subject: So What Is Horse Racing [print this page] So What Is Horse Racing So What Is Horse Racing
Horse racing is a sport that is closely associated with gambling. It has been in existence for hundreds of years and is largely known as an equestrian activity. It is also an international sport that is watched in almost every nation and there are different types of horse races. It is important to state that horse racing does not use just any type of horse but rather, there are specific breeds which are specifically bred to participate in the races. In order to understand horse racing better, it is ideal to explore some of the basic things about the race.
Different Types of Races
Ideally, horse racing is divided into different types and in most cases; the distance of the races as well the type of horse used varies from one country to another. While this is the case, there are standard horses racing types as indicated below.
Thoroughbred: This is known as the most popular form of horse racing. The track is often oval shaped and the breeds chosen are supposed to display a high level of stamina and speed. This is further divided into two other types that include handicap and condition races.
Endurance: The duration of these races vary and while some might be 10 miles others go for over 100 miles. In most cases, these take place in tracks that are comprised of dirt.
Quarter racing: As the name suggests, in this type of horse racing, the horses are only supposed to race for a quarter mile and they usually race on tracks that are either synthetic or comprised of dirt.
Betting Types
Like in any other type of gambling, horse racing also features a lot of betting. In all horse races, there is always a gambling station and gamblers are allowed to legally place their bets. In addition tot his, horse racing also boasts of having different types of bets and it is for this reason that gamblers are expected to be well versed with the sport. For instance, there are bets to place which means that the gambler expects the horse they wager on to come in either first or second while bets to show indicate that it is supposed to come in second or third.
While horse racing is largely known as an exciting sport, it is not without its dangers and some of these are largely felt by the jockey and the horse. These often include falls but in every race, care is taken to keep this at a minimum.
