Many breeds have been used for harness racing, although one breed stands out from the others and is the one that most harness races now feature. That breed is the Standardbred. Other breeds are raced to lesser extent and mostly only in their countries of origin. STANDARDBREDSStandardbreds were bred to be trotting race horses. They were created from breeding a Thoroughbred stallion, Hambletonian 10, to a variety of trotting and pacing mares of assorted breeds. Throughout the late 1800’s horses were challenged to trot a mile in under 2 and a half minutes, if they could, they were said to have “met the Standard”. Since that time Standardbred horses have trotted a mile in less than 2 minutes. Pacing became popular as it was slightly faster than trotting. The registry is now closed and only horses with both parents as registered Standardbreds, can be registered as such.Standardbreds are generally 14.3 to 16.1 hands high, and have a somewhat longer appearance to them than do Thoroughbreds. They are typically bay, brown, chestnut, or black in color. The common nick name for Standardbreds is “Jugheads” a name which refers to their rather plain appearance, and somewhat duller intelligence. They have deep chests and good leg action, both of which are important in a race horse.Standardbreds are usually either trotters or pacers, although some horses do exhibit both gaits equally. MORGANSMorgans are a breed that originated with one stallion, a bay named “Figure”, although the horse was also referred to by his owners name, “Justin Morgan”. This breed is now used predominantly as a saddle horse rather than a race horse, but they do preform well in the harness as a show horse. Until the Standardbred became the more popular harness race horse, Morgans were often used as harness race horses in the United States. They are 14.2 to 16.2 hands high, and typically have a stocky, but handsome appearance. HACKNEYThe Hackney has two forms, the horse, and the pony. Both are commonly used as show horses in harness but occasionally they are raced as well. They have excellent stamina at the trot and are often used as driving horses in competition, as such harness racing of them has subsided and is limited to Amateurs. The ponies are under 14.2 hands, the horses are over 14.2 hands and up to 16 hands high. CANADIAN PACERThis is a rare breed once used for racing. They are a bit smaller than the Standardbred and with the success of the later breed, the Canadian Pacer is becoming less common. They Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society
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