WHAT is the FASTEST HORSE in the WORLD?
4 Video Views·Oct 9, 2025
When it comes to speed and breed, few animals on the planet compare to the great stars of the track: the English Thoroughbred, the Arabian, the Quarter Horse, and the Standardbred. 🏁
Each one was born in a different setting, but they all have something in common: strength, endurance, and the competitive spirit that transformed the history of horse racing worldwide.
The English Thoroughbred is the king of long-distance races—fast, elegant, and with an impressive explosiveness.
The Arabian, one of the oldest breeds in the world, is synonymous with endurance and excels in marathons and endurance races in hot, arid climates.
The American Quarter Horse, the favorite of the Americas, dominates short races and is capable of reaching incredible speeds in just a few seconds.
And the Standardbred, with its firm and controlled gait, is the champion of trotting and pacing, where technique and power go hand in hand.
👉 In this video, you'll discover the history, skills, and performance of these four legendary breeds—and understand why they're considered the true rockets of the equestrian world.
Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and come meet the horses that turned speed into art!
There are countless breeds of horses around the world,
but only a few are recognized for their incredible speed.
The fastest horses are frequently seen in equestrian modalities,
such as flat races, obstacle races,
array races and racing events.
These animals are raised and trained to love to run.
Next, we present four of the fastest horse breeds in the world.
Currently, the speed record is 20 seconds
for a distance of a quarter of a mile, 400 meters,
with some horses reaching the remarkable mark of 88.5 km per hour.
Check out the breeds that are part of this elite.
First, English Pureblood.
The English Pureblood are known for their athletic and powerful constitution.
With tall and slender bodies, they stand out in racing and speed events.
Widely recognized and appreciated on racing tracks,
these horses are popular with the public.
Every year, the enthusiasm increases when some of them compete in the Triple Crown.
In addition to racing, they also participate in jumps and western events.
However, their energetic temperament can make them challenging to handle.
The English Pureblood breed, known as Thoroughbred,
emerged in England in the 17th century.
The creators' goal was to develop a faster and stronger racing horse,
crossing Arab and Spanish breeds with English workhorses.
The Arab horses contributed with speed and agility,
while the Spanish added endurance.
The strength of the English workhorses completed the crossing,
resulting in exceptionally fast and resilient animals.
The first races of the English Pureblood were recorded in 1711 in Newmarket,
and the popularity of the sport grew rapidly.
Over time, the breed was improved,
and today the English Pureblood is one of the most prestigious racing horses in the world,
also used in other performance and reproduction modalities.
Second, Quarto de Milha.
The Quarto de Milha horses are the favorites in many western equestrian modalities.
Known for their ability to make quick stops and turns,
they stand out in several competitions,
such as racing, triathlons, splitting, straights and six beacons.
The Quarto de Milha is the first American breed of horses,
and is frequently considered the most popular in the world.
These horses have a robust constitution,
with a wide head, small ears and narrow snout.
Its most striking feature is the rear quarter muscles,
ideal for rapid speed explosions.
Developed during the colonization of the United States,
the Quarto de Milha breed was bred for daily farm work.
They have become excellent in short races,
as well as being intelligent and able in functional tests.
The name Quarto de Milha comes from the races organized by the cowboys in small towns,
which usually had main streets with about 402 meters, a quarter of a mile.
The muscles of these horses are ideal for short and intense speed explosions,
being perfect for fast races and agility tests such as beacons and drums.
Third, Arab horse.
Known for its combination of beauty and speed,
Arab horses are famous for their endurance.
Originating from the Middle East and Egypt,
these animals were valued for their speed in battles.
Today, Arab horses compete in various equestrian disciplines.
Horse racing, one of the oldest sports,
has a history dating back to the emergence of civilizations.
At the end of the 17th century, horse racing, as we know it today, began to take shape.
An important milestone was the import of four Arab stallions,
Bayerli Turk, Darley Arabian, Godolphin Arabian and Alcock Arabian,
to England, where they were crossed with local eagles,
resulting in horses of great speed and endurance.
The main breeding grounds for Arab horses,
located in Poland, Russia, Germany and England,
have long been testing the endurance and strength of their animals in races.
In the United States, Arab horses have a significant presence in sports and in Brazil,
with the support of the Brazilian Association of Arab Horse Breeders, ABCCA,
the races are gaining popularity.
Arab horse races take place on tracks from 1,200 to 2,000 meters,
both on sand and on grass, in consonance with international standards.
ABCCA, a member of the International Federation of Arabian Horse Racing Authorities and FAAR,
has promoted the sport in Brazil, where the races take place at the Cidade Jardim racetrack.
The IFA-R reports that more than 8,000 races of pure Arab blood have been held in more than 30 countries since 2000,
highlighting the growth of this market.
Fourth, Standard Bred.
The horses.
Standard Breds are specialists in the trot, and frequently participate in racing.
This breed is known for its strong shoulders and hind legs,
as well as a friendly temperament.
The origin of the Standard Breds dates back to the English purebred Messenger,
bred in England around 1780 and later imported to the United States.
There, it was crossed with other breeds, including Narragansett Pacer, Canadian Pacer,
Thoroughbred, Norfolk Trotter, Hackney and Morgan.
The name Standard Bred derives from the requirement that the animals run a mile, 1.6 km,
within a standard time to be registered in the stud book.
Originally, the standard time was 2 minutes and 30 seconds, but today it is 1 minute and 50 seconds.
The Standard Bred horses usually weigh between 400 and 500 kilos
and have an average height of 1.60 to 1.70 meters.
Their most common colors are beige, black, brown and alazan.
They have a refined head, wide head, arched neck and muscular,
and strong shoulders that allow long and firm passes.
They are intelligent and easy to train, with a calm and docile temperament.
These horses also stand out in jumps and training,
in addition to being popular in equestrian enduro in Australia,
participating in races of 20 to 80 km.
In Brazil, the Standard Breds compete in paddling races,
reminiscent of the ancient racing of Bigas in Greece.
The jockeys drive the horses in charretes specially developed for the sport.
This sport has gained strength in Brazil,
with several events and national championships promoted by the Brazilian Association of Trotting Horse Breeders.
There is no denying the impressive speed that these horses can reach.
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