Horses are native to North America. The earliest horse ancestors evolved here more than 50 million years ago, spread into Eurasia across the Bering land bridge, disappeared from North America around 10,000 years ago, and were reintroduced by Spanish explorers beginning in 1493. Timeline: horses in North America Time Period What Happened ~55 million years …
Male and female racehorses differ in more than speed. From race conditions and weight allowances to management and breeding value, sex shapes how a horse is trained, raced, and valued. Here’s what really matters when you compare males and females. Are male racehorses faster than female racehorses? Usually yes on average, but elite Thoroughbred performance …
One of my horses developed colic during training and needed emergency surgery. The vet bill ran well over $10,000 — on top of a full year of training fees, farrier visits, and routine care. That horse never made it back to the track. The year cost me more than I’d paid to buy him, and …
Before you buy a racehorse, there’s one question you want answered: Can this horse ever pay for itself? It’s a fair question. Between the claim price, monthly training bills, vet work, shipping, farrier bills, and the occasional layup, it doesn’t take long for the numbers to get serious. Can you make money owning a racehorse? …
If a horse is standing at the stall door nodding his head, I don’t immediately assume something is wrong. I’ve seen horses do it when they are anticipating feed, turnout, or a trip to the track. What matters is whether the movement is normal for that horse and part of his routine, or whether it …
If you’re looking for the best horse breeds for barrel racing, the American Quarter Horse sets the standard. Paints, Thoroughbreds, Appaloosas, Arabians, and even good grade horses can also make solid barrel horses when the individual animal has the right build, mind, and training. I’ve spent years around barrel and race horses, so I’ve seen …
In the paddock before a race, if you notice a strip of cloth or rubber running through the horse’s mouth and beneath its lower jaw, you’re looking at a tongue tie. Out of the seven Thoroughbreds I currently own, only one wears a tongue tie when racing—a shift that reflects what the research and the …
One of the first things I learned as a new owner at Fair Grounds is that the weight printed next to each horse’s name in the program is not a random number — it is assigned deliberately to keep races competitive. Understanding how that system works changes what you see when you watch a race …
The Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes all share one unusual requirement: every horse in the starting gate is three years old. That rule surprises a lot of people because it runs against the way most athletes are developed — but in Thoroughbred racing, age isn’t just tradition, it’s structure. Racing is organized …
The length of a horse’s tail can reveal a lot about their health, genetics, and the care they’ve received. With years of hands-on experience in the horse world, I’ve come to appreciate the significance of even the smallest details, such as tail length. This article sets out to explore the varied reasons why some horses …
