More Than Good Breeding
Thursday, April 24 2025
More Than Good Breeding
Today’s special animal friend is the Thoroughbred Horse, Equus Caballus. As is typical with domesticated animals, the distinct breeds of horses are not considered subspecies. “Thoroughbred” is sometimes understood simply as “purebred,” but that is erroneous: these horses have a distinct history and genealogy that sets them apart from other equally “purebred” horses such as Arabians or Percherons.
Thoroughbreds were selectively bred for racing. They are considered a “hot-blooded” breed. This term in horse-breeding refers to having ancestors from a hot climate, specifically Arabia in this case. Thoroughbreds originated in England in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and all modern Thoroughbreds are descended from one of three Arabian stallions that were imported in this period: the Byerly Turk (1680s), the Darley Arabian (1704), and the Godolphin Arabian (1729). These stallions were bred to mares of several different Northern Europe breeds. There is very interesting genetic analysis of today’s Thoroughbreds, showing the percentage of specific ancestry in each contemporary horse and connecting the breed’s founders to historic periods in the Middle East.
They are amazing runners:
Thoroughbreds average 16 hands in height. They are used not only in racing but in show jumping, dressage, steeplechases, fox hunting, and for mounted police.
Like many purebred dogs or cats, thoroughbreds suffer from a variety of genetic conditions as well as injuries and cardiovascular strain related to their training. It is suggested that the practice of using successful racehorses for breeding after they have been injured perpetuates musculoskeletal weakness in the breed. Research is being done both to strengthen the horses genetically and to improve nutrition, rearing and training to reduce injuries and illness. Except for the selective breeding part, the situation reminds me of human athletics, in which competition pushes the organism to its limits while scientists try to keep up, hopefully limiting injuries and deaths.
For every Thoroughbred who is successful in competition, there are many who are not, but who can still have happy lives as riding or companion horses. One of the old horses at the stable where Daughter D takes lessons is a Thoroughbred. There are organizations that support the placement of Thoroughbreds post-competition.
And just as a comedy break, the Corgi races!
Good morning. Looks like it will be a cloudy day and rain later. It's almost light enough to take the neighbor's dog out. I need to be able to see to pick up the plotz.
I bought a cabinet with more than average front-to-back depth and adjustable shelves from a lady on the Catholic homeschooling email list. She wanted $150 but accepted $125 without objection. My husband and two bros - not Vlad, because of his toe trauma - will pick it up this evening from a nearby neighborhood and figure out where it should go in the kitchen to hold large things like the air fryer and the crockpot that used to be in the cabinet on which sat the lizard cage.
There may still be room for the Ikea pine table. If not, it can go back in the dining room. It wanders around the house depending on what else needs to be in particular room.