Seedy toe isn't necessarily genetic, but for Cafe it was. He was born with thin hooves that started cracking and required regular medical care even back when he was a foal.
Yeah... thoroughbreds aren't exactly a healthy breed.
Seedy toe isn't necessarily genetic, but for Cafe it was. He was born with thin hooves that started cracking and required regular medical care even back when he was a foal.
Yeah... thoroughbreds aren't exactly a healthy breed.
Then why are people still breeding them? Shouldn't they mix the breed to make a healthy horse?
Then why are people still breeding them? Shouldn't they mix the breed to make a healthy horse?
Same reason people breed pugs probably? Although pugs is because people find them cute, for some reason. If only people thought that about most deformed people like Quasimodo from Notre Dame.
Then why are people still breeding them? Shouldn't they mix the breed to make a healthy horse?
Because speed.
Speed means you want high muscle mass and long, light legs (with light hooves), to maximize stride length and stride frequency (and general stamina). Repeated selection of these traits resulted in heavier, stronger bodies over time that generate greater and greater forces on legs that become slender and lighter and less able to handle these stresses. This is further exacerbated by the intense pacing of thoroughbred horse racing.
Another thing to consider is the limited gene pool (all thoroughbreds can trace their pedigree to three stallions imported into England in the 17/18th centuries). Which is also tied to speed (here's a comprehensive gene study).
As for why don't they breed thoroughbreds to other horse breeds... well, they actually do, but those aren't (usually considered) race horses any more. Well, not thoroughbred racing (which is what most people think when they read "racehorse").
