Posts Tagged ‘Thoroughbreds’

British mares with Arabian males, and were shipped to North America in the early eighteenth century. But organized thoroughbred horse races didn’t start for another 150 years or so, even though the first racetrack was built as early as 1665, on Long Island. It wasn’t until the American Stud Book was created in 1868 that things really got professional. Harness racing, too, made a sort of parallel history, when a new breed known as standard-bred horses branched off from the thoroughbreds.

Thoroughbred horse racing was still rather precarious as an organized sport, even after it became formally systematized. The reason was that until 1908, betting was seriously frowned upon among the American populace. This meant there wasn’t much incentive for the races to proliferate, when the disapproval was so strong. However, in 1908 the new pari-mutuel form of betting was established, in which all bets made were collected into a common pot and divided equally among the winners after each race. People could now bet on their horse racing selections, and the races began to multiply.

When pari-mutuel betting came into the sport of thoroughbred horse racing, it helped this racing to become more popular, yet this popularity continued on a up and down ride throughout the twentieth century. At the time of the second world war it slowed down a bit, but at the the end of the century it increased again. What began the most recent rise was the fame of certain horses like Seattle Slew or Secretariat, and in more recent years it has been perpetuated through the internet, both via online betting sites and the many horse racing analysis and information websites. The beginnings of these races and the breed itself were relatively modest, but now they have risen to fame and have achieved an assured place in North American history.|It’s a measure of the success of thoroughbred horse racing that it feels like it’s had a very long history. Its most prestigious races, such as the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes (known as the Triple Crown), are deeply steeped in tradition. But you don’t have to delve into horse racing information for very long before you discover that even the breed of thoroughbred horses is only slightly older than the United States. And the races in which they excel were established not much more than 150 years ago.

It still took another three or four decades for the future of thoroughbred horse racing to become really secure, however. This was because there was betting at these horse races, but much of the American public frowned on such things. But in 1908, the system changed so that bettors were no longer betting against “the house” (i.e. the race track itself), but all bets were put into a common pool, and were divided among winners when the race was done. Now people could bet the horse racing odds to their heart’s content, and the number of races increased.

When pari-mutuel betting came into the sport of thoroughbred horse racing, it helped this racing to become more popular, yet this popularity continued on a roller-coaster throughout the twentieth century. It lagged somewhat, during and after the Second World War, then rose in the latter part of the century. What began the most recent rise was the fame of certain horses like Seattle Slew or Secretariat, and in more recent years it has been perpetuated through the internet, both via online betting sites and the many horse racing analysis and information websites. The beginnings of these races and the breed itself were relatively modest, but now they have risen to fame and have achieved an assured place in North American history.|Thoroughbred horse racing, despite its seemingly long traditions and prestige, is not an ancient type of race. Thoroughbred horses themselves, as a breed, don’t actually go back much farther than 300 years, while the races that bear their name were only formally established late in the nineteenth century. That means these types of races have only been run for perhaps 150 years, with harness races coming in a close second for longevity.

The thoroughbred horses were bred in England, crossing English mares with Arabian stallions, and were brought to North America in the early eighteenth century. But organized thoroughbred horse races didn’t start for another 150 years or so, even though the first racetrack was constructed as early as 1665, on Long Island. It wasn’t until the American Stud Book was created in 1868 that things really got organized. Harness racing, too, developed a sort of parallel history, when a new breed known as standard-bred horses branched off from the thoroughbreds.

Thoroughbred horse racing was still rather precarious as an organized sport, even after it became formally systematized. The reason was that until 1908, betting was seriously frowned upon among the American populace. This meant there wasn’t much incentive for the races to proliferate, when the disapproval was so strong. However, in 1908 the new pari-mutuel form of betting was established, in which all bets made were collected into a common pot and divided equally among the winners after each race. People could now bet on their horse racing selections, and the races began to multiply.

The future of thoroughbred horse racing wasn’t universally rosy, though, even after betting was allowed. There were continued rises and falls in popularity throughout the twentieth century, but since the 1980s the interest in this type of racing has risen fairly steadily. The internet has been an important tool in furthering these races in the past decade or so, as people can gather horse racing news and information by this means, and can now even use it to place bets. With its history and prestige now firmly established, it doesn’t look as though thoroughbred racing is likely to fade from popularity any time soon.

A little About the Author:

David Jones is keen in Horse racing events of all kinds and will travel the world to watch major events whenever possible. David enjoys a healthy bet on regular occasions, but always recommends one does not get carried away betting on horses!

For a living David also runs an Insurance business which provides specialized electronic gadget cover for standalone items such as Laptop Insurance and Mobile Insurance. Some electronic items are these days subject to high levels of insurance fraud such as iPhone 3GS Insurance, so that takes up more of David’s time than other products.

The authors favourite event is in the UK and is well known around the world as The Cheltenham Gold Cup, which is internationally recognised as probably the most glamours horse racing events in the world.

There’s a moment of magic, when you first see your horse. Riders form a bond with a horse the first time they see and ride them. Riders who shop the horse sales advertisements don’t have the chance to make that connection. You can’t commit to something you can’t see, and sometimes a two dimensional picture just isn’t enough.

For one of the most popular horses and ponies for sale websites in the UK and USA that list thousands of Horses for Sale as well as Horse and Ponies for Loan check out Horses for Sale.

If your horse sales adverts don’t send the right image you’re not going to get the results you want.

Effective horse sales ads are those that are able to lure a rider into coming out and taking a look at your horse in its natural environment. Be sure to include a basic description of your horse, including their demographics. If you’re dealing in thoroughbreds a brief peek at their pedigree is not uncalled for. Horses are often recognized by the performance of their sire or dam, particularly by breeders and serious competitors.

If you are looking for one of the most popular top equestrian websites for the Sale and Loan of Horses and Ponies then check out Horses for Sale.

Potential buyers also want to envision how your horse performs under tack. Does your horse need an experienced rider or are they a good choice for a young rider? Experience and training are going to be vital in convincing your rider that your horse will be able to meet their needs.

Finally, what about their personality? Experienced horsemen know that no two horses’ personalities are exactly the same. Some horses are high strung and need a steady hand on the reins, others are gentle and perfect for young riders. The type of rider your horse needs, how well they travel and how skilled they are at getting along with other horses is going to heavily influence your ability to place them in a new environment.

A thorough description of every aspect of your horse’s disposition and talent, as well as your asking price and their location, condensed into a small advert, is the real secret to successful horse sales. Then you can sit back and wait, knowing you’ve done everything you can to attract the type of buyer your horse deserves.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and it has given you an insight into the world of “how and where” to buy horses for sale and horses and ponies for loan. For a huge selection visit one of the top equestrian sites online today please visit: Horseboxes for Sale

The planned mating of horses that is directed by humans has given rise to a number of special breeds of horses. Breeders, the persons who help facilitate healthy horse breeding, seek to bring about an enhancement in the physical performance abilities of the offspring or foal even more than improving their appearance. This matching of ‘form to function’ is a successful means of development of different healthy and (functionally) superior breeds.

People from all over the world have owned horses for various reasons. This is just the reason why various breeds of horses had been developed over the years to provide improved efficiency at particular tasks. Horses can now be classified into three main categories- pony, light and heavy. There can, however, be created further subcategories like draft horses, gaited horses and warmbloods.

It is by learning about these various breeds that an idea can be formed on the kind of horse best suited for a situation and a particular type of work. Some horses are best suited for children to ride on them while some are right for the whole family’s riding purpose. Again, some other horses may be appropriate for racing- the race horses while some others may prove to be helpful on the ranch.

There are a number of popular breeds of ponies the smallest among which is the Shetland pony which is given to children as their first horse to ride on. For older children the Connemara pony is recommended. This being larger than the Shetland is suitable for older children. The Welsh pony little larger than the Connemara is a good breed of horse for young adults and young teens to ride on.

Among the light horse breeds are the Miniature Horses. Though this may seem like a pony but it is not actually one. It does not have the characteristics of the pony. This horse serves as a companion for children and also acts as a guide for the disabled. The adored Arabian horses also come into the category of light horses. These are attractive, loving, graceful and speedy horses. The Arabian horse is perceived to be a perfect breed. Not only does it possess the required speed and endurance for racing but it also has got a kind and noble disposition.

The popular light breed horse Thoroughbred is a descendant of the Arabian horse. This being a fast horse is well suited for racing purposes. For ranching a Quarter Horse, an American breed, is most appropriate.  The Morgan Horse, a family friendly and hardworking horse is another smaller but useful horse.

Besides these there are also the heavy breeds or heavy horses which include the draft horses or the horses that were used in battle at a time. The Percheron is a small and powerful heavy horse which is easier to train while the attractive Clydesdale is the most famous of the draft horses which were bred to work on farms or pull carts and wagons.