I’m familiar with “Standardbred” horses being used for harness racing (i.e.- the jockey is pulled in a sulky), and “Thoroughbred” horses running in traditional races (i.e.- the jockey rides the horse). Is any overlap allowed - could a “Standardbred” win the Kentucky Derby, or a “Thoroughbred” win a harness race at the county fair?
Watching close-ups of sulky jockeys being pulled by their horses, I was surprised at how close the jockey is to the rear end of the horse. Often, the horse’s tail flaps against the jockey’s chest (he’s leaning backwards, so isn’t likely to get a tail in the face.) While in a race - how likely is the horse apt to pass a little water (or worse!)? The jockey could get it in the face! Does this ever happen?
Short answer is that once trained, not a damned chance. Standardbreds trained to harness racing are so averse to breaking the trot that a lot of them won’t even canter in a pasture or under saddle.Trotters build very specific musculature that is not conducive to running and comparatively speaking they’re very slow runners. Likewise, you train a thoroughbred to trot and do harness racing they’re going to be a lot more likely to break their trot (which can disqualify them in a race) and they don’t have the bred in musculature to fit them for really world class harness racing.
I mean, a 300lb English mastiff might actually be an incredibly talented agility dog, but regardless, the border collie is gonna run rings around him. We breed critters for very specific tasks.
And horses can’t pee while they’re running but they can offload pretty mightily after exertion.
Besides all that, if a horse is not a registered thoroughbred it cannot be entered into a thoroughbred race, period, and the American Jockey Club here is the body that does that.
The Jockey Club is the registry for all Thoroughbred horses in the United States and Canada, and maintains offices in New York City and Lexington, Kentucky. The Registry maintained by The Jockey Club, called the American Stud Book , dates back to the club’s founding and contains the descendants of those horses listed, as well as horses imported into North America up to the present.
Participants in the Registry program agree to allow the Registry to conduct genetic testing to verify parentage as well as arbitrating any disputes between owners. The Jockey Club has taken the position that it will not allow cloned Thoroughbreds to be registered in the American Stud Book , making it impossible for such horses to compete in most races. The Club has consistently prohibited artificial insemination throughout its history, only allowing the registration of horses born through “natural” procreation.[1]
How is it determined that a newborn horse was conceived (or not) via artificial insemination? Witnesses present at the sex act? Close examination of the parent(s)?
From Live Cover Horse Breeding: A Requirement For Thoroughbreds?
"Many horse breed organizations allow offspring conceived through artificial insemination to be registered. “Live cover” breeding is not required for either standardbred and quarterhorse registration.
So, why doesn’t the Jockey Club allow thoroughbreds to do the same? The following are some reasons why the Jockey Club prefers “live cover” breeding:
Artificial insemination dilutes the gene pool
The most common reason is that artificial insemination dilutes the gene pool and creates inferior horses . Inferior mares would have access to semen through AI that they don’t have under the current rules. Reproduction by inferior mares will result in an abundance of low-quality horses.
Artificial insemination decreases diversification
The most desirable stallions are used to provide semen. Limiting the breeding pool means there is a real risk that certain bloodlines would dominate the genetic pool and decrease diversification. Over time the lack of diversity could devastate the thoroughbred breed.
Live cover is a tradition
The Jockey Club is steeped in tradition , and they don’t see that artificial insemination adds value to the breed. Many breeders respect the old ways of doing things and don’t like change
Artificial insemination will decrease stud fees
The decrease in stud fees is another real risk. Supply and demand, artificial insemination would increase supply and reduce a studs’ cost. Foal value would be reduced, as well."
Stud fees is where the money is - not from racing. From the same site:
“For example, American Pharoah won the first Triple Crown in 37 years in 2015. His stud fees started at $200,000 per cover, and he could cover over 100 mares per year.”
They are completely different highly specialized breeds, so, no. The time is long past when horses competed in many sports. Although there is still the Justin Morgan Performance Competition every summer at the Vermont Morgan Heritage Days, where Morgans (traditionally the ultimate versatility horse) compete in a two day period in a half mile trotting race, a half mile gallop race under saddle, a pleasure saddle competition, and a stone boat pull. Hope to go see it this year. I have a Morgan myself. But each of these events is normally completely dominated by a specialized breed or even a line within a breed that is only selected for that thing.
Horses have to stand and carefully adjust themselves to urinate. Zero chance they do it while moving even at a walk. Poop is easily to get rid of, and some horses will defecate while moving at a walk if under saddle (never seen it when at liberty).
The reason the Jockey Club doesn’t allow AI is money. The rest is handwaving.