A horse race is an athletic competition between two or more horses, whose owners place bets on the chances of winning. It is the world’s oldest and most popular spectator sport, with roots dating back to ancient Greece. Its popularity has been boosted by technological advancements and betting options. However, the horse racing industry has a dark side: a growing awareness of the cruelty inflicted on these beautiful animals is threatening to erode its fan base.
The history of horse racing has been a turbulent one, marked by significant milestones and controversies. Its origins can be traced to the Greek Olympic Games between 700 and 40 B.C. Later, the sport spread to neighboring countries including China, Persia, and Arabia as well as North Africa and the Middle East.
The early races were characterized by small fields of competitors. Rules were established to determine eligibility based on a horse’s age, sex, and birthplace. A horse that withdrew from a race forfeited half the purse, later the entire prize money. Various arrangements were made to record agreements between the parties involved, such as those recorded by disinterested third parties who came to be known as keepers of the match book.
From the 17th century onward, demand for horse races grew rapidly. The number of horses grew and more restrictions were placed on the qualifications of runners. In the 18th century, a series of booklets were published to set forth conditions for races at different racetracks. These became known as the condition books, and they helped to standardize the sport across the country.
Breeding and training practices have become more advanced over time, resulting in healthier, stronger, more capable horses. A growing number of tracks have implemented new safety precautions and veterinary care systems to ensure the health of both horses and their riders. However, there are still many issues that need to be addressed in the industry: animal cruelty, drug use, and the slaughter of countless American horses, according to the animal rights group PETA.
Despite the progress in the racing industry, critics of the sport say that too much attention is being placed on the race and not enough on the stakes. When journalists focus too much on who’s leading in a race, rather than on policy debates, voters, candidates and the news industry itself suffer, according to research conducted by media scholars. The race-versus-stakes issue is a major topic of discussion in journalism circles. Jay Rosen, a prominent journalism professor and longtime press critic, has called for an end to “horse race coverage” of elections. Several studies suggest that such coverage is detrimental to the health of democracy and citizens’ mental health. A study published by the Journalist’s Resource project of Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy highlights multiple critiques of this phenomenon.