The Humane Treatment of Horse Racehorses

Horse racing is an ancient sport, with archaeological records of its practice in the world’s first civilizations. It is also a modern pastime for billions of people around the globe. But despite its rich history, many questions remain about the humane treatment of racehorses.

The answer to these questions will likely determine whether horse racing can continue to be a viable industry and how well horses are cared for after they retire from the track. The answer is complex, but begins with a full understanding of the physiology of horses and their ability to run in races.

A horse race is a contest between two or more horses in which the fastest wins. The races are usually held on a dirt or grass course, with a circular track that measures approximately a mile. The horses are saddled and bridled and are ridden by jockeys who use a bit to control the animal’s speed. In addition to the human riders, there are often veterinary staff that monitor the horses’ health and welfare. The horse races are timed, and the stewards and patrol judges, aided by a surveillance system, look for any violations of rules.

In order to bet on a horse race, you can bet to win, place or show. Betting to win means placing your money on a horse to finish first. When you bet to place, you are betting on a horse to finish either second or third. Usually, the payoffs for betting’show’ are much lower than those for bets to win.

The earliest horse races were probably small, closed events for local dignitaries or members of the royal family. By the mid-18th century, however, demand for public racing had grown and new rules were established. The King’s Plates were standardized races for six-year-olds carrying 168 pounds in 4-mile heats, with two wins required to be adjudged the winner. Other races were developed, including dash racing (one heat) for four-year-olds and five-year-olds.

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the popularity of horse racing had exploded throughout Europe and North America. It was accompanied by the development of a sophisticated gambling market. It also became common to bet on horse races via telephone and television, allowing more and more people to participate.

Critics argue that the sport is inhumane and ruins the lives of its athletes. Its equine competitors are drugged, whipped and pushed to the limit of their physical and mental capacities. Those who don’t die of injuries, illness or old age are euthanized and then shipped to slaughterhouses in Mexico and Canada, where they are subjected to agonizing deaths. The only saving grace for these once-great athletes is a handful of independent, nonprofit horse rescues that network, fundraise and work tirelessly to save them. But even with these efforts, only a small percentage of retired racehorses are saved each year. In the end, a great majority—PETA estimates ten thousand annually—face horrific and unimaginable deaths.

Dominoes – A Game of Skill and Strategy

Domino, a game of skill and strategy with rectangular tiles, has fascinated people for centuries. The most basic domino set contains 28 tiles, called a boneyard or stock, that are shuffled and then drawn by players. The first player to draw a double, which is marked with a number on both ends, makes the first play. Then, the other players make their plays in a line of play. If one of the players wins, he or she scores the total number of pips on the dominoes remaining in his or her opponents’ hands at the end of a hand or the game. The scoring method differs depending on the game, but often, only a single side of a double counts (i.e., a 4-4 countes as only four points).

Dominoes can also be used for creative work. Artist and architect Jennifer Hevesh has designed incredible displays of dominoes, including grids that form pictures when they fall and walls made from them. In fact, she holds the Guinness World Record for most dominoes toppled in a circular arrangement. Hevesh plans her domino art by considering its theme or purpose and brainstorming images or words she wants to use. She then creates a track for the dominoes to fall along, either straight or curved, and calculates how many they will need to complete the design.

Unlike playing cards, which have a fixed set of suits, dominoes have an unlimited number of possible arrangements of pips on each face. These pips, which are actually molded bumps on the surface of the tile, distinguish each piece from others and help to identify its role in the domino line of play. Dominoes are usually molded from clay, but they can be cast in metal or even made out of wood.

In the past, sets of dominoes were often crafted from natural materials like silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), ivory, or dark hardwoods such as ebony. These materials gave the domino a more elegant look and feel, but they were also more expensive than polymer dominoes.

The word domino has numerous meanings and derivations, including the Latin “domino,” which refers to a cape worn over a priest’s surplice. However, domino’s most common sense today is a word to describe a sequence of events that result in an outcome that exceeds what would be expected or logically necessary.

In writing, this can be a useful tool when constructing scenes that run against conventional wisdom and require a domino effect to succeed. For instance, when a character does something immoral in a story, the writer must provide logic for readers to forgive or at least accept the protagonist’s behavior. In order to do this, the writer must construct a sequence of dominoes that will lead to an ending that is more compelling than what most readers think is logical or acceptable. This is how a story gains momentum and keeps readers engaged.