Origins

The Standardbred is a relatively young breed, developed in the US in the late 1700s by crossing fast pacers and trotters like the Narragansett Pacer and Canadian Pacer with Morgans and Thoroughbreds.

A Trotting Register was created in 1867, and by 1879 horses had to meet a set performance standard- trot a mile in 2 minutes and 30 seconds (or better) to qualify for the register—hence the name Standardbred.

It is amazing to think that less than 150 years later, the breed is now on average 30-40 seconds faster than this, with the Australian record for a mile standing at 1.46.9 for pacers and 1.51.5 for trotters.

Breed Characteristics

All Standardbreds trace back to the Thoroughbred stallion Messenger through his grandson Hambletonian, the foundation sire of the modern breed. However, as they are bred for speed rather than looks, Standardbreds can vary widely in type. Australia’s early “colonial-bred” horses were heavier and more rugged in build, but American and European bloodlines have refined the breed’s type significantly, which has also contributed to today's faster times. The modern Australian Standardbred stands around 15–16hh, with a slightly long barrel, strong limbs and feet, a kind, intelligent eye with a mostly bay or brown coat, though other colours including chestnut, grey, pinto and even buckskin and palomino can appear.

Standardbreds are known for their calm, willing nature and intelligence, making them easy to train and highly versatile. Many transition seamlessly into new careers—dressage, showing, jumping, endurance, therapy work and even mounted police.

The breed includes both trotters and pacers, each with distinct gaits influenced by bloodlines. Despite myths, the pacing gait is a natural gait and is actually the result of a gene mutation (DMRT3) which influences the neural pathways related to gait. Standardbreds can also canter and gallop, and many pacers use these gaits routinely in training.