Florida Fauna & Flora – Thoroughbred Horse
Thoroughbred horses are synonymous with Ocala/Marion County area, as it is coined the “Horse Capital of the World™.” These hot-blooded, highly intelligent horses are known for their agility and lightning-fast runs – reaching speeds up to 40 mph. Thoroughbreds are large, muscular, powerful horses that are innately elegant and graceful.
Horses are measured in “hands.” A hand is equal to four inches. A horse’s height is determined from the ground up to the tallest point on its body called the withers – the ridge between the animal’s shoulder blades. An average-sized thoroughbred horse is 16 hands or 64 inches. Average weight is 1,100 pounds.
Male thoroughbreds are stallions and females are mares. Foals (not ponies) are born after a gestation period of about 11 months.
Ocala/Marion County is the proud home of two Triple Crown winning horses – Affirmed in 1978 and American Pharoah in 2015.
Read the full May 2019 SECO News online.
