History of the Thoroughbred Horse

The Thoroughbred horse was developed in England where it was bred for racing and exported across the world. Thoroughbred horses are so inbred that the pedigree of every horse can be traced back to one of three stallions, Byerley Turk (1680-1696), Darley Arabian (1700-1733) and the Godolphin Arabian (1724-1753), and these are known as the "Foundation sires". The Introduction to the General Stud Book was published in 1791 recording the pedigree of every Thoroughbred horse and since 1793 Weatherby have recorded the pedigree of every foal born to thoroughbred race horses in the General Stud Book. From the early 1800s the only horses that could be called Thoroughbreds" and allowed to race professionally are those listed in the General Stud Book.

Height

The Thoroughbred Horse stands 14.2 to 17.2hh.

Colour

The Thoroughbred horse is any solid colour.

Breed Characteristics

Refined head, long neck, sloping shoulders, deep body, muscular hindquarters, fine long legs.

Temperament

The Thoroughbred horse is spirited and bold.

Uses

The Thoroughbred is used as a racehorse, riding horse, competition horse.