Читать книгу Beyond the Track - Anna Morgan Ford - Страница 28

A racehorse’s retirement is not always due to lameness or loss of performance: Thoroughbred bloodlines can be a precious commodity, so some racehorses leave racing to stand at stud or become a broodmare. The more successful the horse’s career and the better the pedigree, the more lucrative he or she is in the breeding shed.

At the higher end of racing, many horses are retired in good physical condition. When a horse is to become a breeding stallion, not only is his competitive race record important, he must also be healthy and sound. The same applies to a mare: she must have a healthy reproductive tract and be at least sound enough to carry a foal to term. A broodmare may produce one to even ten foals during her lifetime.