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American Standardbred horse
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American Standardbred horse

Country Of Origin United States
History and Background This is a breed that actually earns its name, trotters and pacers are required to meet speed requirements prior to registration with their respective breed associations. The Standardbred name comes from the qualifying standard time these animals must pass to register (a mile in under 3 minutes).
The Standardbred breed originated with a single English Thoroughbred stallion named Messenger. Similar to many Thoroughbreds of the time, Messenger was bred to run, but his lineage included Norfolk Trotter blood. The flagship stud was brought to America in 1788 and bred to a variety of local Thoroughbred mares. It was quickly discovered that some of his progeny made excellent trotting horses and the breed was begun. Originally every registered Standardbred could trace their existence to the grandson of this foundation stud.
Official Breed
Today bloodlines run across the board, a variety of different (mostly gaited) breeds have been introduced over the years in the hopes of creating faster animals. The official stud book for this breed was formed in 1879 by the National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders.
Standardbreds can be found in two different types of racing, based on the gait they favour.
Trotters
Diagonal gait – Legs on opposite sides move at the same time. This is a natural gait, however it is harder to keep a trotter on their stride at high speeds.
Pacers
Lateral gait – legs on the same side move at the same time. Approximately 80% of harness racers use this gait. The lateral pacing gait is ideal for harness racing.
Use Today Sport horse, Racing horse, Pleasure horse, Show horse, Buggy horse, Ranch horse
Height 15–16 hands (60–64 inches, 152–163 cm)
Colour All solid colours.
Characteristics Head is large and may have convex profile
Neck is medium length
Shoulders are powerful
Hindquarters are muscular and strong
Legs are solid and refined
Personality and Temperament American Standardbred horses are calm, bold, intelligent and unflappable.
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