The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing but they are also bred for show jumping, dressage, polo, and fox hunting. All modern Thoroughbreds can be traced back to three Arab stallions imported into England from the Middle East in the late 17th and early 18th centuries: The Byerley Turk, the Darley Arabian, and the Godolphin Arabian. These were cross-bred with native mares. Thoroughbreds are often cross-bred with other breeds to create new breeds or to improve existing ones, and have been influential in the creation of breeds such as the Quarter Horse, the Standardbred, the Anglo-Arab, and various Warmblood breeds.
