The Dangers of Horse Racing
Horse racing is a sport that involves humans wagering on the outcome of a thoroughbred horse race. It has a long history and is practiced all over the world. The sport has many critics, who claim that it is inhumane and corrupt. Others claim that the sport needs reform but is fundamentally sound.
Horses don’t run races to please their owners; they do it for themselves. The sport is demanding of the horses, who must be trained to outrun opponents and given encouragement–whipping—to continue when they are tired. They also need to run for an extended period of time, which strains their joints and tendons. The lower hind legs of the racehorses in particular take a beating, especially on oval tracks. The bones are thin and fragile, and if they become overloaded or stressed, they can fracture. The injuries that are common in horse racing include lameness, stress fractures, and sesamoid fractures.
Sesamoid bones are two small bones located above the fetlock joint. Four types of fractures can occur: apical (along the top of the bone), lateral (along the side of the bone), mid-body (through the middle of the bone), and basilar (through the bottom of the bone). Those with sesamoid fractures are likely to have a fetlock injury, such as an abscess or a splintbone, which is a serious condition.
A jockey is a person who rides a racehorse. Jockeys need to be skilled and have a good relationship with the horse they are riding, as they must guide it over obstacles, through turns, and uphill and downhill. The most successful jockeys have a keen sense of balance, and they are able to read the movements of their horses.
In the United States, a jockey must have a license to ride a racehorse. There are different levels of licensing, including apprentice and professional. The license must be renewed every year. A racehorse must have a valid health certificate to be eligible to run, and trainers must submit a record of each racehorse’s training to the veterinary office.
The horse’s ability to compete is judged by the racing secretary or track handicapper, who assigns weight allowances designed to equalize each entrant’s winning chances. Typically, higher-quality horses receive heavier weights than lesser-quality ones. A horse’s performance is also influenced by its position relative to the inside barrier, gender, and age.
A race can be graded by the Racing Secretary or a committee, and the higher the level, the more prize money is available for the winner. Grade 1 is the highest rating. In addition, some races are restricted to horses bred in a certain state or by participating stallions, and are known as stakes races. Other races are open to all entrants and are designated as non-claiming races or allowance races.
Horse racing is a sport that involves humans wagering on the outcome of a thoroughbred horse race. It has a long history and is practiced all over the world. The sport has many critics, who claim that it is inhumane and corrupt. Others claim that the sport needs reform but is fundamentally sound. Horses don’t run races to please their owners; they do it for themselves. The sport is demanding of the horses, who must be trained to outrun opponents and given encouragement–whipping—to continue when they are tired. They also need to run for an extended period of time, which strains their joints and tendons. The lower hind legs of the racehorses in particular take a beating, especially on oval tracks. The bones are thin and fragile, and if they become overloaded or stressed, they can fracture. The injuries that are common in horse racing include lameness, stress fractures, and sesamoid fractures. Sesamoid bones are two small bones located above the fetlock joint. Four types of fractures can occur: apical (along the top of the bone), lateral (along the side of the bone), mid-body (through the middle of the bone), and basilar (through the bottom of the bone). Those with sesamoid fractures are likely to have a fetlock injury, such as an abscess or a splintbone, which is a serious condition. A jockey is a person who rides a racehorse. Jockeys need to be skilled and have a good relationship with the horse they are riding, as they must guide it over obstacles, through turns, and uphill and downhill. The most successful jockeys have a keen sense of balance, and they are able to read the movements of their horses. In the United States, a jockey must have a license to ride a racehorse. There are different levels of licensing, including apprentice and professional. The license must be renewed every year. A racehorse must have a valid health certificate to be eligible to run, and trainers must submit a record of each racehorse’s training to the veterinary office. The horse’s ability to compete is judged by the racing secretary or track handicapper, who assigns weight allowances designed to equalize each entrant’s winning chances. Typically, higher-quality horses receive heavier weights than lesser-quality ones. A horse’s performance is also influenced by its position relative to the inside barrier, gender, and age. A race can be graded by the Racing Secretary or a committee, and the higher the level, the more prize money is available for the winner. Grade 1 is the highest rating. In addition, some races are restricted to horses bred in a certain state or by participating stallions, and are known as stakes races. Other races are open to all entrants and are designated as non-claiming races or allowance races.