Since the course of history, horse racing has been popular as a sports and betting game. In ancient history, particularly in Rome and Greece, it was an event that was exclusively for wealthy people. But now, it’s open to everyone who wants to witness a game full of excitement and entertainment.
Horse racing goers or bettors are fond of watching horse races on and on for it offers different excitement per game. But what they don’t know is that there are other types of horse races other than what they usually watch. Types of races differ by what is the objective of the competition, whether to gauge a horse’s speed, endurance, or other specific skills. Or it can be based on what is the type or class of the horse that will be competing with each other.
Here are four types of racing you may want to know so you can watch or bet on a new one:
Flat Racing
Flat racing is one of the most popular kinds of horse racing in the world. From the name itself, it is a race wherein horses run on a flat surface whether on grass, dirt, turf, etc. This kind of competition is a test for a horse’s speed and stamina, and for the jockey’s expertise to control its horse. There are two common types of flat racing, thoroughbred racing, and quarter horse racing. Thoroughbred racing can be a sprint race or route race which uses thoroughbred horses that are rigorously trained together with their jockey. Jockeys have expert training and take racing tips from professionals and trainers to prepare them for a race.
Quarter horse racing, on the other hand, is a race for a quarter mile which emphasizes the horse’s speed. Faster breeds of horses are trained to exceed the limit of how fast horses can go.
Good read: Greatest Thoroughbred Horses Of All Time
Endurance Racing
If a quarter horse race only consists of 400 meters, in endurance racing the longer the distance, the better. This longer tracks which can reach up to 1000 kilometers test the horse’s endurance and stamina. It is not as much as popular as flat racing because it takes a lot of time to finish one race. Arabian horses are commonly used in this race because their known to have high stamina and endurance.
Jump Racing
Horse racing with obstacles on the course is called jump racing. Obstacles such as ditches, fences, etc., are placed on the track as an additional challenge for horses and jockeys. There are two types of jump racing, hurdles, and steeplechases. Hurdle racing only includes one obstacle which is the hurdles while steeplechase racing comes with numerous obstacles such as ditches, fences, and water. Betting on Jump racing can be difficult because there are a lot of factors to consider.
Harness Racing
If all the races mentioned above only talks about the jockey on a horse aiming to win, in harness racing, there is a piece of additional equipment. Harness racing involves a sulky that is being pulled by a horse an go on a particular trot or pace.
The world of horse racing consists of different events and races; it depends on you on what you’ll like the most.
