A horse owner’s life can be full of joy and fulfillment as you watch your mare produce healthy foals destined for success, but at some point, we will need to face reality. It takes a lot out of her body every time she gives birth, so what is the oldest a horse can breed? In …
Retired racehorses are an excellent choice for equestrians of all levels and are extremely popular trail riding, dressage, and barrel racing horses. As such, I get asked all the time when a specific horse is going to retire from racing. In general, racehorses retire between eight and ten years old. However, it’s challenging to know …
Regardless of when a racehorse is born, they all have the same birthday, January 1. Relegating all horses to the same date of birth is strange, but surely there must be a rational reason, so I decided to discover why thoroughbred racehorses have the same birthday. Thoroughbred racehorses have the same birthday to make it …
Thoroughbred horses originated in England and, through selective breeding, developed the characteristics of a perfect sport horse. But I wonder what makes them so special, so I did some research to find out. Thoroughbred horses are superb athletes with remarkable speed and an extraordinary spirit. They are renowned as racehorses but also excel in many …
I was excited to watch the races at the New Orleans Fairgrounds because it’s a day that Thoroughbreds and Quarter horses race, though not against each other. While watching these powerful animals compete, I wondered which breeds were the fastest. So, I decided to find out how different horse breeds compare speed-wise. The world’s fastest …
Thoroughbreds are best known for their racing prowess; however, many off-track thoroughbreds are retrained in other disciplines. So the question arises, do thoroughbreds make good trail riding horses? Generally, Thoroughbreds don’t make good trail riding horses, especially for beginner riders. They spook easily, are high-strung, and aren’t surefooted. A typical Thoroughbred is athletic, intelligent, and …
Our friends’ racehorse was scratched from its debut race for the second time. The horse has a hoof ailment, prompting my wife to ask if Thoroughbreds have bad feet? Thoroughbreds typically have bad feet. Their feet are weaker and less durable than most horse breeds. Thoroughbreds’ feet are typically flat-soled, long-toed, with thin, shelly walls, …
When you think about horse racing, the breed of horse that comes to mind is thoroughbred. These horses are legendary racers, but are they good horses? Thoroughbreds are good horses; they have superb agility, fantastic speed, and an exceptional spirit. Although best known as racehorses, they excel in many other equine activities. Thoroughbreds are feisty, …
Technological advances are affecting many aspects of the horse racing industry. But has it changed the way thoroughbreds are bred? Do thoroughbred stallions still have to “live cover” a mare for their offspring to be registered? Thoroughbreds’ offspring must be the result of a “live cover” to be registered as a Thoroughbred. The Jockey Club …