Horse racing is a multibillion-dollar industry in the US alone, and is popular throughout the world. Many countries have established themselves as exceptional racehorse producers, including Ireland, where the renowned Coolmore Stud is situated, the US and Australia.
As with all animal breeding, the success of an efficient racehorse with exceptional acceleration, stamina, speed and movement comes down to the horse's genetics and environment. Even if a horse has a renowned racing pedigree, if it remains largely untrained and underweight, it is unlikely to become a world-class racehorse. Similarly, a horse with the best training and nutrition in the world may struggle to compete against a horse with adequate training and nutrition that also has the ‘right’ genetics for racing.
CONFORMATION
Horse racing is not just a game of speed. Races are set over several different lengths, and a horse that has good acceleration and speed yet little stamina is unlikely to garner much attention.
Ultimately, the real test of a racehorse is its performance over both short and long distances. This requires acceleration, speed, stamina, agility and good temperament.
Four of these five criteria come down to a horse's conformation, which refers to its musculoskeletal structure. Thus, in theory, a horse's
