Factors Affecting Horse Speed

Everyone who has ever visited a hippodrome knows that a horse develops a fairly high speed. This indicator depends on many factors. Consider what the horse’s speed depends on. We will also familiarize ourselves with the statistics, find out the average and maximum speed indicators recorded to date.

Factors on which speed depends

Movement speed The horse’s behavior depends primarily on:

• the general condition of the horse;
• breed;
• the way of the gait.

Veterinarians carefully monitor the health status of horses participating in sports, and in order to achieve good results, the horse must eat well and be healthy.

One of the decisive factors is the breed. Each breed has its own limit, which is difficult to cross. For example, draft horses are able to carry a large load, but they do not possess speed qualities. Those horse breeds that belong to the group of workers are distinguished by endurance, but they cannot develop a great speed, even if they are trained.Race horses, on the other hand, possess speed qualities, but only a certain amount of time runs at maximum speed. To find out what speed a horse of one or another breed can develop, it is enough to study its main characteristics.

Another speed of a horse’s movement depends on the way of running. Among all types of gaiters, three can be distinguished, which are considered the main ones: step, lynx and gallop. When moving in steps, the horse moves slowly. When trotting, the horse shows average speed, but the maximum speed of the horse is visible when galloping.

The speed of the horse varies, depending on whether the horse is running with or without a rider. The speed of the racehorse with the rider changes and on what size the jockey has.

Speed ​​indicators for different types of gait

Consider what speed the horse develops with step, run and gallop.

Speed ​​indicators during the step

During the step, the racer moves slowly. The average performance of racing horses during a step is 5 km / h. If we talk about the minimum speed, it is 3 km / h, but the maximum speed of the horse does not exceed 7.5 km / h.

This type of gait is suitable for long walks. The animal can run at this pace for several hours in a row. A step is not tedious for a horse. If the animal is carrying a heavy load, then the step is generally the only suitable type of gait.

Speed ​​indicators while trotting

The average speed when trotting is 12 km / h. It is considered large enough. This gait method is more energy consuming for a horse than a step. It is not worth expecting from a horse that he will run at such a pace for several hours in a row. Such stress leads to serious health problems. Alternatively, alternate lynx with a step.

How long the horse can move at a speed of 12-13 km / h depends on the state of the animal’s health and the degree of its training. If we talk about average indicators, then the horse runs at this pace for no more than 20 minutes. Longer trotting harm health. After 20 minutes, the horse should be allowed to rest. It is not necessary to make a stop, it is enough to transfer the steed to a step. Within 10 minutes, the animal will recover, and it can again be transferred to a lynx.

As for the transportation of goods, it is not worth loading the horse during trotting. If, moving at a speed of 12 km / h, the animal pulls a heavy load, it will quickly become tired. In order not to harm the horse, you can put a load on its back, the mass of which is no more than 8% of the animal’s body weight.

Speed ​​indicators when galloping

Average speed horses with a rider while galloping is 40-50 km / h. This type of running is the most energy-intensive.Accordingly, for a long time the horse will not be able to move at this speed. If we talk about wild horses, then they use galloping only in those situations that pose a threat to life. As a rule, the horse does not overcome more than 1 km at this speed.

The horses who take part in the races practice almost daily. Accordingly, they can gallop a little longer than wild horses. But as a rule, after 20 minutes of galloping, the average speed of racehorses decreases, and the horse goes to a lynx.

High-speed breeds of horses

The fastest horses are purebred English riding horses. They most often take part in horse racing. This is not surprising if we take into account that the breed was bred for sports. For many years, breeders have been improving the breed. The work was a success. For breeding, only the fastest representatives of the breed were selected. It was the representative of the English riding who owns the world record at a distance of 400 m. During its overcoming, the horse developed a speed of 69.69 km / h. This record was set back in 1945.

There are 2 more records owned by the English riding. The fastest horse in the world is Siglevi Slave I. The record was set at a distance of 800 m. When overcoming the distance, the average speed was 69.3 km / h. There was no jockey on his back during the fateful race for Slave.

John Henry set a record with a jockey on his back. At a distance of almost 2.5 km (1.5 miles), its average speed was 60.76 km / h.

Arabian thoroughbred also belongs to high-speed rocks. She can often be seen at the races. In addition to the fact that representatives of this breed have high-speed qualities, they look elegant. This grace is not only in appearance, but also in movements. What is the speed of the Arabian horse? It can cover about 60 km in an hour. This is not the fastest horse, and it is difficult for her to compete with the English horse. But she has well-developed muscles, which has a positive effect on endurance, so these horses can compete for rewards over long distances.

If we talk about how much the average speed of an Akhal-Teke, Budenovskaya or Terek breed horse is, then their can also be considered as cross-country. Representatives of these breeds can often be seen at the races.

Interesting Facts

Many horse lovers believe that the suit of the animal somehow affects the speed qualities. And despite the fact that this fact has not been scientifically confirmed to date, there is an opinion that the fastest are red horses.

A horse of the Mustang breed is able to develop high speed. What is the maximum speed for horses of this breed, it is difficult to answer, because the breed is wild. But there is an opinion that it reaches 100 km / h. Due to human poaching, the breed is almost destroyed. If breeders can achieve an increase in population, the speed characteristics of the Mustangs can be determined more accurately.

If horses move in a harness and drag, for example, sledges, then in an hour they will be able to cover no more than 15 km. It’s impossible to see the gallop when the team moves. The maximum that you can count on is a lynx.

The statement that a horse overcomes more than 80 km in an hour is considered a myth today. Not a single similar case has been officially recorded in the world.

While in a natural environment, horses do not trot. If necessary, they move to a gallop from a step.A person teaches to trot horses. There are breeds that are particularly prone to learning. A striking example is the Trotter. Moreover, all types of horses of this breed (Russian, American, French and Oryol trotter) are equally well trained.

Conclusion

If we talk about what the maximum horse’s speed, then more than 70 km / h in the presence of a rider the horse does not ride. And if, say, she drags a cart at the same time, or a four runs with a carriage or a wagon, then you should not count on 60 km / h. If you have such a load, you don’t have to wait for the animal to gallop, and the lynx allows you to reach speeds of up to 50-55 km / h.

Each horse has its own limit. Affect the speed properties of joint diseases that are inherited. If the hock joints are affected, the horse cannot move at a fast pace.