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Horse Racing

Horse racing is a variant of equestrian sports that involves two or more jockeys riding horses over a certain distance for competitions.

There are a lot of variants for horse racing; countries often develop specific horse racing rules or traditions. Some of these variations are competitions of particular breeds, racing over obstacles, running over varying distances, and running on varying gaits. Horse racing is usually done on a turf, dirt or synthetic surface race track which is suitable for horses. 

Phar Lap racing in 1930, Melbourne

There are four types of horse racing:

• Flat racing in which the horses gallop directly between two points either in a straight or in an oval track, such as Thoroughbred Racing.
• Steeplechasing - which is also known as Jump Racing, is where horses race over obstacles.
• Harness Racing - horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.
• Endurance Racing - horses race across the county over extreme distances, usually it’s around 25 to 100 miles.

Horse Racing Sports

• Thoroughbred Racing — horse racing sport that involves the racing of thoroughbred horses
• Harness Racing — horses trot or pace while pulling a driver in a sulky.
• Steeplechase — a horse racing sport in which competitors on horsebacks race on a long-distance course that has several types of obstacles
• Endurance Racing — an equestrian discipline where riders and horses compete in races over very long distances.
• Chuckwagon Racing — a chuckwagon is pulled by four thoroughbred horses around a track.
• Combined Driving — a driver on a carriage pulled by horses takes part in three events: dressage, marathon and cones.
• Scurry Driving — ponies pull a carriage with two riders around a track.
• Skijøring — being pulled either by a dog, a horse or a motor-operated vehicle while on skis.
• Carriage Driving — sports in which horses or ponies are hitched to a wagon, carriage, cart or sleigh by means of a harness.

Related Sports

• Camel Racing — racing camels with a jockey
• Chariot Racing — horses pull along a driver riding a chariot (extinct sport).
• Ban'ei — a Japanese horse race which requires a draft horse to pull a weighted sled up sand ramps (unusual sport).

Related Pages

• List of all sports involving horses
• Equestrian Sports
• Complete list of sports
• The Encyclopedia of Sports

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