Speed and the Thoroughbred: The Complete History

By Alexander Mackay-Smith

It has been said that the invention of the Thoroughbred was the single most consequential turning point in the evolution of the horse since its domestication. Its blood has provided the key to superiority in nearly every equestrian discipline. Why the Thoroughbred was created, how, by whom, and how its progenitors survived war, politics and the ambitions, jealousies of monarchs, noblemen and politicians is the subject of Speed and the Thoroughbred. Handsomely illustrated with paintings and photographs, this is the first book to identify and historically trace the three sources of Thoroughbred speed: the pre-Christian Irish Hobby, the 16th century English Running-Horse, and a few Middle-Eastern imports. More than ten years in the making, the author--the most prolific equine author and creative equestrian of the 20th century--believed it was his finest work of equine scholarship. It is the most important and fascinating book ever written about the Thoroughbred.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586670409
• ISBN13: 9781586670405
• Release Date: November 2000
• Publisher: Derrydale Press
• Length: 221 Pages
• Weight: 2.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.9" x 11.3"

Customer Reviews

Excellent History of the Evolution of the Thoroughbred Horse

I loved reading this book. I read it at home, at work, while driving... It is the best history of the origin of the thoroughbred I've read. Everything imaginable is compiled into one book. All racing nuts have heard "The" story of the origin of the thoroughbred: in the 17th and 18th centuries, English nobility imported a handful of Barb, Turk, and Arabian stallions, crossed them on non-descript local mares, and found that because of the enormous "prepotence" of these fabulous foreign studs, the offspring were stamped with their sires great speed and beauty. Mackay-Smith's great contribution is telling the history of these local mares, showing that they were not just empty vessels waiting to be filled, but were powerful sources of speed themselves, having been bred for racing for generations in England and Ireland. Indeed, they may have been faster than the imported stallions, with the Arab/Barb/Turk sires adding conformation and endurance, more than speed itself. The sires are the source of "speed that can carry", not speed per se. Fun book -like a little trip to a museum everytime you flip through it.

Very Intriguing

I was dreadfully sad to read a review of this book which thought that it was too difficult and not well edited. I'm only 21 and found this book to be fascinating, with much knowledge and information that captivated my interest. It is a text that has to be thought over and studied, making it much more valuable than simply a child-view of such a distinct history of the Thoroughbred horse. It was well written and planned out. I found this to be a brilliant construct of the details of such a beloved tradition as these creatures.