Breed Focus: Thoroughbreds

Breed Focus: Thoroughbreds

In our new series, we kick off with the Thoroughbred and why it is ideally suited for endurance. Anna Collins, who has competed with two former racehorses, looks at their track record.

Thoroughbreds can sometimes get a reputation for being hot headed and scatty, but I wouldn’t ride anything else and here’s why. The Thoroughbred, as it is known today, was developed in the 17th and 18th century in England, when native mares were crossbred with three imported ‘foundation’ stallions - The Darley Arabian, The Godolphin Arabian and The Byerley Turk. Perhaps this is why, with blood of these oriental stallions of Arabian, Barb, and Turkoman breeding, they are suited to endurance.

When they bred with Britain’s native, heavier horses, they produced offspring who were much faster, but still had great stamina, and over the years have developed, by design, into horses naturally better suited to running. Some are built to be sprinters, with bulging muscles and a rapid stride, others are long distance athletes, lean and supple with a long stride – not unlike the differences you would see between human sprinters and marathon runners.

Racing aside, the Thoroughbred has a big heart, lungs and spleen and few breeds can claim as much influence on modern equestrian sport. Many other breeds, from American Quarter Horses to Morgans, Irish Draughts to Standardbreds, European warmbloods and many more, have been infused with Thoroughbred blood to enhance refinement and athleticism.

Thoroughbreds themselves appear everywhere, from hunting, dressage, eventing, show jumping, polo and, of course, endurance. Their heart, work ethic, intelligence and peopleoriented nature makes them excellent riding horses. Increasingly, they are being used in equine assisted services, mental, physical and psychotherapy as they can be more sensitive, and less food orientated than other breeds. A study is currently being undertaken by Racing to Relate to assess the suitability of former racehorses as therapy horses with very positive results.

By ‘design’ they can be energetic, forward going and very smart, so are not for everyone. My mare, Diamond Destiny, an Irish-bred 'ginger' former hurdler (so not much going for her on paper if you have any unconscious bias towards chestnut mares) has the kindest sweetest nature in the world who loves a cuddle as much as a gallop.

To conclude, we know that every horse, no matter what the breed, has a different personality and some can be a bit more tricky or opinionated than others, but Thoroughbreds are so easily trainable and don’t deserve the bad press that they get and they are brilliant at endurance.

Kate Mieczkowska (left)

This image and right of Anna Collins & Diamond Destiny

David Saunders

David Saunders

Kate Mieczkowska retrains Thoroughbreds

Thoroughbred ex-racehorses come in many shapes and sizes, with different aptitudes and can suit numerous disciplines after racing. When a horse comes to me for retraining, I have to consider all these variables and decide what they are going to enjoy in the next phase of their lives.

Endurance riding and competition offers a huge amount to ex-racehorses who can remain fully fit, don’t have injuries or wind problems that will flare up if working at a consistent pace for three hours or more, and most importantly enjoy being out and about and have calm temperaments. The sport also provides riders who may not have been in competition before, a way to enjoy taking their new horse off site, enjoy meeting new riders and completing an event without huge competitive pressure if they wish. It also serves as a stepping stone towards building that all-important bond between horse and rider by allowing them to face different obstacles, terrain, working either with or away from other horses in an unknown environment and building trust in one another. In this respect it also offers riders wishing to train their exracehorses for eventing, an option to encounter obstacles and cover distances that will serve as good education towards cross-country. Within the wider endurance community the veterinary attention and checks mean that horse welfare is paramount and is an excellent way for riders new to competition to learn about fitness and competition horse welfare in a supportive environment.

Keeping and understanding how to maintain ex-racehorses can at times be overwhelming to new owners and I believe that the endurance community is an ideal starting point for riders wishing to gain knowledge and confidence to train on further in this sport or later in other equestrian disciplines.

There are of course some of us who wish to develop our own and our horse’s fitness above pleasure ride and novice level. The sport also accommodates the more advanced rider equally and provides a good range of competitive rides with the same veterinary attention.

Thoroughbreds, being descended from Arabian horses, are ideal for endurance competition and can offer a competitive rider the opportunity to compete consistently at a national Level as we have seen with Anna Collins. As with all equestrian sport, the bond between horse and rider is the most important and Thoroughbreds have the same great sense of camaraderie with their riders as the Arabian horse. I have thoroughly enjoyed competing with Endurance GB with a number of different ex-racehorses new to the sport at Novice level and see it suiting ex-racehorses very well.

Jess Jones has always loved the breed

I’ve always been obsessed with Thoroughbreds since going to the races from a young age and then working at a race yard from the age of 16. I then had my first racehorse at 17 from the yard I worked at. Daryl, my husband, was also an avid horse racing fan but had never ridden a horse. After me dragging him to the stables with me, he decided to get on my ex-racehorse Derrick and was hooked.

I then realised it wasn’t a phase I was going through and I purchased my second exracehorse who was owned and bred by HM the late queen. We then began hacking together, going on farm rides, and decided to enter a local endurance pleasure ride. That was it – we got the bug and joined Endurance GB!

We enjoy training and competing as a couple. It’s the only equestrian discipline where we can compete at the same time, which works well as our horses Derricks Dotty and Fleeting View are so attached and hate to be separated. This means we get the best out of them as they are happier travelling, training and competing together.

We love Thoroughbreds due to their athleticism. When they hit that gallop there’s no other feeling like it – it really does take your breath away. Over the years we’ve done showing, dressage, jumping and now endurance and they just take it all in their stride. We also love their personality. As a physiotherapist I treat lots of Thoroughbreds and each one is so unique and has its own quirks!