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.
Characteristics of the thoroughbred horse
A typical Thoroughbred will have long sloping shoulders, a refined head, long neck, good depth or girth, fine limbs and pwerful quarters
Height of the thoroughbred horse
Thoroughbreds typically stand between 15hh - 17.2hh
Colour of the thoroughbred horse
The Thoroughbred is typically a solid colour i.e. black, bay, brown, chestnut and grey.
Uses of the thoroughbred horse
The Thoroughbred traditionally was used within the racing industry. In more recent years the Thoroughbred has been used in breeding to help refine the heavier breeds. They are valued for their versatility, fine limbs and power. Thoroughbreds are popular for racing, eventing, dressage, showjumpng and general riding.
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