Thatching

Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge (Cladium mariscus), rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates. Thatch is still employed by builders in developing countries, usually with low-cost, local vegetation. By contrast in some developed countries it is now the choice of affluent people who desire a rustic look for their home, would like a more ecologically friendly roof, or who have purchased an originally thatched abode.

History

Thatching methods have traditionally been passed down from generation to generation, and numerous descriptions of the materials and methods used in Europe over the past three centuries survive in archives and early publications.

In some equatorial countries, thatch is the prevalent local material for roofs, and often walls. There are diverse building techniques from the ancient Hawaiian hale shelter made from the local ti leaves (Cordyline fruticosa), lauhala (Pandanus tectorius) or pili grass (Heteropogon contortus).

Thatching (horse)

Thatching (31 May 1975 – 1999) was an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. The horse's early career was delayed and disrupted by injury and he did not show his best form until switched to sprinting distances in the spring of 1979 when he won the Duke of York Stakes. He improved further when equipped with blinkers that summer, recording impressive victories in both the Cork and Orrery Stakes and the July Cup. He had a marked tendency to veer ("hang") to the left when in front, which led to his disqualification in the William Hill Sprint Championship. He was retired to stud after winning four of his eleven races and became a successful breeding stallion.

Background

Thatching was a bay horse with two white socks bred in County Tipperary by the Lyonstown House stud. He was from the first crop of foals sired by Thatch, an American-bred, Irish-trained horse who won the St. James's Palace Stakes, July Cup and Sussex Stakes in 1973. Thatching's dam Abella was a successful racehorse who produced several other good horses including the Ballyogan Stakes winner Golden Thatch. During his racing career, the horse was owned by Robert Sangster, trained by Vincent O'Brien at Ballydoyle and ridden by the English jockey Lester Piggott.