Thoroughbred Research Group

A thoroughbred racehorse can be ridden at the youthful age of one and a half years old. With this being during development; whilst they're still growing, it is evident they are 'built for purpose'. Approximately 5000 years ago, horses were domesticated - being tamed and progressively used within various activities. These included: warfare, farming and hunting. Horses made the humans job a lot lighter work. Racing began as a professional sport in the 1700's and since then entertainment value has amplified in popularity. Horse racing has now become a tradition. The thoroughbred racing industry in the United Kingdom today is governed by the British Horse Racing Authority.

Referring to their temperament, originally horses were hot blooded with much less speed and power than the cold blooded thoroughbred of today. How have they developed such speed and power? The performance of any elite athlete is progressively increased as the level of their competitors improves.