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Oldest Horse Breed Every Bettor Should Know About

Horses are some of the oldest animals still living, and although the thoroughbred isn’t the oldest horse breed, its origins stem from our list.

We look at the oldest horses in history, starting with the Caspian, reportedly the oldest of all time.

Oldest Horse Breed Every Bettor Should Know About
an Akhal-teke, Turkmen Horse is Seen in Ashgabat | Aytac Unal / Anadolu Agency

 

Caspian

The Caspian is thought to originate around Iran, which is the oldest country in the world, so it makes sense that Caspians are the oldest horse breed in history.

Recent Caspian remains were found and dated to 3,400 B.C., which would easily make it one of the most ancient horse breeds. Caspian horses are a smaller variety of horses, standing between 9 and 12 hands, and the Persians used them not only for their speed but also because they were versatile animals.

There aren’t many Caspians left, with most being discovered in Northern Iran.

 

Icelandic

One of the oldest and most unique horse breeds is the Icelandic horse, which is considered the purest horse breed.

There is a lot of mixed breeding with horses, but because Iceland is so remote, and there is a law prohibiting horses from being imported into the country, the Icelandic horse hasn’t been cross-bred with other types. Racebook FAQs are all about rules, and the Icelandics don’t fancy their horse racing.

Growing up in a harsh and cold climate, the Icelandic horse is known for its toughness. They are used on farms and for transportation, and although not the oldest horse on record, their origins date to around the 9th and 10th centuries.

 

Mongolian

Strong claims are that the Mongolian horse is one of the oldest breeds in the world. It dates to around 2,000 BC and is still a popular breed in Mongolia and China.

Around 3 million Mongolian horses are in the population, which hasn’t been cross-bred since Genghis Khan ruled in the 12th century. That’s a longstanding horse breed and one of the purest ancient horse breeds.

Due to Mongolia’s cold climate, they have thicker coats than modern horses. They also have a bigger barrel than horses used for racing, and their hair, due to its toughness, can be used to make violin bows and ropes.

You won’t see them on the track, but if you want to place bets on top racebook tracks, click the link.

 

Arabian

Many believe the Arabian is the oldest horse on record, and although it’s hard to ascertain, they are one of the oldest.

Like the Caspian, the Arabian comes from the Middle East and is thought to have originated 4,000 years ago. However, unlike other horse breeds, the Arabian was crucial in breeding racehorses.

A muscular breed, the Arabian influenced the thoroughbred breed with its strength and speed. Many of today’s top thoroughbreds have breeding lines back to Arabians, and some of the top breeds in horse racing stem from Arabians.

An expensive breed, the Arabian will set you back plenty. They are highly-regarded, and one of the best-looking and oldest horse breeds.

 

Akhal-Teke

Chances are, you haven’t seen an Akhal-Teke horse roaming around the paddocks. They date back around 3,000 years, originating from Turkmenistan and Iran. However, they were cross-bred with thoroughbreds.

The Akhal-Teke is a slender breed with a shiny coat, which made it attractive to Russian poachers. At one point, only around 1300 remained, but they are now a protected species.

They are one of the rarest horse breeds in the world, and one of the most unique-looking animals. When bred with thoroughbreds, they created a horse that could run longer distances at higher speeds.

They are tall, standing 14-16 hands, and although skinny, they are one of the more athletic horse breeds.

 

Questions of the Day

What are the oldest racehorses?


The oldest racehorses are thoroughbreds, which date to the late 17th century.

What horse breed is the oldest?


The Caspian horse is considered the oldest horse breed in history, dating to 3,400 B.C.

What is the oldest of the classic horse races?


The St. Leger is the oldest thoroughbred horse race, which started in 1776.

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