Man O’ War, Seabiscuit, Secretariat, and American Pharaoh; all champion racehorses of the same breed: Thoroughbreds. Of the many breeds known for racing and agility, the Thoroughbred is the authority. The breed first originated in 1689 with three founding sires: Byerly Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Barb (Thuruvenkadan et al., 2009), all of which were slightly smaller than the modern thoroughbreds of today by nearly 8 inches. Modern Thoroughbreds stand at an average of 16 hands and weigh 900-1200 pounds (The Jockey Club, 2006). The increase in size is caused by the selection of physical traits over the centuries to improve physical performance, which has shaped the breed into an impeccable athlete. As with any intelligent species, their …show more content…
Mary Scollay-Ward, DVM, states that “…many horses that raced in the mid-1980s would not pass a veterinarian 's inspection today” (Mitchell, 2006, p.1). Sharper standards are expected to be met and fewer horses are racing per race as a result. Currently, “…92% of Thoroughbreds running in North America race on furosemide”, a medicine that significantly reduces exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhages in racehorses, according to Bonnie R. Rush, DVM (West, 2010, p.1). The introduction of SNP tests has ensured genetic improvement that detects inheritable dispositions, making breeders more than aware than previous decades. Every year, more medical advances are produced that help professionals understand the breed and work with its conformity.
Ultimately, the Thoroughbred is a well-designed horse with unparalleled athletic abilities. The key to a healthy horse is consistent awareness of their well-being, not over-working it, and giving the horse time to rest and recover if injured. Increasing the caliber of medical inspection has increased health standards. All in all, the thoroughbred will always be the ultimate athlete because of their keen intelligence and beautifully constructed