Horse racing is an ancient sport that has evolved from a primitive contest of speed and stamina between two horses into a global entertainment industry with massive pools of money. It has survived technological revolutions and other challenges, but its basic concept remains the same: the horse that finishes first is the winner.
One of the most common myths surrounding horse racing is that racehorses are forced to run and win. The truth is that the vast majority of racehorses are happy to be in the race. They love the competition, the fans, the attention and the food. Most also enjoy the thrill of competing and winning. A racehorse is a living, breathing creature that needs to be happy in order to be at her best.
The first documented horse race in history was a chariot race in 700 BCE at the Olympic Games in Greece. Later, mounted races became popular in the Roman Empire. These races were not a form of gambling but rather an organized public spectacle with rules and regulations.
In the 19th century, racing began to become a major entertainment industry in America and the United Kingdom. The advent of modern transportation, including railroads and airplanes, made it easier to travel and to attend races. Eventually, the races became nationally and internationally broadcast on television and radio.
As the popularity of horse racing increased, so too did public concern for animal welfare issues. It was not uncommon for the horses to be injured or die while in training or in the course of a race. In addition, the training methods and drug use were often questioned. Some of the more extreme cases were documented by organizations like PETA.
The death of the champion Thoroughbred horse Eight Belles in 2019 sparked a major rethinking of the sport. The deaths of a few more horses in the following years and the public’s increasing awareness of the dark side of horse racing have led to numerous improvements. Some of the most visible include flooded racetracks with veterinarians and sophisticated imaging equipment, heightened testing for banned substances, and necropsies that allow researchers to understand exactly what happens inside the bodies of racehorses.
A growing body of research suggests that when journalists frame elections as a competitive game between a Republican and Democrat — what’s known as horse race coverage — voters, candidates and the news industry suffer. In a new study, researchers from the University of Oregon and Texas A&M University looked at newspaper articles about governor and U.S. Senate races in 2004, 2006 and 2008. The authors found that horse race coverage is most prevalent in close races and in the weeks leading up to an election. In addition, newspapers with a large chain or corporate ownership are more likely to publish such stories. The study was published online in the journal Communication Research.