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An interesting coincidence regarding some famous ( and brilliant racehorses ) became apparent the other evening when perusing through some of my old racing books from years gone by.
That is, that some of the greatest thoroughbreds ever to have set hoof on a racecourse have something in common.
Arkle, Ribot, Sea-Bird, Brigadier Gerard , Secretariat, Man O’ War, Sea The Stars, Kauto Star and Black Caviar all share the same height – 16.2 hands ! How spooky is that ?
I will leave you with that to ponder and wish you all a very merry xmas and a happy new year ( when it comes ).
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I think it’s probably because 16.2hh is a fairly average height for a thoroughbred so it stands to reason so many of the greats would stand this high.
Once you get into the over 17hh dept there are disadvantages in being a tad awkward and unable to adjust stride so easily. I’ll never forget the sight of Party Politics coming home in the G Nat, legs akimbo and looking like he was going to tangle them up before the post!
Under 16hh and they are at a slight disadvantage, particularly chasing, though there have been some amazing little horses, even in the G Nat. Their ability to be neat and clever often counteracts their lack of size, but it has to be a problem specially when it comes to big weights.
I think the 16.2 thing is just the law of averages; the optimum size for power, speed, and agility combined. Interesting fact though.
I lived with my mate Sean Mcbride for a while, his dad trains horses and one he bred who never raced was 18hands, He was an absolute battle tank, i rememeber sean going up the newmarkets cambridge road gallops with potential owners watching this horse, he couldnt get the bloody thing out of a cant, he pushed he shoved he kicked, he used his whip.. and at a slow gallop he started to hang badly right onto the grass, needless to say he was not in the yard for very long!
You could be onto something!
Good luck
Nice research Himself.
Amongst wild animals the average ones are those who have the best opportunities to have a long and healthy lifes.
For race horses to big is too big and too smal is too small.
I think they come in all shapes and sizes, really.
Hyperion and Northern Dancer were tiny, Phar Lap and Forego enormous.
Btw, Party Politics with legs
akimbo
? He’d have to be running on his hind legs to accomplish that!
The average racehorse is actually 16hh. They were actually taller on average 20-30 years ago, but the modern TB is more compact and stocky, like a quarter horse.
Hyperion-15.1
Battleship (the American Pony)-15.1
Seabiscuit-15.2
War Admiral (the Mighty Mite)-15.3
Mill Reef-15.3
Forego-17
Phar Lap-17.1
Exterminator-17.2
Zenyatta-17.2
Roseben (The Big Train)-17.3What size is Frankel?
What sort of question is that? This is Britain. You’ll learn his height when he retires to stud, and that matter is of consequence to actual stakeholders, and not before.
I believe Northern Dancer was 15.1 and was taken home after failing to be sold as a yearling on two occasions due to his lack of height.He became the greatest sire of modern times.
I think they come in all shapes and sizes, really.
Btw, Party Politics with legs
akimbo
? He’d have to be running on his hind legs to accomplish that!
Sorry, should have checked the dictionary
. I thought it meant spread out. Whatever, it looked like he was trying to plait them!Who was the tiny National winner, 15.2 I think? Was it Jay Trump?
Not sure if I’m imagining this but I seem to remember an enormous horse called Scallywag running on the flat.
He was so big they struggled to get him in the stalls!
I think they come in all shapes and sizes, really.
Btw, Party Politics with legs
akimbo
? He’d have to be running on his hind legs to accomplish that!
Sorry, should have checked the dictionary
. I thought it meant spread out. Whatever, it looked like he was trying to plait them!Who was the tiny National winner, 15.2 I think? Was it Jay Trump?
Possibly Battleship or Team Spirit, both around 15.2 hands high.
I think they come in all shapes and sizes, really.
Btw, Party Politics with legs
akimbo
? He’d have to be running on his hind legs to accomplish that!
Sorry, should have checked the dictionary
. I thought it meant spread out. Whatever, it looked like he was trying to plait them!Who was the tiny National winner, 15.2 I think? Was it Jay Trump?
Possibly Battleship or Team Spirit, both around 15.2 hands high.
Battleship was actually closer to 15.1, and built more like a sprinter than a jumper. He won the Grand National under 11st 6lbs, at odds of 40-1. His time was the 3rd fastest up to that point.
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He would go on to sire 57 foals, 11 stakes winners, and 2 champion steeplechasers (War Battle and Shipboard).Not sure if I’m imagining this but I seem to remember an enormous horse called Scallywag running on the flat.
He was so big they struggled to get him in the stalls!
I remember Scallywag, a huge grey, must have been well over 17 hands. I think Bruce Hobbs trained him (Battleship connection there).
As I remember it, he was a pretty good horse, I think I’m right in saying he was 3rd in the St.Leger behind Crow in 1976.
Venusian,I think youi are referring to Loch Con who was so small that the story went that Eddie Dempsey his jockey hid him behind a fence and so only went around once. Not true of course but gives you some idea of how small he was.He won the Grand National in the mid 1940’s. The great little show jumper Dundrum who Tommy Wade discovered and won many trophies at White City was so small that only the tip of Tommie’s cap could be seen bobbing up and down as he approached the enormous obstacles especially in the Poussaint competition.
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