Selected for its aptitude for speed, the English Thoroughbred has dominated horse racing since the creation of the breed at the beginning of the 18th century from stallions of Eastern origin and English mares. It is a slender, harmonious, and athletic horse with long, sloping shoulders that give the necessary amplitude to its galloping strides. In France, the first horse race in the current sense of the word took place on February 28, 1765.