Largest Thoroughbred(race) Horse??

Question

Is it Rock Hard Ten?

Answer 1

rock hard ten, was a monster...but i think some horse from back in the day beat him out by a couple of hands....i lost a lot of money on rock hard ten.....when he ran good he was tough to beat, but when he ran bad....he ran bad.....

Answer 2

Rock Hard Ten is listed on the Lane's End Farm website as standing 17 hands in height.  That's big, no doubt about it, but not the biggest.

Three-time horse of the year Forego stood 17 hands, 2 inches.  I saw Forego when he was at the Kentucky Horse Park, and he was HUGE-- absolutely towering.  My husband and I watched him being washed, and when the groom went to use a sponge to wash his head, Forego just stretched his neck up and held his head as high as he could, and stood there like a veritable equine tower.  Gigantic.  Solid as brick house, too-- nothing spindly about him!

For all that horses like Rock Hard Ten and Forego are awesome to see, most trainers and breeders prefer horses sized from about 15.2 hands to about 16.3 hands, because once you start getting into the realm of 17 hands or taller, it's tough to keep them sound.  The bone diameter of the legs usually doesn't increase proportionally to the weight the horse adds as it becomes taller.  Forego, true to this issue, had problem ankles throughout his racing life;  when he was at the Horse Park, they were swollen and obviously problems.  

I got to ride a hunter that stood 17.2 hands, and I have to say that being on top of a horse that big is a trip.  I love the big horses, but it's better to breed for soundness, and for that it's better for a horse to be average or even a little less than average in stature.