Things to Keep in Mind Before You Go to a Horse Race
A horse race is a competition of speed between horses ridden by jockeys or pulled by drivers in sulkies. The races are usually held on flat tracks and can last up to a mile. Whether you are interested in wagering on your favorite or simply enjoy watching the spectacle, there are some important things to keep in mind before you go to the track.
While horse racing has entranced spectators for centuries, it remains a multibillion-dollar industry that is rife with drugs, injuries, gruesome breakdowns, and slaughter. Behind the romanticized facade of horseracing is a reality of abusive training practices, drug abuse, and the deaths of countless American horses in foreign slaughterhouses.
In the wild, horses are prey animals that run to stay together as a group and outrun predators. But to win a race, horses must break away from each other and risk becoming the target of humans, whom they perceive as threats. As a result, their natural instinct to run fast is suppressed, and they become more likely to break down or even die.
Thoroughbred racehorses, like all breeds of horses, are incredibly intelligent, and have a capacity for learning that exceeds that of any other animal species. In the wild, they communicate with each other using a system of neighing, body language, and hand signals. Then, when they are confined in a stable, their intelligence is channeled into running for money, and their natural instinct to run away from danger is replaced by the desire to win.
A jockey or driver is the human who rides a race horse, directing it to run by steering and pushing on its back with his or her hands. A successful jockey or driver is able to extract the best possible performance from the horse, and is also capable of reading the subtle signals that the horse sends out during a race. The ability to read these signals can be crucial when predicting a winner or a loser.
Prior to the start of a race, onlookers can observe the horses during practice sessions as they prepare for the big day. This is a good opportunity to see how the horses interact with their jockeys or drivers, and how well they are matched up. It’s not uncommon for a jockey or driver to take control of a horse that isn’t performing well during practice.
In the early days of organized thoroughbred racing in the United States, professional riders, known as jockeys, demonstrated the speed and endurance of their mounts by racing them on short distances of a quarter, half, or one mile. These races, which took place on open fields and roads, were often staged as demonstrations for prospective buyers. The horse racers were typically employed by wealthy nobles or aristocrats who owned the horses they rode. A successful rider would demonstrate a horse’s prowess over short distances by winning as many races as possible. This was an important part of a horse’s sales pitch, as it would increase the likelihood of a sale.