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Quick Fact Guide - Horses
Original article written by Regina Moore posted 6 years 3 weeks agoLIFE CYLE
The life of SIM horses start at birth. Conception and birth happen simultaneously, as there isn't a gestation period.
Horses age one year at the beginning of each game year.
Horses can start racing at two years of age. However, various breed/distance categories don't have races carded until later in the season. (For example, Thoroughbred dirt routers don't start racing until Week 10 of their two year old season.) The exception are Arabians, which don't start racing until the age of three. Also, Steeplechasers (which is a Thoroughbred turned into a steeplechaser) don't have carded races until Week 6 of their three year old season.
Horses can race through the age of nine. However, for a fee of 3000 Game Points, a horse can race at age 10. For a fee of 5000 Game Points, a horse can race at age 11. No horse can race at the age of 12 or older.
Horses can be retired for breeding at age two or more. However, a stallion must have at least one win to stand at stud.
A pensioned horse is a horse that has been retired from racing and isn't used for breeding (such as a gelding); it's also a stallion or mare that has been retired from breeding.
A mare that is 12yo or older might die from foaling (though the foal will always live). The older she is, the more likely she will die.
A stallion that is 14yo or older can become permanently sterile (and therefore pensioned) at any time.
Pensioned horses can be given a second career (such as a fox hunter, eventer, etc.) They can die at the age of 20yo or older.
HORSE TIREDNESS
Races should be generally spaced two to three weeks apart. If a horse has less than 14 days between races, it has a risk of injury, which can be expensive. Other factors that can influence ideal spacing between races include the horse’s soundness level, how far the horse had to ship to the race, how close together recent races have been, and whether or not the horse has rested at a farm between races. Generally, horses can be expected to race 6 to 7 times per game year.
Horses that are racing regularly don't need to be exercised between races. Combining exercise with regular racing can result in a tired horse, and sometimes an injured horse. Excessive shipping can also tire a horse.
BREEDS
There are eight breeds in SIM.
Thoroughbreds -- the traditional racehorse, that usually races from 4 furlongs (a half mile) to two miles. In SIM, they can be divided into three surfaces (dirt, turf, and All Weather) and three distance divisions (sprints, mile, and route). Most all horses are of one of nine possible categories or "types" -- dirt sprinter, dirt miler, dirt router, turf sprinter, turf miler, turf router, AW sprinter, AW miler, or AW router. However, horses can occasionally be competent in multiple categories. The type is determined by the pedigree. Thoroughbreds race on Mondays, Tuesdays/Thursdays (Alaska circuit and Kanashi Wau Park in Japan), and Fridays.
Steeplechasers -- starting from age three, a Thoroughbred can be converted into a steeplechaser, where it races over fences, usually at distances from two to four miles. Once converted into a steeplechaser, it can't be changed back to a regular "flat" Thoroughbred. However, once a steeplechaser is retired, it is then simply a Thoroughbred, and can be bred to any other Thoroughbred. Steeplechasers only race on Mondays.
Appaloosas - a breed of horse that is identified primarily by the spots on its coat, that races at 870 yards and under. There are three distance categories -- sprints (300yds/350yds), mid (400yds), and routes (870 yds). They race on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Arabians - a breed of horse that races from a half mile to two miles. They are broken down into two distance categories -- sprints (4f, 5f, 6f) and routes (1-1/4 miles, 1-1/2 miles, 2 miles). Arabians don't start racing until age 3. They race on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Paints - a breed of horse that is known for its patches of coat color (where white is always one of the colors) that races at 870 yards and under. There are three distance categories -- sprints (300yds/350yds), mid (400yds), and routes (870 yds). They race on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Quarter Horses - a breed of horse that is known for its speed at short distances. There are three distance categories -- sprints (350yds and under), mid (400yd-650yd), and routes (870yds). They race on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Standardbred Pacers - a breed of "harness horse" (that pulls a sulky) that has a lateral gait. They only race at one mile.
Standardbred Trotters - a breed of "harness horse" (that pulls a sulky) that has a diagonal gait. They only race at one mile. They race on Wednesday and Saturdays. (Steward’s Cup races are Week 16 Tuesday.)
Horses only race against their own breed. However, Quarter Horse mares can be bred to Thoroughbred stallions, and Appaloosa and Paint mares can be bred to Quarter Horse stallions. The foals are always the same breed as the mare. They race on Wednesday and Saturdays.
TERMINOLOGY
A foal is under one year of age. Horses that are 0 years old are foals.
A yearling is one year of age.
A two year old is two years of age, etc.
A female horse is a filly, until she turns five year old, and then she is a mare. A female horse of any age that is retired for breeding is a broodmare.
A male that is gelded (castrated) is always known as a gelding.
A male horse (not gelded) is a colt until he turns five. If he is still racing at age five or older, his gender is "horse". If he's retired to stand stud, at any age, he's known as a stallion.
The father of a horse is the sire. The mother of a horse is the dam.
When speaking of a horse's immediate pedigree, the horse is BY the stallion and OUT OF the mare. (Example: The horse Sidney is by Quite the Feat and out of Dreamlittledarling. It would be incorrect to say that he is out of Quite the Feat.)
UNIQUE SIM TERMINOLOGY
CAH - Create a Horse. A 1yo to 4yo horse that players can create by paying 3000 game points. The player chooses a particular sire within a breed to get a particular type.
CAM - Create a Mare. A 6yo unraced broodmare that players can create by paying 5000 game points. The player chooses a "real life" sire and maternal grandsire for the mare.
GPS - Game Point Sire. A "real life" stallion owned by The Steward, that players can breed to by paying the stud fee in game points (usually 1000 to 4000 game points per breeding), rather than in SIM dollars.