A horse race is a competition in which horses either ridden by jockeys or pulling sulkies compete for a prize. Horse races have a long history and can be found in many different countries. The winner is usually awarded a certain amount of prize money depending upon the type of race.
The sport of horse racing was established by early Greek Olympic Games between 700 and 40 B.C. Later, it developed into a popular sport in ancient China, Persia and Arabia. Eventually, horse races were introduced to the rest of Europe and America.
As the sport evolved, rules were created based on age, sex and birthplace of the horses as well as qualifications for riders. In addition, races were categorized as open or closed events. Open races were aimed at the general public while closed events were intended for owners only. In addition, rules were drafted regarding the size of fields.
In the beginning, horse racing was all about stamina rather than speed. However, after the Civil War, speed became the hallmark of success for Thoroughbreds. Stamina was still important, but the sport shifted towards a race that rewarded a few yards of speed over a longer distance. The result was a race that was much more intense for the horses.
It is not uncommon for horses to suffer from a number of health problems while attempting to run a race. These problems can range from minor injuries to serious breakdowns and even death. In most cases, the cause of the health problems is related to the intense physical stress that the horses are subjected to while competing. As a result, countless horses die every year as a consequence of the racing industry’s business model.
Eight Belles was one of those horses. The Kentucky Derby was a great race for her, but she died because of the exorbitant amount of physical stress that she endured. She was only three years old when she died. Since then, a number of horses have died because of the same kind of stress.
Despite these deaths, the equine industry remains confident that it is doing all it can to make the sport safer. This, despite the fact that the industry’s business model fails to place the best interests of the horses in its highest priority. In addition, it has not evolved to reflect the concerns of animal rights activists and the public at large. As a result, it is unlikely that a solution to the problem of horse racing’s cruelty will be found anytime soon.