Horse Breed: The elegant Thoroughbred

HORSE BREED

The elegant Thoroughbred

19th Century English novelist and playwright John Galsworthy once said “... there is nothing alive quite so beautiful as a Thoroughbred horse”. Was he right? FRANCINE PULLMAN takes a closer look.

With names like Phar Lap, Winx and Black Caviar so familiar to us all, it’s no surprise that the Thoroughbred is one of the best-known horse breeds in Australia. Admired for their athleticism and high spirits, they’re certainly a delight to behold.

Whether off the track or never raced, they can make the perfect equine partner in a number of disciplines, but their excitability does mean that they’re not the ideal horse for every rider.

The facts of the matter

The Thoroughbred is perhaps best known for its role in the horse racing industry. And let’s not forget that they’re also a royal favourite: Queen Elizabeth II has been breeding racehorses for many years, while Godolphin is the global Thoroughbred breeding operation and horseracing team founded by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Renowned for their speed, agility and lean good looks, Thoroughbreds are usually bold, intelligent and extremely athletic, making them an attractive option for many equestrians at all levels of competition. Olympic equestrian star Andrew Hoy is an enthusiastic exponent of their virtues and with good reason! Davey, an OTT Thoroughbred, carried him through two Olympic Games, two World Championships, and won Burghley. Meanwhile Olympic eventer Boyd Martin partnered with a 12-yearold OTT Thoroughbred for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

With approximately 600 horse breeds globally, the Thoroughbred is one of the most popular. Around 100,000 Thoroughbred foals are born worldwide each year, with Australia producing some 15,000.

Breed history

Century England, and the arrival of three foundation stallions from the Middle East: the Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Arabian. Even though the stallions were never raced, they became the founding fathers of today’s Thoroughbred racehorse.

The Thoroughbred foundation mares were mostly smaller native breeds, both local and imported. Interestingly, most of today’s Thoroughbreds can be traced genetically to just 30 animals from the 18th and 19th centuries (three mares and 27 stallions), initially raising some concerns regarding a limited genetic pool.

Selective breeding over 300 years has resulted in the Thoroughbred we know today, typically a horse with fine build, lean body type, great strength, speed, and stamina.

Horses arriving in Australia with the First Fleet in 1788 were most likely Thoroughbred crosses. The first pure Thoroughbred to be imported is thought to have been Northumberland, a stallion who arrived from England in 1802 for the purpose of siring coach horses. By 1810, Sydney had held its first formal race meet, and in 1825 the first mare of proven English Thoroughbred bloodlines arrived, followed throughout the 1830s by more Thoroughbreds imported for the purpose of improving local stock and for racing.

Hey good looking

Thoroughbreds have a fine build with a long, elegant neck, a chiselled head and a straight profile (the dished face of their Arabian ancestors is now rarely in evidence). With their deep chest, high withers, short back, strong hindquarters, lean body and long clean legs, the overall look is athletic, powerful and elegant.

Standing anywhere from 15 to 17hh, they are mostly bay, black, chestnut, or grey. Their coat is fine and glossy with minimal leg feathering, and white markings on

MAIN: A stunning twoyear-old Hannover Lodge Thoroughbred colt by Starcraft out of Wangalla (Image by Melissa Goodson).

INSET: Bold and curious, this youngster shows promise.

Purchasing a Thoroughbred may be more affordable than you think.

the face and lower legs are acceptable.

State of mind

Generally considered to be a hot blooded breed, the Thoroughbred is spirited, bold and fast. However this helps to give them the presence often sought by more competitive riders. They are intelligent horses and thus trainable, but they can be quite reactive, which riders may experience as a tendency to shy at their own shadow, or fire up on a windy day.

They are an energetic and forward moving ride, potentially making them a challenge for beginners or nervous riders. However, in many cases, these characteristics can and do mellow with age, making an older more experienced Thoroughbred a good schoolmaster for the less experienced equestrian.

Health check

If you are considering a Thoroughbred who has raced or been trained for racing, you should be alert to past injuries. Under heavy work they can be prone to bleeding from the lungs and some develop laryngeal paralysis leading to a condition known as roaring.

A small hoof to body weight ratio can cause ongoing footsoreness and lameness, plus they often have thin soles and usually require shoeing. Orthopaedic problems including fractures can be common if the horse has been subject to high stress activities, such as racing and jumping, particularly on dry, hard ground.

As many as five per cent of Thoroughbreds specifically bred for racing suffer performance issues caused by too small a heart. Persistent behavioural issues caused by long periods of boredom in the training stable are common and include weaving and wind sucking.

If you’re contemplating buying a Thoroughbred, a vet check is always a good idea whether the horse has been raced or not.

They are an energetic and forward moving ride, potentially making them a challenge for beginners or nervous riders.

Feeding

Thoroughbreds have a fast metabolism so generally require pasture and supplemental feeding to maintain a good body weight. However, the advice of an equine nutritionist is always advisable to ensure that you get the balance right. Too much concentrated feed or rich spring grass can add a little too much spirit to that feisty temperament!

Colic and stomach ulcers are more common than with many other breeds, another reason why extra care should be taken to provide a correctly balanced diet.

So you want a Thoroughbred

While taking on a Thoroughbred who’s being retired from the track can seem like the right thing to do, there are a number of factors that should be considered. Due to this breed’s hot temperament and particular needs, your new horse could cost you much more than the purchase price in vet bills, feeding, training, and even lost confidence if things go wrong.

Some states have an Off the Track program designed to help retired racehorses find another role in life. Racing Victoria, for example, has established a network of experienced retrainers who help smooth the transition by working with each horse to assess which new career might best suit them.

So, if your heart is set on a Thoroughbred, and you love the idea of giving an OTT horse a home, investigate the re-training programs and see what they have on offer.