Horse racing began in ancient times and was included among the sports of the Ancient Olympics. Another ancient group, the nomadic tribesman of Central Asia also raced horses that are believed to have been the forefathers of the Arab horse breed.
Origins
The Arab horse breed, coveted for speed and high spirits, were brought to England by knights that had returned from the crusades. Horse racing started up in Newmarket and was held there throughout the 1600’s during the reigns of Kings James and King Charles I and II. The races were attended by many royals, much as they still are today. Newmarket is still the racing “capital” of British horse racing today.
The modern form of horse racing on the flat that is seen today began in the 1700’s during Queen Anne’s reign. The races were held much the same way they are today. Horses were raced in groups and patrons were allowed to bet on the outcome of the race. The Jockey Club, an organization that governs the sport of horse racing and is still in existence today, was formed in 1752. Racing in the modern world is found around the globe.
Arab Racing
Many of today’s major races are competed in only by thoroughbreds, a racehorse descended from the Arab horse breed. Arabs were the original breed used to race in Britain, and in the early years of horse racing they were raced against thoroughbreds. However over the years the thoroughbred breed became more refined and its greater power and speed quickly overpowered the smaller Arab breed. Arab racing quickly came to end. However in 1978 the Jockey Club allowed the Arab Horse Society to begin organizing amateur flat races for Arabs.
Handicapping
In many of the races around the world a system of handicapping is used. In this type of race the horse that is considered to be the best has to carry the most weight. To evaluate the horses the official handicapper monitors each and every racehorse and makes the decision of whether the horse should go up or down in the handicap. The handicap is based on past performances. The basis for a handicap system is the idea that without it the same horses would continue to win everything. However the system does mean that there is a point at which the handicap burdens the best horses so much that they cannot win at all. However if the horse runs a few poor races their handicap will be dropped.
