Thoroughbred Trivia And Fun Facts

By Author: Lee Lane-Edgar
Total Articles: 365
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A horse’s heart weighs not more than 8.5 pounds, Secretariat’s weighed 22!
As you all must be aware of the incredible findings of a vet who treated Secretariat regarding the colt’s magnificently pounding heart; it weighed 22 pounds, the heaviest heart any thoroughbred has been found with. While the normal heart in a horse weighs around 8.5 pounds, Secretariat’s vet estimated that the horse’s extreme pumping capabilities and exemplary performance at the Belmont Stakes, also known as the Triple Crown Racing’s Graveyard by 31 lengths lead over the remaining field exhibited a heart much beyond the power levels of a normal thoroughbred. After Secretariat, Sham, his prime and most deserving rival, was declared to have the second heaviest heart at 18 pounds.
Equine genetics suggest this physical characteristic has been traced down in the pedigree led by Eclipse’s female line of descendents.
Thoroughbred hooves need trimming just like human nails
Equine care’s most critical procedure is horse hoof care. Horse hooves must be protected by horse shoes and they must also be trimmed regularly at ...
... a time span of 4-6 weeks. However, the hooves are most susceptible to instigate infections that often turn fatal for the thoroughbreds. Every month a horse’s hoof grows by a centimetre and while longer toe allows a thoroughbred to have a longer stride, it also brings down the entire weight of the horse’s body onto their toes, thus straining them beyond their tolerance. Similarly, shorter hoofs put increased pressure on the body’s angular weight distribution thus resulting in increased discomfort often leading to lameness.
Horses are categories into more than 300 breeds, one of which being Thoroughbreds
Racing horses are mostly lighter in weight, weighing in the range of 1300lbs, their physique is firm and muscular and they are characterized with long spindly legs, thoroughbreds and quarter horses belong to this category; Percherons are Arabian horses that are characterized with heavy bodies that make them suitable for high stamina work, their bodies are muscular and legs are strong; Shetland is a breed that describes horses that aren’t more than 14 hands tall, they are usually ponies and of smaller physique and Mustang which belongs to the category of wild horses.
Horses are measured in hands, each hand corresponding to human hand’s 4’’ width
Horses over centuries have evolved drastically and the species that initially a small mammal very much in line with their carnivorous contemporaries, grew to gain good height over the duration. Horses are measured in hands, each hand equal to 4’’ width of human hands measured from ground to their withers, the point at their neck where the head meets the back.
The smallest horse named Little Pumpkin measured 14inches while the tallest horse named Samson who measured 21.2 hands.
Equine species are full of mysterious facts and figures, some that are amazingly unbelievable and parallel to no other species of living beings. Horses form the very basis for horse games, be it thoroughbred racing, quarter horse races and others. Their care has been researched and studied over the years so the sport has generated great depths of knowledge regarding their diseases and treatment options. However, repeated inbreeding over the years has resulted in weaker racing horses that exhibit exceptional speeds but lack the stamina and strength.
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