According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s fastest horse was measured at 43.97 mph. However, this speed was calculated over a ¼ mile stretch to get an average speed. There are unofficial records that thoroughbred Chickasaw Indian horses have reached speeds of 55 mph.
There are many different breeds of horses, and they all have different running speeds. Some are actually not made for fast running, and therefore cannot run as fast as you think. Others are extremely fast.
Some breeds can also perform additional gaits that can significantly change their speed.
What Are the Speeds of Different Gaits?
There are four main gaits for horses. The fourth fastest gait is the four-horse trot. The next fastest gait is the two-beat trot, which resembles a track. The three-beat canter is the second fastest gait, while the gallop is the fastest.
Both the trot and canter have speeds ranging from about 8.1 to 17 km/h. Different horses move at different speeds in these gaits. A horse at the gallop can reach speeds of 25 to 30 mph. However, this can vary greatly depending on the breed and training of the horse. Some horses simply run faster than others.
What’s the Fastest Horse Breed?
It depends on how far you want the horse to run. The American Quarter Horse is one of the fastest horses at shorter distances. Their top speed is about 55 miles per hour.
But over longer distances, the Thoroughbred horse usually wins. They usually gallop at about 44 miles per hour. At this speed, however, they can run longer. They have more endurance.
Arabians follow at a speed of about 34-40 mph. They are rather suitable for short distances. Appaloosas run around 30-41 mph and can run on all tracks.
Akhal-Teke, Standardbred and Mustang all run between 30 and 49 mph.
Final Thoughts
The highest speed ever achieved by a horse was 55 mph. That’s the speed the American Quarter Horse reached, making it the fastest breed of horse in the world.
