Thoroughbred Horse

A thoroughbred is a breed of horse. Most commonly bred for horse racing, they are also bred for use in other equine sporting events such as show jumping, dressage, and polo.

Thoroughbreds exist worldwide today, with almost 1.3 million alone in the United States. They have been helpful in cross-breeding other to help create new breeds while also improving existing ones. All horses born in the Northern Hemisphere are technically born on January 1 of every year, while August 1 is the birth date for all born in the Southern Hemisphere. They are known for being either distance runners or sprinters. In 2007, there were nearly 72,000 horses who started races in the United States alone, with 1.5 career-ending injuries per 1,000.