Horse Racing Events
Posted: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
by The Old Gray Mare
www.DressYourHorse.com
Horse racing has been popular for as long as people owned horses and had leisure time. Over the centuries, horse racing has retained its popularity as an equestrian sport.
Racing events are widespread throughout the world. Each type of racing has its own huge international following.
Thoroughbred Racing
The Thoroughbred Horse is bred to run. He is intelligent, muscular, and extremely fast. Thoroughbred horse racing occurs worldwide and exclusively uses this breed. The thoroughbreds race in two uniquely different racing sports: flat racing and jump racing. Flat racing may be run on dirt tracks or grass tracks.
The jump racers are broken down into two additional styles of racing – the hurdle jumpers and the steeplechase jumpers. These horses are much faster than jumpers in ring jumping competitions and perform at racing speeds. Distances for all of the racing events vary greatly. High-quality runners (flat races) and jumpers compete for large sums of money and overall prestigious awards. The major factor in thoroughbred racing is speed.Once extremely popular in the United States, harness horse racing has fallen back in popularity during the last 20 years. It remains popular in Europe, Australia and New Zealand. Standardbred Horses pull a two-wheel racing cart at amazing speeds. It takes both strategy and great speed to participate in this intense form of horse racing. The standardbreds race in two very distinctive gaits. These gaits are called trotting and pacing. The pacers run (pace) with left front leg and left rear leg moving simultaneously and then right front and right rear and so on. They wear a pacing harness that moves with their gait to enable the pacing horse to maintain his gait. The trotters run (trot) diagonally with left front and right rear moving simultaneously and then right front and left rear and so on. Both gaits are performed at amazing speeds. If a pacer or trotter breaks into a gallop, he loses valuable time and must be brought back into his gait. While the galloping horse is not disqualified, the time loss ensures he cannot win the race against the horses maintaining their gait.
Pictures: Pacer (left), Trotter (right)
Quarter-Horse Racing
The Quarter Horses race on a straight course for short distances at a tremendous burst of speed. The breed originally was named for its great speed at the quarter mile distance. Quarter horse racing is a relatively new sport and has gained popularity in parts of the United States. Over short distances, racing quarter horses can outrun the fastest thoroughbred, but can maintain speed for only a short distance. They are the sprinters of the horse world.
Stakes
The Stakes Races bring out the cream of the crop horses. Competition is fierce since the payoff is always high. Stakes are run for the highest purses and in the case of the Breeders’ Cup Classic, the pay off is in millions.
There are many horse race tracks in the United States. The most notable of the tracks are Churchill Downs, Pimlico, Saratoga Springs, Belmont Park and Meadowlands.
These days, horse racing still maintains its dramatic sport attraction. Horse racing fever is never hotter than in early May starting with the Kentucky Derby. Arguably, it is a most thrilling sport for horse racing fans everywhere.
The Old Gray Mare writes for www.DressYourHorse.com and her Blog sites.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)I know some horse lovers who hate racing and the abuse and lack of real care they feel there is for the horses. As a horse lover, what do you think of horse racing?Hey Steve. Thanks very much for reading and your comment. I can easily answer the question. First about the abuse and lack of real care - I'm quite positive if there is reincarnation, I'd never want to be a horse in another life. While some horses do receive excellent care and are very much appreciated (take my 34 year old Welsh and his 34 year old mini horse companion) - their lives were in one home where they were well cared for. Other horses fall into desparate times. That's why I am so totally emphatic about advising people re cost, care, and even more cost and that horses should not just be discarded when used up. Anyway, race horses are actually cared for fairly well. Sure, some handlers get rough like they do with all things; many people have a skewed version of "humanity." But overall, they are asked to run, train and are fed and mostly coddled. It's when they don't perform to expectation that life gets more difficult for them. I could say much more on this subject.
As a horse lover, horse racing is another use for horses. To take horse racing in and of itself, it is something a Thoroughbred enjoys. One needs only watch them loose and free in a field. In fact, all horses love to run. Our wild horses also enjoy running. The problems happen in horse racing and I am personally very unhappy about much of it - the youngster barely over 1 12 years of age are begun with rudimentary race training. By 2 they may even be racing, Yuck! A horse is a baby at the age of 2 still. I am amazed there are not more breakdowns. And I often wonder what jerks actually came up with this 2 year old bit. In fact, dressage horses and all their training don't really come into their own until after 10. Different sport and learning, yes. But the horse needs to mature and get his head matured as well. Then, if we're talking about a valuable stake horse, the utmost care is taken. If it is a stallion or mare, there is care taken. But the poor thoroughbred gelding does not often fare so well. Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand was a gelding. Once they used him us, off to slaughter he went. Sick! I see uses for horses in all realms. It is the extremes to which the humans take it for the sake of the win that makes all the difference to me. I absolutely adore horses and make no bones about it. But I have a big horse that I am not riding now because of my back, I have no plans to show him and furthermore, he is not really being used for any particular purpose. However, he is family. He will remain with us as family. And only if it becomes impossible financially to keep him would he become at risk in any way. And even then, he would never, never ever be slaughtered or sold down at auction. There are always homes and good people. If I die, my horses are also cared for. I've drifted off subject somewhat but I believe I've answered? I hope?No, you didn't drift off--it all had to do with my question in a big picture. I can't believe they just slaughtered a Derby winner! I have a major racetrack near my home and we'd always hear rumors about juicing horses--doping them up for them to run faster. Lasik too, to stop internal bleeding. Sounded mercenary to me but I'm an animal lover and I always thought it was on the verge of abuse in many cases. My mom grew up around many horses in Europe and she used to say if there was reincarnation, she'd hate to come back as a horse--flies pestering them all the time and them being major beasts of burden back then. I think your horses are lucky!I believe my horses are happy and lucky. All our animals are and that's how it should be. The horses at races can legally run with Lasik and I believe Bute, too. Lets face it. Everything is about the money. It is mercenary. About the closest I ever came to doctoring up my horse (the Welsh stallion) is to apply Vicks to his nose so he was unable to get clear whiffs of in-season mares. He was Mr. Studly and won everything in sight. The smart competitors would stick a hot-shot mare right under his nose to get him sparking. The Vicks kept him more in line. If my horse cannot compete on a just basis, then he needs to stay home. Same thing with poodles. - I attempted to show my beautiful white poodle - just in the puppy class to start. I saw my competition take out something heavy that was taped in both ears 0 to drop the ears lower. Another one was putting the hair on top in the knot but was pulling so tight on the sides that the eyes slanted - to give a more almond shape. I never again showed. More than I wanted. I decided long ago there is a lot of dirt going on.
Wonderful article. Great photos. I loved reading.Hi. Thanks again for your support. Got another Pegasus story?Putting shoes on it.Will be looking when he flies
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