The English purebred breed of horses has somewhat lost its attachment to the breeding site, because these horses are successfully bred around the world. But the name is still entrenched and is associated with old England. Although, sometimes these horses are called purebred horse breed.

History reference

The breed was created in England at the turn of the XVII – XVIII centuries by the method of selection from eastern horses. It is believed that the blood of the Eastern, Spanish and Hungarian mares played a significant role in the formation of the breed when they tried to raise a good horse for cavalry. The female was selected from 50 individuals.

Males were selected from 200 stallions of oriental breed.

Three stallions are considered the founders of the breed:

• Turk Bierlei - has been used since 1683;
• Darley Arabian - was divorced from 1710;
• Godolfin Barb - imported in the 1730s.

Did you know? Representatives of the breed are the fastest horses in the world - at distances of up to 3 km they are able to reach speeds of up to 60 km / h, at longer distances the running speed of these animals is reduced to 55 km / h.

Breed description

Thoroughbred breed is characterized by its compliance with the ideal parameters of the species. Breeding is also determined by the lengthy selection of individuals and the rejection of low-quality material.

Appearance

The English thoroughbred horse looks great and has wonderful competitive characteristics. The body structure of these animals is "square format" - the height at the withers is proportional to the length of the body.

Character

The breed has a sharp burrow, as it relates to racehorses. She is characterized by sharpness of movements, energy in behavior, activity and mobility. Obedience from the pet is not worth the wait, but with a calm attitude, the animal will not “buck up”.

The efficiency of the “thoroughbreds” is high, they carefully respond to the commands of the rider, fully giving out the power of their body. These animals are only suitable for experienced jockeys who can harness the power of their pet.

Scope of use

The main field of use of the breed is sports, where these horses can fully reveal their strength.

English thoroughbreds are used in the following equestrian sports:

• hurdles - overcoming medium barriers;
• smooth racing - a race with a start from corrals (boxes) at a distance of 1 to 3 km;
• Derby - horse racing at a racetrack over a distance of 2.4 km;
• show jumping - horse racing with overcoming obstacles of high level;
• fox hunting - chasing a fox on a horse;
• steeplechase - cross-country race or using artificial obstacles over a distance of 4 to 8 km;
• triathlon - competition from three stages: riding in the arena, show jumping and cross;
• polo - a team game, when riders, while on a horse, try to score a goal against the opponents with a special club.

Advantages and disadvantages

• The advantages of these horses are the following indicators:
• sportiness - the ability to earn prizes in competitions;
• physical stamina - power and dynamics of animals;
• external data - the beauty of the exterior;
• excellent breed data - the correct selection of producers will ensure high-quality offspring;
• high maternal instinct mares.

• The breed also has disadvantages:
• weak immunity - animals are susceptible to disease;
• poor appetite - the need for good nutrition;
• brittle bones - any injury is fraught with fractures;
• high price;
• low fecundity;
• fussiness.

Home Content

All sports and away successes of thoroughbreds are impossible without ensuring proper conditions of detention. Also, for this breed, a balanced diet is very important.

Stable

The stable is a home for horses, so this room must meet all the requirements for keeping pets:

• remote distance from residential premises and noise sources;
• separate access road;
• wind protection;
• lack of moisture from soil or landscape;
• protection from the penetration of wild animals.

The material for the construction of the stable must be natural: wood, brick, stone. It is better to make the floor and ceiling insulated, since in cold weather the animal will be constantly in the room.

In equipping a stable, it is important to fulfill the following conditions for your pets:

1. Lighting. Windows at a height of not less than 1.8 m, artificial lighting is provided by fluorescent lamps with a total intensity of up to 200 Lux.
2. Stall. Lightweight, comfortable, high. The recommended compartment area for one individual is 50 m².
3. Floor. Dry, warm, clean, non-slip, absorbent. Of the materials used tarred boards, stone, concrete, clay.
4. Ceiling. Moisture-proof, fireproof, insulated.
5. Litter. You can use natural substances: straw of wheat or rye (oat or barley is eaten by animals), chopped hemp, sawdust, paper, peat moss. The optimum thickness for bedding is 20–40 cm.
6. Temperature. The English purebred breed is difficult to tolerate both low and high temperatures. Mandatory heating in cold weather, the normal ambient temperature in winter for this breed is +13 ... + 15 ° С.
7. Ventilation. Fresh air is extremely important for horses to stay indoors. Supply and exhaust ventilation is equipped in the stable.
8. Feeder. Must be in every stall. Depending on the type of keeping the horses in the stable (single or closed), the feeder can be individual or group, but each of the pets should have unhindered access to it.
9. Drinking bowl. The most economical option is a common watering trough or gutter. But this is not the most hygienic option, as horses can “share” the infection with each other. It is advisable to equip individual drinking bowls with clean and fresh water in each stall.

Care

Every day you need to clean the horse's coat. This is done with a brush and a special shampoo. The washing scheme is as follows: in the direction from the mane to the tail, individual areas are washed and thoroughly brushed, which are washed off with warm water.

Important! Due to the susceptibility of breed representatives to disease, it is necessary to exclude drafts in the stable. Normally equipped ventilation is sufficient for the well-being of animals.

It’s best not to wet the entire horse right away — it can catch a cold due to weak immunity. Cleaning is mandatory after training or competition.

Even in childhood, pets need to be accustomed to hoof care. After each walk, you need to carefully examine this part of the legs and remove the stuck objects with a special hook. Then the hooves are washed with warm water and wiped with a cloth.

The teeth of the horse require close attention - they need to be inspected once every six months. In the absence of their own experience and knowledge, it is better to invite a professional who will check not only the teeth, but also the entire oral cavity. It is important that there are no gum injuries, bites, excessively sharp or decayed teeth.

Important! Caring for your teeth and hooves is very important, as they grow throughout the life of the animal. Therefore, growth pathologies are possible, which must be determined in time.

Crib Cleaning

The room must be maintained proper hygiene conditions - this breed is extremely demanding on cleanliness. Simple accessories are used for cleaning: a manual wheelbarrow for manure, a pitchfork, a rake, a shovel (shovel) and a brush.Before cleaning, the “thoroughbred” is taken out of the stable, after which the manure is removed by a pitchfork and transported in a wheelbarrow. This operation is performed daily 1-2 times. After cleaning, the litter is updated - 5-7 kg of new material is required per horse.

Feeders must be freed from food debris and wiped with a clean, damp cloth before each new serving. Yesterday's water spills daily from the drinkers and they are wiped dry before pouring new water.

Food and water

For the well-being and mood of horses, it is necessary to diversify their diet.

Typically, the menu of these animals includes such products:

• hay (cereal, bean, forbs) - makes up at least half of the daily feed;
• fresh herbs - clover, alfalfa and other pasture plants;
• vegetables and fruits - from 5 kg for mares, up to 10 kg for stallions;
• cereal, bean and bean-cereal mixtures.

Important! Before walking on a pasture or feeding fresh herbs in the stable, you need to drink water to improve the digestion of animals.

It is necessary to feed pets with all kinds of additives - minerals, mixtures of vitamins, fish oil, salt. The daily norm of salt is more than 40 g, and before the competition you can give sugar in quantities of up to 400 g.

Horses are fed at a rate of 50 liters per day during the summer period, and 30 liters in the winter. Water should be clean, a little warm, soft and free from impurities.

Disease prevention

Preventive measures are extremely simple, they mainly concern the hygiene of both the animal itself and its environment - stables, pastures, and hippodromes.

The main areas of disease prevention in the English thoroughbred riding horse are:

• parasite control - under pasture conditions, individual plots can be reserved for the next year, and helminths in the old plot will die; in the stable daily manure cleaning will help to avoid problems with parasites;
• dampness exclusion - a humid environment contributes to the development of pathogens;
• animal hygiene and stables - cleaning, cleaning, disinfection;
• adding vitamin supplements to feed;
• walking in suitable weather in the fresh air;
• quick transfer of diseased individuals to quarantine;
• use, if possible, individual feeders and drinkers.

Did you know? It is useful to let out cows or sheep in the pasture, as they can eat food with helminth larvae without harming themselves, disinfecting horse lands.

The English thoroughbred horse is a beautiful and powerful animal. But she is very dependent on the conditions of detention and the attitude of her owner. Careful care and a warm attitude will bring reciprocity, and the horse will show all its energy and power during the competition, and, possibly, will be their winner.