 Horses of a given type may be registered as one of several different recognized breeds, or a grouping may include horses that are of no particular pedigree but meet a certain standard of appearance or use.Prior to approximately the 13th century, few pedigrees were written down, and horses were classified by physical type or use.Thus, many terms for Horses in the Middle Ages did not refer to breeds as we know them today, but rather described appearance or purpose.