Racing horses has probably been around since man first started to watch horses as they ran from one place to another. The first civilization to domesticate horses where in Central Asia about 4500 BC and racing horses was a favorite sport in which upper class and kings were able to participate. During the first Olympics in Greece horses were raced. This began the history of horse racing all over the world.
Racing as it is today began after the knights brought the Arabian Horse back with them from the crusades during the twelfth century. These horses were nothing like the old work horses they had before and they were fast and graceful. Stallions of Arabian linage where brought over to breed with English horses and would breed a horse with speed and have the endurance of a work horse. Nobles would bet wagers on which horse would win and thus began modern horse racing.
Up until 1752 there was no documentation of any horse races until the race from Buttevant Church to St Marys in Ireland County Cork in the town on Doneraile. The horses raced from the steeple of one church to the steeple of the other and the first steeplechase was born. Steeple chasing was very popular in Britain and the most well known races are Liverpools Grand National that ran its first race in 1839 and the Irish Grand National taking place on Easter weekend every year in County Meath.
Starting in the nineteenth century professional horse racing had started. Training of horses and of people to ride the horses was desired because you wanted to have the best horse. The best horse made the most money in the betting circles. Those that owned the trained horses made a great deal of money in 1750 they started up a governing authority for horse racing at Newmarket forming the Jockey Club. This authority has all control over British Horse Racing to this day.
The Jockey Club was instrumental in writing down all the rules to which racing adheres to today. It took into consideration the type of tracks horses could race on. It sanctioned five races for three year old horses, three for male and female horses all of which is the English Triple Crown. They also were instrumental in breeding horses for racing purposes. They began to write down the pedigree of all horses born and organized breeding practices.
Pedigreed horses are also called Thoroughbreds can have its lineage traced back to one of 3 Arabian stallions who are called the foundation sires. Thoroughbred racing came over to America on Long Island in 1665. Racing practices were not organized until well after the Civil war when it was considered to be a sport and wagering started to get out of hand. In 1890 over 300 tracks were being run in the United States.
Control of the tracks was non existent in America and the tracks were managed by some unsavory criminals. In England racing was totally acceptable and an event attended by the wealthy. In America it was directly the opposite. Only the seedy undesirable people gathered at the tracks to waste their money on horses.
In 1894 the American Jockey Club was organized and developed regulations that they had to strictly enforce. By the time they were done only about 35 tracks remained open. Pari-Mutuel betting was introduced at the 1908 Kentucky Derby in an attempt to save the sport and wagering. This was a way of betting that was considered acceptable and legal on horses that were qualified to race, riders that were met requirements to ride, and owners that had horses with pedigrees and therefore able to race. The sport once again became popular and respectable.
In America and Britain there are several different forms of horse racing. The Steeplechase is very popular in both countries. An American variety of racing called harness racing has many tracks that were specifically built to specifications for that type of racing. Thoroughbred racing is probably the most popular and consists of a flat, oval track from about three fourths of a mile to two miles in length. Both countries have many thoroughbred racing venues from which to choose. Both countries have regulations and rules that make racing and betting acceptable. They also regulate horses that can race and continue to keep a running record of all pedigrees of race horses.
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