Captivation Media

You may have seen the acronym “OTTB” used when describing horses, and wondered what it meant. OTTB stands for “off track Thoroughbred” (with Thoroughbred shortened to “TB”), and refers to a Thoroughbred horse who has raced or trained to race and has now transitioned to a career beyond racing.

OTTB is not a specific breed itself, but is a classification within the Thoroughbred breed. All OTTBs are Thoroughbreds, but not all Thoroughbreds are OTTBs; the majority of Thoroughbreds are bred to race, but some Thoroughbreds are bred specifically for sport.

When listing the breed of an OTTB (such as in a sales listing or a show entry form), you should use the proper breed name, Thoroughbred. OTTB is simply a common equestrian industry term to refer to a Thoroughbred horse that raced or trained to race.