A horse race is a contest between horses, usually ridden by jockeys, on an oval track where organized betting takes place. It is one of the most popular sports in human history and a cornerstone of many cultures. Despite the popularity and glamor of horse racing, it is dangerous for horses and often deadly.
In the wild, horses like to run and move fast, but the sport of horse racing is not natural for them. Horses are prey animals, and chasing down other horses to win a race is in direct conflict with their natural instincts of self-preservation. As a result, injuries and even death are commonplace on the racetrack.
The first horse races were match races between two or at most three horses, and a simple wager was placed on the winner. An owner who withdrew from the race forfeited half, and later the entire purse. The matches were recorded by disinterested third parties called keepers of the match book, and the information was published in books like An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run (1729). By the mid-18th century the demand for public racing had grown, and rules developed for limiting the number of horses allowed to enter a race. The eligibility rules included age, sex, birthplace and previous performance. In addition, the class of a horse was defined by its pedigree. The rules also specified that owners had to provide the rider for a race and that the horses were required to be fit and healthy.
In modern times, horse racing is regulated by the governing bodies of each country. The regulating body has the authority to disqualify a horse or cancel a race and to ban certain trainers or jockeys from the sport. Some countries have laws to protect the safety of horses, and they require stewards to inspect each race before it begins.
To ensure the integrity of a race, the stewards oversee the weighing in and inspection of horses before and after a race. The stewards look for signs of injury or illness, and a sample of saliva and urine may be taken from a winning horse to detect the use of prohibited drugs.
The earliest records of horse racing date back to 700 to 40 B.C. in ancient Greece, and the sport spread throughout Europe and Asia as civilizations developed. The most famous and grueling of the racing events is the steeplechase, in which horses must jump over fences. This is considered one of the most arduous races for the horse and is named for the church steeples that served as the landmarks on the course. It was long a favorite sport of cavalry officers and the kings of England and France.