Horse racing has thrived as a popular sport for thousands of years. It is in fact one of the oldest sports known to mankind. From the time historical records were maintained one can see that horse racing was an organized sport all over the world. In fact, horse racing events were part of the Greek Olympics as far back as 638 BC.
The origins of modern racing lie in the 12th century when Arabian horses were bred with European stock. The result was sturdy horses with tremendous speed. Modern racing began during this time. By the 1700s racecourses became common in England and in 1750 the Jockey Club was formed. They then established standards, rules and regulations. Horses and horse racing came to USA with the British in the1600′s and 1665 saw the first racetrack in Long Island.
The most popular type of horseracing is thoroughbred racing where the horse is mounted by a rider, also known as a jockey, and they race over a flat track for distances from three-quarters of a mile to two miles. Then, there is harness racing, where a standard bred horse pulls a two-wheeled bike or sulky with a driver over a one-mile course. The thoroughbred runs its course while the standard bred is either a trotter or a pacer and is not permitted to gallop or run. The thoroughbred can reach speeds of around 40 miles per hour, whereas a standard bred can trot or pace at around 30 miles per hour. Also popular in the U.S. is quarter horse racing. Today there are 90 thoroughbred racetracks and 29 standard-bred racetracks in 33 States.
Each country has different styles of racing, distances and the type of events. In the United Kingdom for example, there are races that involve obstacles like hurdles or fences called National Hunt racing and unobstructed races over a given distance, called flat racing. In the United States, races on flat dirt or grass surfaces is generally thoroughbred racing; other tracks offer quarter horse racing and harness racing, or combinations of these three types of racing.
Related Articles of Interest :
-
History of Horse Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Horse racing as a sport has an exciting history all over the world, especially in countries such as Japan, England, and the United States. However, many other countries have rich horse racing legacies. Superb body, indomitable satisfaction, and sense of reliability make horses ideal for...
-
Horse Betting
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Horse racing in the United States can be traced back to 1665. Aristocratic settlers from England brought racehorses into the country, and the first racetrack was laid out at Long Island during this period. Thoroughbred racing is the principal form of horseracing and is popular...
-
What You Need To Know About Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
The word racing evokes different images for different people – horses, cars, athletes or even video games. It is basically a contest of speed. Originating from a Viking word raz, which means “swift water” in Brittany, France, participants in a race try to finish a...
-
Lawnmower Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Lawnmower racing is a type of motor-sport where participants race modified riding lawnmowers. Basically, a lawnmower is a machine having a rotating blade for cutting grass; however, even though the original mower engines are maintained, the blades are removed for safety. Nearly all of the...
-
Auto Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Racing cars began soon after the launch of petrol-fuelled cars in the nineteenth century. The first race was organized by a Paris magazine Le Petit Journal in 1894, to determine the best performers. A year later, the first real race was staged from Paris to...
-
Drag Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
This is a popular form of motor sport racing in the United States, which first began as illegal street racing. The idea is to cover a short distance, usually one quarter of a mile in the shortest amount of time. The course or strip is...
-
Greyhound Racing
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Greyhound racing is a sport in which greyhound dogs run after a lure on a track until they arrive at a finish line. A lure or bait is a mechanical device that moves around a track at a considerable distance from the dogs and often...
-
Miniature Horse Tack
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Miniature horses are one of the fastest-growing equine breeds in the world today. These elegant and cute horses, no taller than 38 inches (from the withers to the last hairs), are attracting a lot of attention. They can be bred like regular horses and even...
-
Horse Tack
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
Horse tack refers to the accessories worn by domesticated horses. Tacking a horse is the act of fitting a horse with a wide range of equipment before the horse is taken for a ride. Tacking up a horse requires expertise, since any discomfort for the...
-
Horse Jewelry
10 August 2010 8:30 PM |
No Comments
‘As full of spirit as the month of May, and as gorgeous as the sun in Midsummer.’ Shakespeare aptly describes the beauty and strength of a magnificent horse. A horse is an embodiment of freedom and majesty. It is a symbol of unification of the...