Nearly every Standardbred horse in the world today can be traced back to Hambletonian, a great-grandson of the Thoroughbred sire Messenger, who was folaed in 1780. Hence, harness racing and the Standardbred horse are just a little older than its native country. A horse deemed a "Standardbred" is thus called because the early race horses were required to trot or pace in a certain time standard at a distance of one mile in order to be considered a harness horse. Standardbreds in the United States still race traditionally at the distance of one mile. Standardberds, like most horses, come in all shapes, sizes and colors, and many exhibit characteristics of other breeds, which have been integrated into the bloodlines throughout the years. Standardbreds are grouped into two divisions, those that race at the trot, and those who race on the pace. Pacers move their legs laterally, and usually, but not always, wear "pacing hobbles," while trotters move their legs diagonally. Trotters race only against trotters and pacers race only against pacers, although both gaits are contested at very high speeds.
Harness horses begin their training late in their yearling season, and often race at two, although many are not fully developed and thus begin their racing career at three or even older. Standardberds in the United States are allowed to race through their 14th year, and then must be retired. These pleasant, affable equines make excellent pets and take up new careers quite easily as pleasure and show horses.
Racing takes place at venues throughout the world, and is contested at race tracks varying in size from half-mile, five-eights, seven-eights and one-mile ovals. In the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britian, trotters and pacers are both raced, while in the rest of Europe and Russia, only trotters are allowed to compete. Purses for these races can be huge...in the United States, the biggest races often go for $1 million, such as the Hambletonian for three-year-old trotters contested the first Saturday in August at the Meadowlands race track in East Rutherford, New Jersey. While not the richest race, The Little Brown Jug at Delaware, Ohio, raced usually on the third Thursday in September, spotlight's North America's best three-year-old pacer, and is a very prestigious event.
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