Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a breed of horse which was first bred in England during the 18th century. These horses were the result of breeding English mares with Arabian horses. This gave the Thoroughbred the trait of being a horse which could be used in distance racing. The term "thoroughbred" is often used by people who do not own horses to refer to full blooded breeds.

The ideal Thoroughbred has a coat which is brown, black, or gray in color. They stand 64 inches high, and the face and legs may sometimes be marked with touches of white. The Thoroughbred is the horse of choice  for the state of Maryland.  All Thoroughbreds today can be traced back to three Arabian stallions brought into England in the late 17th century. The first Thoroughbred introduced in the United States was called Bulle Rock, and was presented in Virginia in 1730.

Maryland and Virginia have always been known for producing fine Thoroughbreds. The primary goal of these horses is to race. They were bred for speed, agility, and stamina. They are also used for show jumping, and once the horse becomes older it is often used as a riding horse for the family. Larger Thoroughbreds are also used in hunting.  People who buy these types of horses generally attempt to determine a horses future performance by looking at its overall structure, intelligence, and legs.

Many Thoroughbred race horses have become famous. Seabiscuit is a well known Thoroughbred that even many people today have heard of. Those who buy very expensive Thoroughbreds will often hire veterinarians to look after the horse and make sure that it is healthy and getting a proper diet. Over 30,000 Thoroughbreds are registered annually in the United States. Florida, California, and Kentucy are a few states were these horses are very popular.

The Thoroughbred is an atheletic horse, and excels in many sports designed for horses. While it doesn't have the power or strength of a draft horse, it is not necessary because these horses are built for speed and flexibility. They are raced in competitions and are also used as family horses. They are considered by many experts to be one of the most important horses in use today. They are used in everything from hunting to show jumping, and are very well known around the world. They are used in such sports as polo and many other outdoor events.