A Brief History
Thoroughbreds originated in England in the seventeenth century. The breed traces back to three foundation sires: the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerly Turk. Bred to stronger native horses, the result was a horse that could carry weight across distances with sustained speed. Three hundred years of selective breeding has developed the modern Thoroughbred we know today.

Most folks associate Thoroughbreds with racing. They are tremendous atheletes, also excelling in other disciplines such as hunting, dressage, jumping, cross-country and polo. The Thoroughbred has also been a strong influence in the development of other breeds.

Thoroughbreds and Racing
The January '07 issue of Equus magazine published some interesting
statistics from a study conducted by the American Horse Council:

Thoroughbred foal crop:
1996: 35,365
2006: 37,300
Change: +5%

Number of horses in the United States: 9.2 million
Number of horse owners: 2 million
Total contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 101.5 billion
Largest contributor to GDP: Thoroughbred racing, $20.7 billion