the 18th century when trotting races first began to take place with horses in harness. It was formalized in 1879 when the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders formed the Standardbred study book.

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Horses of this breed are somewhat more muscular than Thoroughbreds, and also longer bodied. They are considered to be relatively easy to train and are very people oriented.

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The breed can be divided into basic types, trotters and pacers, with these types having slightly different bloodlines. Horses of both types, though, can be traced back to the founding sire of the modern breed – Hambletonian 10.

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THE ENDB Y C H R I S T I E S H O K L E R

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