Horse racing is a sport that involves a contest of speed and stamina between horses. It has been practiced since ancient times and is considered one of the world’s oldest sports. Archaeological records of horse races exist from ancient Greece, Rome, Babylon, Syria and Egypt, and the competition is also a central theme in mythology. In modern times, Thoroughbred racehorses are used to win prize money. A number of different rules have been developed to govern horse races, including the age, sex, and birthplace of each entrant and the eligibility requirements for winning. Some races are open to all horses, while others are restricted by race distance and other factors.
Despite these differences, the basic concept of horse race remains unchanged: the horse that crosses the finish line first is the winner. In addition, horse racing has evolved from a diversion for the leisure class to a massive public-entertainment business. But the sport is increasingly losing popularity, and is in danger of disappearing entirely. Its popularity is waning among the middle class, which has been squeezed by economic changes, and is slipping among the young, whose taste for more sophisticated entertainment options has diminished. The industry has responded with efforts to improve safety standards and make it more attractive to younger people, but it is not enough. It is not enough to offer a better image of horse racing, or to attract new fans. The sport must fundamentally change to survive.
The term horse race is often used to refer to a political contest, especially when the outcome is unclear. Many observers have criticized this use, arguing that it trivializes politics by reducing it to a sport with gladiators and spectators, and makes it difficult for voters to gain any insight into the actual issues at stake in a campaign. Advocates of horse race journalism respond that most voters are interested in who is ahead or behind in a race, and that using familiar sports language helps to raise interest in the subject.
A recent report by the organization PETA has sparked new concerns about animal cruelty in American horse racing. The report centers on the treatment of horses by two top thoroughbred trainers in America, Scott Blasi and Steve Asmussen. PETA has documented a range of abuses, from cruel training techniques to drug use and gruesome breakdowns, and it is seeking an injunction against the trainers to stop the cruelty.
The report by PETA is not the only new evidence of the serious problems in horse racing, but it is an important one. The industry needs a profound ideological reckoning at both the macro business level and within the minds of horsewomen and men, and it must take measures to address these problems, starting with instituting a ban on cruel training practices and ending the use of dangerous drugs. Then it must move to ensure the welfare of the horses at every stage of the process, from breeding to retraining, and from training to retirement.