I’d lost Emmy, a magnificent, kind, motherly Thoroughbred mare, after her battle with a degenerative soft tissue disease. She was a horse that knows your thoughts before they’ve even made it to words; the kind of horse they don’t make anymore.

Hollywood Moment

Our tale begins after months of horse shopping. My husband’s draft horse was depressed and needed a friend. Every horse we looked at—all Thoroughbreds—wasn’t The One. And maybe I wasn’t ready. Then one day, after looking at the New Vocations site, I happened to stop upon pictures of Utopia. But the listing said … “Standardbred.”

Standardbred? What the heck do I know about them? But his face, and his eyes, and his proud yet kind energy pulled at me. I happened to be traveling for work to Lexington, Ky., the very next day, and their Richwood, Ohio, facility was basically on the way. I contacted Bridget Hollern, their Standardbred trainer, and she said I could come meet him.

Upon arriving at the farm, I wasn’t really expecting much. I had already pooh-poohed every horse we’d gone to look at for months. Like most potential adopters, I gave Bridget a little summary on our horse history and how hard it was to lose a horse like Emmy.

We walked into the barn, and like a Hollywood cliché, I locked eyes with Utopia. It was love at first sight. He had a presence of intelligence and humor. He found a pack of Twizzlers candy in my pocket and demanded to eat every single one of them.

Bridget and I worked with Utopia in the cross-ties and I asked if I could longe him. I got the butterflies back and was smiling from ear to ear. After working Utopia and watching Bridget ride him, I was sold.

That night at the hotel room in Lexington, I called my husband.

“What do I do? He’s a Standardbred, and I wanted a Thoroughbred again.”

My husband said, “Well, do you like him?”

I replied, “Yes, yes, yes! Let’s get him.”

So, a week later, we picked up Utopia from Bridget’s barn and brought him home.

Allergy Attack

The butterflies and joy faded as the first week went on and we started noticing that Utopia, now known as Twizzler, had developed hives all over his body and face. We went on an eight-week crusade to figure out what he was allergic to.

We changed everything you can think of: bedding, hay and feed, baths, allergy meds, even vet-prescribed meds and allergy testing. This poor horse was exploding in his stall as we tried to keep him off the pasture for fear the pasture was causing the allergies.

I was devastated and scared. Our trial was almost up, but I didn’t want to give up on him.

I called Bridget for advice; we even got her vet involved. My vet returned to us with the blood-based allergy testing results: Poor Twizzler was allergic to many things in horse feed, some insects, and a whole lot of pasture plants, including clover. All of the pastures in northeast Ohio are dominated by clover.

Out of pure desperation, I talked to my husband about ripping out the pasture and starting over with a grass mix he could live in.

I was eventually put in contact with Twizzler’s former trainer/owner from his racetrack days, Terry Deters. Terry is a horseman through and through. He is kind and honest, and he was happy to talk about his beloved Utopia, who apparently had always suffered from hives, and had lived comfortably with blood serum allergy treatments.

Hallelujah! We didn’t have to dig up the pastures and he could eat and live like a normal horse! We started the shots as soon as they came in. It was a relief for Twizzler within the first few weeks.

Trike Trials

The day I knew this hive-stricken horse had to stay with our family was when Twizzler was standing in the cross-ties watching our 2-year-old son Glenn ride his tricycle around in the barn. Glenn knows very little about horses, but he knows how Emmy was with him—kind and aware. Glenn assumes all horses are cool with noisy, tiny people riding about.

I watched Glenn almost ride his trike into Twizzler’s front feet and stop. In slow motion, I thought to myself, OK, he’s either going to spook or run over Glenn.

Nope. Twizzler, as levelheaded and intelligent as he is, pushed Glenn’s bike with his nose, and Glenn giggled with glee that he was moving backwards. This game continued on and on.

Problem Solving

Eventually, we started Twizzler under saddle at our farm. We ride in our pastures and fields; we don’t have an arena. It never occurred to me that a Standardbred might not understand that his new job doesn’t have a track to guide him, and the aids are very different from being driven.

I struggled a bit getting him to understand what I was asking him to do. Something that helped us was creating a large circle out of cones, a bit like a track.

The other thing I struggled with was bit selection. It seemed we tried at least 30; all of them resulted in the same thing—a lot of anxious chewing and chomping.

Our now dear friend Terry reminded me that they race with very simple single-jointed snaffles with fixed mouthpieces. So I put back all the $200 bits and went out and bought a $20 copper roller snaffle driving bit. We now ride comfortably (although somewhat chompy at the beginning of the ride).

A Very Special Job

A few short months after letting Twizzler into our hearts and home, he embarked on a huge job.

Before Emmy’s passing, she was a friend and a teacher to a 7-year-old family member named Rhys, a boy with Asperger’s syndrome (a form of autism spectrum disorder). I was confident Twizzler would be kind and patient with Rhys, too, and we decided to give it a try.

Twizzler never put a foot wrong under saddle. He seemed to have the same ability to read the situation that Emmy did. Rhys loves having Twizzler as his new teacher and friend, and Twizzler loves being the center of attention, especially with children and the snacks they often have.

A Breed with a Lot to Offer

I tell everyone I know looking for a new riding horse to consider a Standardbred. They are level-headed, first and foremost. They are funny and great family horses. They are athletes and love to work. They are extremely trainable, forgiving, and can settle into new situations quickly. Twizzler is also pretty darn sound, even after over 200 races!

We were a family of broken hearts, and the universe sent us Utopia. Our hearts are full and our home is complete.

This article appeared in the August 2024 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Adopting a Horse: Love At First Sight appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Style superstar Kressley is equally comfortable talking horses as he is judging the contestants on RuPaul’s Drag Race or offering fashion and life advice on one of his many other platforms. Kressley’s family has been involved in horses since he was a child, something he’s very thankful for.

First Horse

“Growing up, we had Shetland and Hackney Ponies, which are very fun,” says Kressley. “But when you’re a teenager, you’re like, ‘Uh no, I don’t want a pony, I need a horse.’”

When Kressley was a young child, his grandparents sold their pony farm to a Saddlebred horse trainer and Kressley started taking riding lessons. He fell in love with Saddlebreds and knew one would make a great introductory horse.

“First and foremost, I think American Saddlebreds are the most beautiful horses,” he says. “I’m a real beauty junkie, so I like to have a pretty house, pretty clothes, and pretty horses. Of course, I am biased, but I love their long necks, high-set tails, long legs, and big, beautiful expressive eyes. They are the supermodels of the show ring.

“A high-stepping, high-headed beautiful horse is very compelling,” Kressley continues. “And when you see them in the movies, like the musical Oklahoma, and there are high-stepping strutters pulling the surrey with the fringe on top—I sound like a 100-year-old woman quoting that—but we romanticize and glamorize horses that take that elegant step. I saw that in the movies and growing up and it’s something that I find appealing.”

After saving cash from multiple birthdays and Christmases, Kressley purchased his own horse at age 15. Although the American Saddlebred he bought came with the registered name Daddy’s Money, Kressley purchased it with his own $1,500—which was a fortune to him in 1985.

“I thought he was gorgeous,” he recounts. “But he probably wasn’t the fanciest show horse you could find. I’ve had Saddlebred horses ever since. He was a great first horse. My sister and I would bathe him and take him to shows. He would get loose on our lawn in Pennsylvania while we tried to load him on the trailer. We were the quintessential do-it-yourself horse people.”

Daddy’s Money also came trained, knowing how to take a bow and a bunch of other tricks, which Kressley told everyone that he taught the horse himself. Daddy’s Money’s barn name was Pops, and Kressley says that he continues to give his horses human-sounding barn names like Earl, Larry and Steve.

“People can overhear you on the phone when you say, ‘How’s Steve doing today? Did he get a nice hot bath?’ It’s very intriguing for people.”

Breed of Choice

Kressley says that the American Saddlebred’s personality and trainability, paired with some of the best horse trainers in the world, make this breed a good one for those with limited time to practice.

“You could ride as a little child—8 and under for equitation—on a Saddlebred,” he says. “You can show them in performance as an adult, and when you’re older, you can show them in pleasure and do something really relaxed and comfortable.”

He notes that while American Saddlebreds were historically bred to be glamorous show-ring horses, people are now realizing that they make beautiful western pleasure horses, stylish hunters and gorgeous dressage horses.

“Versatility is something we are really trying to promote in the breed,” Kressley adds. “They are so beautiful, extremely intelligent, and they can learn just about anything.”

Kressley served on the board of the American Saddlebred Museum for 15 years. He has joined up on different committees for the American Saddlebred Horse Association when needed.

“American Saddlebreds are facing challenges like all breeds because there is less space to ride, and people are less connected to horses than ever,” he explains. “But what we have going for us is that they are the very best breed in the world—they are the most trainable, the most beautiful, and have the best disposition. We must use some of these modern technologies like digital platforms to really get the word out, because once you see one, you want to have one.”

A Horse of a Different Color

While Kressley has only been around Saddlebreds his entire life, he is now branching out. He just added Earl, an American Standardbred, to his stable of horses.

“Now that I have different breeds occasionally, I’m like, ‘OK, they have different personalities,’” he says. “I thought all horses were super exquisite and expressive, but some are more laid-back. And that’s OK too.”

Saddlebreds, Hackneys, and roadster horses are usually shown at the same shows because they are trained in a similar way. Since Kressley usually only shows in breed competitions, exposure to other breeds has recently piqued his interest.

At these shows, Standardbreds are driven in roadster classes, where they are shown at three speeds of trot: the jog, road gait, and spectator-favorite full speed.

“The roadster division is really taking off—no pun intended—so I thought I would be part of the fun,” Kressley says of Earl. “My trainer had the former World Grand Champion roadster horse, and he went to the same place [in Ohio] he found that one and said, ‘I found this horse and you should buy him.’”

Kressley, who was eating at a Palm Beach hotel, asked to be excused as he watched a video of Earl, and bought him without seeing him in person. Later Kressley thought, “I hope he isn’t catfishing me and shows up with a llama.”

Earl—who was featured on the cover of the March 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated—is 4 years old. Kressley and his trainer took him to the World’s Championship in 2022, which is a little unheard of for a horse that has only been to two shows.

“He placed around fourth out of 23!” Kressley says proudly. “He did really well, and hopefully I’ll get to show him next season. Standardbreds are usually the best for roadster horses, which are like the show-ring version of a trotter racehorse. And we wear silks [like a jockey] and the silk hat, and it’s very fun. It’s fast and exciting. You’re living on the edge a little bit, because they are big and powerful.”

If a Standardbred doesn’t win in their career on the racetrack, they can become a great show horse. Recently, breeders of Standardbreds in the Midwest include families that are only breeding for show horses. These horses may be a little prettier than racing-bred Standardbreds.

“The benefit is that they are trained specially for that job, although rehoming them from the track is fantastic,” Kressley says.

Growing up Fabulous

“I guess I have a very large personality,” Kressley says gleefully. “My dad was a car dealer and salesperson, so I think I got a little bit of that showmanship from him. Even as a kid, if I won, I would take my hat off and ride one-handed. I saw a famous horseman doing that and I thought, I am going to be fabulous and do that.”

Growing up gay in what can be considered a very conservative farm town in Pennsylvania, Kressley says that junior high was not the greatest time for him. To combat the bullying, he developed a sense of humor and quick wit.

“If I could disarm people through laughter, then they couldn’t be making fun of me,” Kressley says. “I’ve heard that from a lot of funny people and comics, and that defense mechanism became a huge blessing. It has helped me get a fabulous career in television, so I say, ‘Bring it on, bullies! It didn’t work.’”

While junior high may not have been the best, Kressley says the horse business has always served as a second home.

“It was a place that I felt I could always be who I am,” he says. “Whether it be with horses at home, the farm, or horse show, that was my happy place and a place that I escaped to. There were a lot of queer role models. A lot of gay people are involved in the industry, so I felt safe, and it was a very positive experience.”

In the past few years, both the American Saddlebred Association and United States Equestrian Federation have had LGBTQ pride initiatives.

“It was really gratifying seeing my second family take that extra step of not just being tolerant, but celebrating our LGBTQ participants,” says Kressley.

He continually refers to the horse world using words like camaraderie and friendship.“When you have been doing this for 40 years, you can take it one step further and say family,” says Kressley. “My friends have kids who show with my niece. Everybody knows each other’s family, and it’s a very supportive environment.”

Lifelong Learner

“I love all different types of horsemanship,” he says. “Back in the day, if you were a sportsman, you played polo and you had to know hunters and how to ride saddle horses. So I like the idea of being able to do all of those things.”

When Kressley is in Los Angeles for work, he uses his days off to ride. Partnering up with top-level hunter/jumper trainer Archie Cox, Kressley recently started learning how to jump.

“Archie said, ‘I know you like a salty mare,’ so he put me on this little chestnut mare,” he says. “I didn’t know she was a Grand Prix horse and jumps over 6-foot things! I was like the Three Stooges getting on a horse and not knowing how to ride. I looked like a 1920s person going over jumps. I was way behind the saddle with my arms stretched out. I looked like a Currier and Ives engraving.”

Kressley’s niece does western riding, barrel racing, and rodeo. She has some Quarter Horses that Kressley says he wouldn’t mind learning some reining or cutting on.

“Just being around nice horses is always good,” he adds.

He’s also looking for a five-gaited Saddlebred to add to his string.

“They are true unicorns,” says Kressley. “They are very hard to find, and I think they are the most fun thing in the world because you get to go fast but you still are elegant, and you get to wear great clothes. So I am on the hunt for that!”

While many people grow out of their childhood hobbies, Kressley certainly has embraced his love of horses well into adulthood, even while his interests varied.

“I grew up with horses and ponies ever since I was born,” he says. “I didn’t know when you go to college and get your first job you have to sell the horse. I always had great parents who paid to keep the training going. I remember being in my 20s in New York City, working at Ralph Lauren, going to parties most nights, traveling the world, and being a social butterfly, but I still managed to go to all the horse shows and never missed a World Championship. It’s just part of my life—like breathing and going home for Christmas—and owning a horse.”

Follow Carson Kressley on Instagram @carsonkressley.

This article about Carson Kressley appeared in the March 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Horsing Around with Carson Kressley appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

More Than a Racehorse

Helene Gregory grew up riding Standardbreds in Sweden. Though she and her husband, Jeff Gregory, a well-known harness racing trainer and driver, breed these horses to race, Helene developed an obsession with this often overlooked breed.

“I’m a big advocate for getting these horses when they’re done on the track,” Helene says. “I like to pursue new careers, and they’re so good at it. The sky is the limit.”

Standardbreds can also be found at the higher echelons of competitive equestrian sport. In 2007, the United States Trotting Association (USTA) breed registry began accepting applications for Standardbreds and their riders interested in performing in a breed demonstration at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky. Eight horse-and-rider pairs were selected, with backgrounds in dressage, hunter/jumper, endurance, and western riding.

“Standardbreds enjoy working,” says Helene. “They do anything you ask of them, and do it eagerly. They are the blue-collar workers of the equine breeds.”

Standardbred Breed History

A melting pot of equine bloodlines, the Standardbred’s origins begin with a gray Thoroughbred stallion named Messenger, foaled in England in 1780. Imported to the United States eight years later in 1788, Messenger stood at stud for 20 seasons and demonstrated an unparalleled ability to sire trotters in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.

Though Messenger was bred to produce athletic and speedy horses, it would be his great-grandson, Hambletonian 10, who ignited the spark for the Standardbred breed and claims the title of foundation sire.

Hambletonian 10 sired over 1,300 offspring. A mix of breeds were introduced into his line, including Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Canadian pacers, and other pacing and trotting horses.

Bred in two lines—trotters and pacers—Standardbreds introduced racing to the everyday person. Races between neighbors and village roads soon blossomed in major cities where locals cleared streets for rivalries.

Gaited pacers run in a two-beat lateral gait, moving legs on the same side in unison. Trotters race in the traditional diagonal gait, moving opposite pairs of legs together.

The National Association of Trotting Horse Breeders created the Standardbred’s official registry in 1879. The Association’s requirement for the breed required that a horse be able to trot or pace a mile in 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This “standard” led to the name Standardbred.

From Track to Patrol

The unruffled personality of the Standardbred is well-suited to many professions, including police mounts. Mounted horse patrols can be found riding drafts and draft-crosses in many cities across the United States, but in Newark, N.J., the breed of choice is the Standardbred.

Officer Luis Camacho is the instructor and trainer for officers in the department’s mounted patrol. Working with the Standardbred Retirement Foundation, Camacho helps adopt and retrain surrendered horses for police work.

“We stick to the same build and color of the horses to maintain uniformity of the patrol,” says Camacho. “We want to look the same every day to the community. The Standardbred has a consistent temperament needed to perform police work. It’s a sturdy horse and tends to accept the city environment.”

Newark Police mounted officers patrol residential neighborhoods, business districts, and community events like parades, festivals, and concerts because they can cover more ground than a team of officers on foot.

“We’re in a city, so it’s very noisy,” Camacho explains. “EMS ambulances, buses, you name it, they hear it. I think it helps to work with horses coming off the track because they’re not sitting for a long time in a stall.”

Mounted patrol officers receive six weeks of training. Riding instruction and basic horsemanship protocols, including primary care and feeding of the horse, prepare them for a partnership with their assigned mount.

Standardbred Horses: Anything but Standard

A Standardbred makes a wonderful choice for novice riders who may choose the trail or casual riding over the competition ring. The average height for the breed is 14.2 to 15.3 hands, and a weight of 900 to 1,000 pounds means they are smaller than Thoroughbreds and warmbloods. This can make them more accessible for timid riders who prefer a smaller mount.

Although the breed sports a robust and durable body type, their calm temperament, high tolerance for rider mistakes, and willingness to please people outshines all its physical attributes.

Mary Minkoff is a longtime board member and volunteer at Sunshine Horses, Inc., one of the leading Standardbred aftercare facilities in New York State. She also owns a Standardbred named Hucklebuck (aka “Huck”), and believes the thinking that these horses can only succeed on the track is outdated.

“The breed has the potential to excel in any discipline,” says Minkoff. “People realize that they don’t need to have a Thoroughbred or a Quarter Horse to do a particular job.”

While at first glance they may seem to sport a plain brown wrapper, the Standardbred’s athleticism, calm temperament, and willingness to please their riders make them worth a second look.

This article about the Standardbred appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Standardbred Horse: Anything but Standard appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

With an enthusiastic cheer from the grandstand, the horses head for the far turn and into the homestretch. Trotting at full speed, one of them puts a head in front as he and his driver cross the wire—the winners! But wait a minute—trotting at full speed? A driver? That’s right, because this isn’t a Thoroughbred horse race, it’s a harness race, and this is a Standardbred.

A Different Kind of Racehorse

In harness races, Standardbreds pull very lightweight, speedy two-wheeled carts called sulkies. And unlike Thoroughbred races such as the Kentucky Derby, no cantering or galloping is allowed in harness racing. Instead, Standardbreds race using one of two gaits:

TROTTING: The same gait that you use in an English riding lesson, the highly skilled Standardbreds can trot at a speed far faster than you’ve ever attempted on horseback—more than 30 miles per hour! Most horses only trot at around 8 to 10 miles per hour. The trot is a two-beat gait; it’s also a diagonal gait, meaning that when a left front hoof is in the air, its diagonal right hind hoof is also. Likewise, when the right front hoof is in the air, the diagonal left hind hoof is moving the same way.

PACING: A pace is a specialty gait that some Standardbreds can perform. Like the trot, it’s also a two-beat gait, but this time the legs on each side work together, known as moving laterally. When a horse paces, his left front hoof is in the air at the same time as his left hind (see photo above). The same is true on the right side of the horse. Generally, a pace has the potential to be a bit faster than a trot, and more Standardbreds race at a pace than a trot.

Because some Standardbreds excel at trotting and others at pacing, Standardbred races are divided into specific races just for trotters and others just for pacers.

A Horse with History

You might wonder what the word Standardbred means—where did it come from? Back in the 1870s, horses weren’t permitted to be registered in the breed’s stud book unless they could travel specific distances in specific “standard” times, like a mile in 2 minutes 30 seconds.

While harness racing has a long history in the United States, it wasn’t until about the 1850s that the Standardbred breed as we know it today began to form, combining a mixture of various horse breeds to produce a talented trotting machine, including Thoroughbreds, Hackneys, Morgans, Narragansett Pacers and others.

Similar to the Morgan, one particular foundation sire is greatly responsible for making the breed what it is today. The Standardbred breed was impacted quite a bit by a stallion named Hambletonian 10; in fact, the annual Hambletonian Stake harness race is named after him.

Standardbreds are generally a bit shorter than Thoroughbreds, with the average height of about 15.2 hands. The overall body type of the Standardbred is usually a bit longer than the Thoroughbred, and Standardbreds tend to exhibit a sturdy, solid build.

Beyond the Track

But wait a minute—don’t assume that Standardbreds are only for racing. Because Standardbreds are often docile and enjoy the company of people, many excel in jobs other than racing.

Standardbreds are also used for riding and compete successfully in shows under saddle, over fences, and in dressage and western pleasure. They’ve been used for endurance races and also for just taking a quiet ride down the trail. They can be taught to canter instead of trotting fast with a little bit of retraining. You never know, a Standardbred might be just the horse you’re looking for!

This article about the Standardbred appeared in the January/February 2020 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Standardbred appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

• The Standardbred breed traces its origins to a champion trotting horse born in the mid-1800s named Hambletonian 10.
• Standardbreds are still used in harness racing today, but they excel in second careers off-the-track as trail, sport, and show horses.
• Unlike Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds often have long racing careers and can continue racing up to the mandatory retirement age of 14.

One day in 1849, in the tiny hamlet of Sugar Loaf, N.Y., a very special colt was born. The great-grandson of an imported Thoroughbred stallion named Messenger, the colt so impressed William Rysdyk, the farm hand in charge of caring for him, that Ryskdyk used $125 of his meager earnings to buy both the colt and his dam from his boss. The colt’s dam, known as the Charles Kent Mare, had the British breeds of Norfolk Trotter and Hackney in her pedigree.

America had only been a country for 73 years, and was yet to fight the Civil War, but the sport of racing trotting and pacing horses had been a pastime for Easterners since Colonial times. Rsydyk had a sense that the colt would become a speed trotting horse, and showed him off as a six-month-old at the Orange County Fair in Goshen, N.Y.

The young horse had a downhill build with low withers with a high croup, which gave him an unusual look. He attracted a lot of attention, and at age 3, he was challenged to race his half-brother, Abdallah Chief.

The trotting match race was held at the Long Island Union Course in 1852, and Rsydyk’s colt went on to beat his rival. This marked the beginning of the colt’s career. His name would become Hambletonian 10.

Setting the Standard

Hambletonian 10 turned out be an outstanding trotter, and he was also proficient at passing his speed along to his foals. Although racing enthusiasts had been breeding Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Norfolk Trotters, Canadian Pacers and Hackneys together for decades to create trotting horses, Hambletonian’s ability to pass his talents to his offspring garnered him the title of foundation sire of the Standardbred breed—so named because horses used for breeding were required to meet the standard of trotting or pacing a mile within a specified time limit. Virtually every registered Standardbred today goes back to Hambletonian 10.

The turn of the 20th century saw the Standardbred rise in popularity as harness racing drew large audiences around the country. Although the subsequent rise of the automobile lead to a downturn in the sport, the advent of pari-mutuel racing under lights in the 1940s helped draw more crowds, along with the creation of the mobile starting gate. As Thoroughbred racing became more popular, so did harness racing.

Today, harness racing is a thriving sport, with Standardbreds competing in trotting and pacing races around the world. Over the decades, distinct bloodlines have been developed for pacing horses and for trotting horses, and depending on a Standardbred’s breeding, he will be trained to either pace or trot at speed.

Multi-Talented

Standardbreds are bred to race, but not every horse is successful at the sport. When they no longer have a future as a racehorse, they still have plenty of other options. Retired Standardbreds have gone on to become successful in jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, speed racking, roadster and western events.

The U.S. Trotting Association (USTA), the registry for Standardbreds in America, implemented the Standardbred Equine Program in 1996 to help promote the use of the breed in disciplines other than racing. The USTA has partnered with national equine discipline organizations to establish breed awards and recognition for people who use Standardbreds in non-racing activities.

Additionally, Standardbred Pleasure Horse Organizations (SPHOs) around the country promote the transition of former harness horses to pleasure and competitive riding and driving. SPHO members use their Standardbreds for drill teams, trail riding and other equine activities.

Bad behavior can be extremely dangerous when a horse has a sulky and driver in tow. This is why Standardbreds are bred to be quiet and easygoing and are handled from a young age.

An important reason for the Standardbred’s often successful transition from a racehorse to a show or pleasure horse is the breed’s disposition. Good temperaments are a must in this breed because of the type of racing they do. Bad behavior can be extremely dangerous when a horse has a sulky and driver in tow. This is why Standardbreds are bred to be quiet and easygoing and are handled from a young age. Adopters of retired Standardbreds are often pleasantly surprised at how well these horses take to being ridden.

Although they have been bred to race for more than 150 years, Standardbreds are more than good racehorses. Just ask the many owners of successful dressage, jumping, driving, endurance, trail and show horses that once raced in harness.

Richest Retirement

Imagine a horse still racing at the age of 14. While this is unheard of in Thoroughbred racing, it actually just happened in the world of Standardbreds. A bay pacer named Foiled Again finished his last race on New Year’s Eve 2018, becoming the richest Standardbred in history.

Foiled Again, who is owned by Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi LLC and JJK Stables, was born in Englishtown, N.J. in 2004, and began racing as a 2-year-old. By the time the gelding ran his last race at The Meadows in Washington, Pa., he had completed 331 races, winning 109 of them.

Foiled Again has also become a celebrity and helps promote the sport of harness racing. Last year, his fame garnered him the Stan Bergstein/Proximity Award from the U.S. Harness Writers Association—one of the sport’s most prestigious awards. He also became immortalized as a Breyer horse last year.

Although Foiled Again—whose barn name is Gremlin—is the richest Standardbred to ever race, he is less than 15 hands and has a chunk missing from his left ear. He’s been described as lazy when it comes to training, but turns on the energy when it’s time to race.

Even though Foiled Again loves to compete, his age has dictated his retirement: the U.S. Trotting Association doesn’t allow horses older than 14 to race. But he won’t be spending all of his time lounging around the pasture now that his career is over; his owners plan to book him for promotional appearances around the country.

Standardbred Fast Facts

• Height: 14.2-16.3 hands
• Colors: Bay, chestnut, black, gray, roan
• Appearance: Well-muscled sloping shoulders; deep, flat hindquarters; high croup; well-defined withers; muscular, slightly arched neck; refined head with a straight or convex profile.
• Registry: United States Trotting Association, ustrotting.com

This article originally appeared in the April 2019 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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In 1849 Hambletonian 10, the foundation sire of the American Standardbred was born. His offspring went on to set records in the harness racing world.

The name refers to the “standard” that was set in 1879 that established a certain speed requirement (three minutes to a mile) before registration was allowed.

Today, the Standardbred competes in harness racing all over the world, including Australia, New Zealand, Russia and Europe. The typical racing length is one mile, and both trotters and pacers (where horses trot in lateral paired legs rather than diagonal) are raced.

Retired racers are favored by the Amish for pulling buggies. They are also retrained under saddle for both English and western disciplines.

The Standardbred is one of the foundation breeds for the Tennessee Walking Horse.

Standardbred Characteristics

The limbs and hocks of the Standardbred are very strong and able to withstand the constant pounding that trotting and pacing speed requires.

It stands an average of 15.3 hands high and comes in all solid colors with brown, black and bay the most prominent. Blue and red roan are also seen.

For More Information:

United States Trotting Association, www.ustrotting.com

Further Reading:

• Teaching your off-track Standardbred to canter
• Racing to New Careers

This breed profile was originally published on December 15, 2006.

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