Monday 14 May 2012

The History Of Horse Racing And The Different Types Of Races

By Byron Jonas


The history of horse racing started when the Nomadic Tribesmen in Central Asia domesticated horses. The Greek Olympics and the Roman Empire are early examples of chariot racing. When the English knights brought back the speedy Arabian horses on their return from the Crusades they laid the groundwork for modern racing. It became a professional sport during the reign of Queen Anne in the early 1700's.

There are different types of racing including Thoroughbred, Quarter horse and harness. Thoroughbred racing or flat racing is one of the most popular races. In this race the horses are running on an oval shaped track for distances from a little more than half a mile to a mile and a half. There are no obstacles on this type of track. Horses competing in this race are bred for speed and stamina.

Thoroughbreds were conceived in England by breeding imported Arabian and Turkish horses with English lines. Almost all thoroughbreds can trace their bloodlines back to one of three founding sires. They can reach speeds just shy of 40 miles per hour. They have nervous temperaments.

The Quarter Horse race is a straight course for a quarter mile. That is how they came about their name. These horses can start quick but only run for short distances. Early colonists could not afford to create the oval tracks like England so they just craved out a course on any piece of land for the races. They could not afford to travel far distances for races so they allowed them to be able to enjoy the sport without too much expense.

This breed is a mixture of the English Thoroughbred and the horses the Native Americans used that were brought over from Spain. Because of their size and agility they are useful for herding cattle, roping and barrel racing in rodeos and racing. They are the favorite breed in the United States today.

Harness racing is a type of racing where the horses are only allowed to trot or pace while pulling a cart. Standardbred horses are the competitors in this race. The difference between this breed and the Thoroughbreds are that they have longer bodies and shorter legs and their temperaments are very calm.

The Standardbred is a concoction of several breeds. Contributors to this breed include Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Hackneys, Canadian Pacers, Norfolk Trotters and Narragansett Pacers. They were bred to complete the race in the standard two and a half minutes. How their name originated. Many have completed the mile in faster times since the regulations for registering them was created. There are many more aspects to be explored in the history of horse racing like training, betting and popular races of today.




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