History of the American Standardbred Horse

The Standardbred horse is a breed developed in America from crossing a Thoroughbred stallion imported in 1788 named Messenger to local harness horses. From Messenger's offspring, most notably one son named Hambletonian 10, the breed was developed to produce horses with exceptional trotting speed. The Standardbred of today is the fastest harness racing horse in the world. The Standardbred is used for two type of harness racing - Trotting where the horse trots normally with the legs moving in diagonal pairs, and Pacing where the horse trots with both legs on each side moving together. The fastest time recorded for a Trotter is 1 mile in 1 minute 55.25 seconds and for a Pacer 1 mile in 1 minute and 52 seconds (the equivalent of 32 miles per hour!).

Height of the American Standardbred Horse

The American Standardbred stands 14 to 16 hh.

Colour of the American Standardbred Horse

Any solid colour.

Characteristics of the American Standardbred Horse

Medium head, long neck and back, good limbs. Good stamina.

Temperament of the American Standardbred Horse

The American Standardbred horse is calm and bold.

Uses of the American Standardbred Horse

Harness racing.