The sport of horse racing has morphed over the centuries into a vast, multimillion-dollar public-entertainment industry that requires complex electronic monitoring equipment and enormous sums to run. But its basic concept has not changed: a contest of speed and stamina between two horses over long distances. While spectators show off their fancy outfits and sip mint juleps, the horses race for their lives. Pushed beyond their limits, they are subjected to a cocktail of legal and illegal drugs designed to mask injuries and boost performance. Injuries are common; many horses bleed from their lungs, a condition known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.
In the earliest days of horse racing, most races were closed events in which only a few well-bred horses were eligible to compete. But as the demand for public horse races increased, rules were developed to open up racing to larger numbers of horses. Eligibility was based on age, sex, birthplace, and previous performance. Horses were divided into categories such as colts, geldings, and fillies.
Handicap races were also introduced to level the playing field and allow weaker horses to win. In these races, horses are assigned a specific amount of weight to carry, which is adjusted for the type and class of race. This weight adjustment is based on a mathematical formula that takes into account the speed and class of the other horses in the race as well as the horse’s own past performances.
During the early days of the sport, horses were typically trained to run a specific distance such as six or twelve furlongs. The onset of modern training techniques in the 1930s has resulted in horses being trained to run longer distances and be able to finish strong at the end of their races. The modern thoroughbred is a larger animal, capable of covering ten or twelve furlongs in a race, and has more stamina than its predecessors.
While the majority of horse races take place on dirt tracks, there are a number that are held on grass or turf. The surface of a racetrack is a major factor in the running and jumping of horses, as well as the overall quality of the races. A muddy track will force a horse to slow down, and it will likely lose ground to its competitors. A dry track, on the other hand, will enable a horse to accelerate quickly and gain ground.
A jockey will use a whip to urge a horse to run faster and more vigorously. Whipping a horse can be dangerous if the rider is inexperienced or careless, and it is important for the safety of the riders and the animals to learn proper technique. When a jockey only uses his or her hands, it is called riding in hand and the horse is not whipped. A hand rider is more apt to have good control over the horse and will not be so quick to use the whip. Having good riding skills is a vital part of becoming a winning jockey.
Mashindano ya farasi yamekuwa biashara kubwa ya burudani ya umma yenye thamani ya mamilioni ya dola, ambayo inahitaji vifaa vya elektroniki vya ufuatiliaji na pesa nyingi sana. Lakini wazo lake la msingi halijabadilika: mashindano ya mwendo na nguvu kati ya farasi wawili kwa umbali mrefu. Wakati watazamaji wanapojionyesha mavazi yao maridadi na kunywa juzi za mint, farasi wanashindana ili kuokoa uhai wao. Kwa kuwa wamepigwa marufuku, wanapewa dawa za kulevya za kisheria na zisizo halali zilizotengenezwa ili kuficha majeraha na kuongeza utendaji. Majeraha ni ya kawaida; farasi wengi hutokwa na damu kutoka mapafu yao, hali inayojulikana kama mtiririko wa damu ya mapafu unaosababishwa na mazoezi. Katika siku za mapema za mashindano ya farasi, mashindano mengi yalikuwa mashindano yaliyofungwa ambayo farasi wachache tu waliozaliwa vizuri ndio waliostahili kushindana. Lakini kwa kuwa uhitaji wa mashindano ya farasi wa umma uliongezeka, sheria zilianzishwa ili kufungua mashindano ya farasi kwa idadi kubwa zaidi ya farasi. Urithi ulitegemea umri, jinsia, mahali pa kuzaliwa, na utendaji wa awali. Farasi waligawanywa katika vikundi kama vile farasi wadogo, farasi wadogo, na farasi wadogo. Mashindano ya handicap pia yalianzishwa ili kulinganisha uwanja wa michezo na kuruhusu farasi dhaifu kushinda. Katika mashindano hayo, farasi hupatiwa uzito fulani wa kubeba, ambao umebadilishwa kulingana na aina na darasa la mbio. Mabadiliko haya ya uzito yanategemea formula ya hisabati ambayo inachukua kwa kuzingatia kasi na darasa la farasi wengine katika mbio pamoja na maonyesho ya zamani ya farasi mwenyewe. Katika siku za mwanzo za mchezo huo, farasi kwa kawaida walifundishwa kukimbia umbali fulani kama vile umbali wa futi sita au kumi na mbili. Kuanzishwa kwa mbinu za kisasa za mafunzo katika miaka ya 1930 kumesababisha farasi kufundishwa kukimbia umbali mrefu na kuweza kumaliza kwa nguvu mwishoni mwa mbio zao. Mnyama wa kisasa ni mkubwa zaidi, anaweza kukimbia umbali wa mita kumi au kumi na mbili katika mbio, na ana nguvu zaidi kuliko wanyama wa zamani. Ingawa mashindano mengi ya farasi hufanywa kwenye njia za udongo, kuna mashindano kadhaa yanayofanywa kwenye nyasi au nyasi. Ubora wa uwanja wa mbio ni jambo muhimu katika mbio na kuruka kwa farasi, na vilevile ubora wa mashindano ya mbio. Barabara yenye matope itamlazimisha farasi kupunguza mwendo, na yaelekea atapoteza nafasi kwa washindani wake. Kwa upande mwingine, njia kavu itamwezesha farasi kuongeza mwendo haraka na kupata nafasi. Mchezaji wa farasi hutumia mjeledi kumshawishi farasi akimbie haraka zaidi na kwa nguvu zaidi. Kupiga farasi kwa mjeledi kunaweza kuwa hatari ikiwa mpanda farasi hana uzoefu au ni asiye makini, na ni muhimu kwa usalama wa wapanda farasi na wanyama kujifunza mbinu sahihi. "Mwendeshaji wa farasi anapoitumia mikono yake tu, anaitwa ""kuendesha kwa mkono"" na farasi huyo hapati kupigwa." Msafiri wa mkono huelekea zaidi kudhibiti farasi vizuri na hatakuwa mwepesi sana kutumia mjeledi. Kuwa na ustadi mzuri wa kuendesha farasi ni sehemu muhimu ya kuwa farasi mshindi.