A horse race is a competition of speed and stamina between horses. It has been practiced in many cultures since ancient times and has played an important role in mythology, such as the contest between Odin’s steeds Hrungnir and Angrboda. Horse racing is one of the oldest sports and has evolved from a primitive contest to a modern spectacle with large fields of runners, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment, and immense sums of money at stake. Despite these changes, the sport’s basic concept remains unchanged: the horse that crosses the finish line first is the winner.
The human handling and manipulation of a horse during a race are of crucial importance for the welfare of the animal. Yet the equestrian industry seems to be unaware of the potential impacts on the animals they use, and instead relies on assumptions of the horse’s nature as a way of naturalising and justifying the behavioural and mental control mechanisms used on thoroughbreds.
When horse racing is covered in the news, it can take on a political flavour, particularly during election season. During this time, journalists may be tempted to focus on the politics of horse races and overlook the issues surrounding the race itself. The results of this type of reporting can have a negative impact on both the public and the press.
In the past, horse racing was a private game for wealthy people and their entourages. However, by the 1700’s it had become more widely available to the general public and new rules were established regarding the types of races, eligibilities and wagering systems. In these early days, a horse had to race “weight for age,” fillies got allowances and winners carried more weight than non-winners (handicap).
While some of these changes were driven by the desire to attract more people to the sport, other changes were motivated by concerns about the welfare of horses. These included concerns about the euthanasia of horses, the excessive use of the whip and the number of fatal accidents involving a horse being spooked or injured on the course.
Some of the new rules aimed to reduce the number of fatal accidents by limiting the size of a field, requiring a jockey to be on hand at all times and increasing the number of track officials. Other changes sought to improve the quality of a horse’s performance by allowing a jockey to use his or her hands freely when negotiating the corners of a track and by reducing the size of the clubhouse turn. These changes were introduced to the racing industry with the intention of attracting more spectators and improving the overall quality of the racing product. These changes did not have the desired effect and in some cases resulted in a decrease in spectators. This caused a decline in the total amount of money wagered and the overall popularity of the sport.