Where Did the Term “Pedigree” Come From and What Does the Word “Thoroughbred” Mean?

A pedigree is a lineage of heredity and must be traced to determine if a horse is a Thoroughbred.

A Thoroughbred is a direct descendant in the male line from three Arabian stallions brought to Britain and Ireland in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries and bred with local mares.

Thoroughbreds are considered a “hot-blooded” horse, known for their agility, speed and spirit.

The word pedigree came from the French “pie de grue”, meaning “the foot of a crane,” which the forked lines of a family tree resemble.