A horse race is a competition in which horses compete against each other over long distances. It is considered one of the most dangerous sports for both horses and humans, but it has an important place in our culture. In modern times, it is most often broadcast live on television and offered for betting. It can also be viewed at various track locations.
The first races were match contests between two or three horses. Pressure by the public eventually produced events with larger fields. As dash racing became the rule, a few yards in a race gained importance and it came to be the rider’s skill and judgment that made the difference between victory and defeat.
By the 18th century, the sport was already well established in England and France, and agreements between the owners of horses were recorded by disinterested third parties who became known as keepers of the match book. The keepers also published An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run (1729). A few years later, James Weatherby created the Racing Calendar.
In America, the growth of the industry and increasing awareness about animal cruelty have prompted improvements in training practices, drug use, and race day safety. However, these gains come at a cost to horses, who are routinely drugged and whipped for the sole purpose of winning. They are often trained and raced too young, which causes skeletal damage and makes them ill-prepared to handle the rigors of racing. They are also injected with powerful painkillers and anti-inflammatories that have the side effect of making them run faster, even though they are in serious pain.
Despite the dangers of racing, millions of Americans love the spectacle and thrill of watching horses race. Many of them make bets on the races, and many have favorite horses. Many people are also drawn to the horse’s beauty and strength.
The history of horse racing is rich in both tragedy and triumph. In the 5th century bc, the Greek author Xenophon wrote about the ancient practice of steeplechasing, in which horses competed by jumping over natural obstacles, usually church steeples, and the sport soon spread throughout Europe. In 1731, Britain established the King’s Plate races, in which six-year-old horses raced in 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) heats and two wins were required for a win.
Today, there are more than 1,000 racetracks in the United States, where ten horses die each week and at least another 10 break down. Thousands more are sent to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada, where they will be slaughtered for meat or become glue, if not rescued by independent nonprofit rescue groups such as Eight Belles, Medina Spirit, Keepthename, Creative Plan, and Laoban. These and countless other horses deserve better than a life of torture, abuse, and loneliness in their stalls. If the horse racing industry truly wants to help its horses, it must address its lack of an adequately funded industry-sponsored wraparound aftercare solution for all horses leaving the track.