A horse race is a competition in which horses and riders compete to complete a course and arrive over the finish line before any other competitors. The winning horse is usually awarded a certain amount of prize money. Depending on the rules of the particular horse race, there may also be bonus prizes for second and third place finishers.
The sport of horse racing is generally considered to be one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Thousands of horses have died at races around the world over the last 200 years, including many that were injured during the race itself. A number of those deaths have been attributed to the excessive use of illegal drugs and the fact that the horses are forced to run at such high speeds.
In the wild, horses love to move fast and rejoice in their freedom of flight. But in racing, they are compelled to sprint-often under the threat of whips or electric shock devices-at speeds so high that they often suffer injuries and even bleed from their lungs (a condition called exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage).
To race, horses must be at least five years old and have sires and dams that are purebred members of their race’s breed. They must have pedigrees that can be traced back to the founders of the breed. They must also be registered with the National Stud and must be in good health.
Before the race begins, each horse is weighed and bathed in order to be properly prepared for the race. After the horse has been inspected and is declared fit, it is saddled by its rider and taken to the starting gate. The rider, who is known as a jockey, must then mount the horse and jump any hurdles if they are present. A jockey can either hand ride a horse or use the girth, a strap that is wrapped around the horse’s belly, to guide it along the course.
Once the race has begun, each horse races around the track for a specified distance and then heads into a sort of equine pit row where its teammates are waiting with fresh horses for what is called the exchange. The jockey hops off the current horse and leaps onto his or her new mount in a rapid sequence. Then the teams race again for another lap around the track.
After the final lap, the stewards decide who won the race by studying a photograph of the finish and declaring the winner. If there is a photo tie, the race is ruled a dead heat and the winning horse is determined according to the rules of dead heats.
Horse racing has a long and glorious history, but it is time for us to put our money where our mouth is and stop supporting this exploitative industry. If we do not, horse racing could soon be replaced by a safer, more socially acceptable form of entertainment.