Nielsen B D, Turner K K, Ventura B A, Woodward A D, O'Connor C I
Michigan State University, 1287Anthony Hall, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA.
Equine Vet J Suppl. 2006 Aug(36):128-32. doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2006.tb05528.x.
While Quarter Horses are recognised as the fastest breed of horse, direct comparisons to race times with other breeds can be misleading. Quarter Horse races begin when the starting gates open. Thoroughbred and Arabian races begin a short distance from the gates after horses have started running. This study compared speeds of these breeds as they accelerate from the starting gates and during the middle and end of races.
To compare racing speeds of the 3 breeds, and to compare speeds during various segments of the races.
Video tapes of races were obtained from a local track. The various race segments were viewed and the winning horse timed by 5 individuals. Fastest and slowest times were removed and the 3 remaining times averaged.
Quarter Horses averaged faster speeds than Thoroughbreds even when Thoroughbreds were raced at a distance (402 m) similar to Quarter Horse races. Both breeds were substantially faster than Arabians. Quarter Horses racing 336 m or less gained speed in each segment of the race while Arabians and Thoroughbreds racing 1006 m ran fastest during the middle of the race and had decreased their speed in the final segment of the race.
Despite similar race times reported for 402 m, Quarter Horses averaged faster speeds than Thoroughbreds when timed from a standing start. In short races, both breeds accelerate throughout the race. Arabians, despite being known for endurance, had slowed by the end of the race.
This study demonstrates that Quarter Horses achieve faster racing speeds than do other breeds. It also reveals a potential flaw in race-riding strategy as a more consistent pace throughout the Arabian and longer Thoroughbred races may be more efficient and result in a faster overall race time.
虽然夸特马被认为是速度最快的马种，但将其与其他马种的比赛时间进行直接比较可能会产生误导。夸特马比赛在起跑门打开时开始。纯种马和阿拉伯马的比赛则是在马匹开始奔跑后，从离起跑门一段短距离处开始。本研究比较了这些马种从起跑门加速时以及比赛中程和末程的速度。
比较这三个马种的比赛速度，并比较比赛各阶段的速度。
从当地赛道获取比赛录像带。观看比赛的各个阶段，并由5个人记录获胜马匹的用时。去除最快和最慢的时间，将其余3次时间取平均值。
即使纯种马在与夸特马比赛相似的距离（402米）下参赛，夸特马的平均速度仍比纯种马快。这两个马种都比阿拉伯马快得多。赛程为336米或更短的夸特马在比赛的每个阶段都在加速，而赛程为1006米的阿拉伯马和纯种马在比赛中途跑得最快，在比赛的最后阶段速度下降。
尽管报道的402米比赛时间相似，但从站立起跑开始计时时，夸特马的平均速度比纯种马快。在短跑比赛中，这两个马种在整个比赛过程中都在加速。阿拉伯马尽管以耐力著称，但在比赛结束时速度减慢。
本研究表明，夸特马的比赛速度比其他马种快。它还揭示了赛马策略中一个潜在的缺陷，因为在阿拉伯马和较长赛程的纯种马比赛中，保持更一致的速度可能会更有效率，并导致更快的总比赛时间。
