The term horse race is widely used to refer to any type of close contest. It can be applied to a political race between two candidates, a close business deal or an athletic competition. But the definition of the term is broader than that and has been evolving since it was first coined in the 18th century. In a horse racing context, it refers to the close competition between a number of thoroughbred horses. It also refers to the competitive game of betting on which horse will win a given race.
Betting on horse races has been around for centuries and continues to be a popular activity among spectators at live events. It can be done by placing bets on which horse will cross the finish line first, second or third. Alternatively, bettors can also place accumulator bets, which allow them to bet on multiple horses in the race. The sport has come a long way in recent years, with increased safety and technological advancements. In addition to implementing safety measures, racetracks have begun to incorporate high-tech tools such as thermal imaging cameras and MRI scanners, which can detect the presence of minor or major health issues.
Despite the advancements in technology, many racetracks still rely on a number of outdated practices that may harm the health of the horses. According to animal welfare advocates, these outdated practices include the use of sedatives, abrasive riding techniques, tight shoes and a lack of rest. The use of sedatives and abrasive riding techniques are not only detrimental to the horse’s physical health, but can lead to mental trauma and anxiety as well. In addition, the use of a tight shoe can cause abrasions and injuries to the feet of the horses.
Aside from these common racing practices, there are a few issues that are overlooked in the horse racing industry. One such issue is the idea of a horse’s naturalness, which influences breeding regulations and has implications for training, husbandry and racing practices. In a semi-structured interview study, key industry and animal advocacy informants were asked to respond to three conventional verbal-only questions as well as to a photo-elicitation question. Their responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis [2].
The three main themes that emerged from the interviews were horse-human interactions, naturalness and the interface between the two. In terms of the horse-human interaction, a few of the industry informants discussed a strong bond that can be formed between a human and a thoroughbred. However, they also tended to downplay the impact of certain racing practices on the horses. For example, a few of the informants argued that although most horses show clear behavioural evidence of aversion to having bits in their mouths, these aversions are masked by the fact that the bit is “a part of the horse’s training”. The other major theme that emerged was naturalness. The informants in the study largely conceptualised naturalness as a positive horse-human relationship, including shared activities such as walking and riding.