Before talking about racehorses, you need to understand the terms. The fact is that in the official classifications of breeds the concept of “race” is not used. In the dictionaries, a racehorse is defined as belonging to the breed of purebred horses and possessing excellent running qualities. There are only three purebred breeds in the world. One of them is called the English racehorse. But, as a rule, race horses are usually called not only representatives of these three breeds, but also generally all riding horses intended for competition.
Horse Racing and Horse Riding
The oldest stud farm in England was founded by King Henry VIII in the 16th century. The case was continued by his successors. In the 17th century, among the English aristocracy, it became fashionable to engage in horse breeding for sports. It should be noted that in the modern sense of the word “horse racing” and “equestrian sport” are somewhat different things. Racing refers to testing horses for suitability for further breeding. The main thing that is required of a horse in horse racing is speed. Racing short.
Equestrianism is another matter. Relatively new racehorse breeds (for example, Don horses), originally intended for use in the army, have proven themselves in sports, in various games and competitions involving the interaction of a horse and a rider. There are many types of equestrian sport. He is included in the program of the Olympic Games.
Racehorse horse: features of the exterior and behavior
Of course, playfulness is expected from such a horse first of all. However, a spectacular appearance is an integral sign of a thoroughbred stallion or mare. Sport horses are stately, with long sinewy and muscular legs. Their heads are small, their bodies are elongated. These animals look fit and dry. They should have the ease of stride, endurance, energy. The nature of the horse and its willingness to interact with the person are also important. It happens that a racehorse horse is reckless and full of strength, but choleric temperament prevents it from succeeding.
Indeed, not every sports horse is given at least once in a lifetime to take a prize. However, horses that did not distinguish themselves in competitions, nevertheless, can serve to improve other breeds or to breed new ones, passing on to their offspring individual characteristics that breeders are interested in.
The oldest breed: Akhal-Teke
Akhal-Teke horses are the oldest racehorses. The breeds of horses in those distant times when these horses became famous did not exist as such, or rather, had no names. But ancient authors already knew about the Akhal-Tekes (for example, Herodotus and Appian). These horses used to be called Persian, Turkish, Turkmen. They were confused with the more popular Arab. The breed was rediscovered only in the 19th century, and then it got its name: in honor of the Turkmen oasis, whose inhabitants kept the blood of these animals clean for centuries.
The purpose of the Central Asian nomads was to raise a war horse: hardy, strong, able to manage with a small amount of water. Akhal-Teke horses are relatively high for riding horses, narrow-chested, have a small head, an elegant straight neck. Their tail and mane are rare, the hair is short and has a characteristic metallic luster. Blood vessels are visible through the skin. Their legs and back are long; their physique is dry. Akhalteke’s step is smooth, so it’s convenient to ride them. But these horses are complex in nature: they recognize only one owner, are highly excitable and vindictive. Not everyone can cope with them.
Not without the participation of these Turkmen horses new breeds of racehorses were bred: for example, English and Don. And the Arabian horses, most likely, carry the blood of Akhal-Teke in their veins.
The most famous breed: Arab
The formation of the breed began on the territory of the Arabian Peninsula in the 4th-7th centuries AD. e. The ancestors of these horses are the Central Asian (ancestors of the Akhal-Teke) and the North African horses of the nomadic Berbers. Arabs were very jealous of the purity of blood. They created a set of rules according to which strict selection of manufacturers was carried out. It was customary to lead the genealogy along the female line. It was forbidden to sell the mares, they were valued extremely highly.
The horses of the Arabian breed are small, graceful, dry, but with a soft back. They have well set curved necks and small heads. The skull of the Arabian horse is noticeably arched, the forehead is wide, and the muzzle is narrow. The tail is high set. "Arabs" are distinguished by athleticism, agility, exquisite exterior and perfect movements. These horses had an impact on world horse breeding: almost all racehorse breeds now existing in Europe and America have Arabian ancestors. In modern equestrian sport, however, Arabian horses do not shine: larger rivals overtake them. But these horses began to be bred for exhibition purposes.
Throughbred - “Perfectly Bred”
At first, this breed was called "English race". Later it began to be cultivated around the world, and a new name came up - "thoroughbred horse breed of horses." Her ancestors are royal mares from the English royal stables and Arab and Akhal-Teke stallions captured or bought in the east. This breed was bred in the 18th century exclusively for sporting purposes. Only horses that regularly showed high results at the races were allowed to continue the race. All conditions were created for animals; they were trained by experienced specialists. And here is the result: the English racehorse is the fastest horse in the world.
It is larger, more proportional and “simpler” than its ancestors, has a neck of medium length, a small head and a straight muzzle. These horses are bold, impetuous, but not as nervous as their eastern forefathers. Today it is the most numerous breed of sports horses.
