Whether it’s a grandstand filled with millionaires or a crowded infield where 80,000 partiers sip mint juleps, horse races draw large crowds to the track. Beyond the excitement of seeing a beautiful animal deftly navigate a curved dirt or turf course, betting is a popular activity in the sport. However, not all bettors are created equal. Many, especially those who place bets on a regular basis, have become very attached to particular horses. Seabiscuit, for example, is remembered by a large percentage of racing fans.
For the most part, race horses are bred and trained to be at their peak performance during races. The process begins with a thorough examination of a potential runner’s health, including his bloodwork and physical fitness. The runner is then conditioned through routine jogs and gallops. Once he is ready, the trainer will have him work or breeze, which means he’ll run at a stronger pace for a timed distance that can indicate his level of conditioning.
A growing awareness of the dark side of horse racing has fueled some improvements to the industry, such as increased inspections and limits on the amount of drugs that can be given to a horse. But there is a long way to go to make the sport safer for horses and more appealing to outsiders.
Behind the romanticized facade of Thoroughbred horse racing lies a world of injuries, drug abuse, gruesome breakdowns and slaughter. As a result, racing has been losing fans and revenue. It’s also a major source of controversy because horses are often pushed to run so fast that they sustain injuries and sometimes even hemorrhage from their lungs.
When a horse is not at the track, he is most likely at his stable where he lives in a 12-by-12-foot stall for 23 hours a day. This can lead to stress, boredom and a variety of behavioral problems, including the tendency to bite and kick. The confined space can also cause a condition known as colic, which is painful gastric ulcers in the stomach.
As a result of the crowded and stressful conditions in which horses are kept, they can experience mental stress, anxiety and depression. This is a significant problem because horses who are stressed out tend to be less focused on their tasks, which is why it’s important for them to get exercise, which helps alleviate the symptoms of mental stress and anxiety. In the wild, horses naturally move fast and joyfully, but they are not bred or trained to win races, which require them to compete against one another. As prey animals, they prefer to run as a pack. This is why horse-racing activists have set up a horse sanctuary in Australia. They are hoping to build a similar facility in the United States, where there is also growing interest in the idea.