Horse racing is a global sport that has seen its share of ups and downs, but it’s also enjoyed the benefits of technology. Thermal imaging cameras can detect heat stress in horses post-race, MRI scanners can pick up minor or major health issues that would otherwise be missed, and 3D printing is being used to produce casts, splints and prosthetics for injured racehorses.
In addition to these technological advances, horse races are now held with the utmost security on and off the track. This includes an extensive array of electronic sensors, such as pacemakers and heart rate monitors, that keep a close eye on both the riders and the horses to ensure both are safe at all times.
One of the more controversial aspects of horse racing is betting, which has become a big part of the industry. There are a number of different types of bets, including those on which horse will finish first, second or third and accumulator bets in which multiple bets are placed at the same time.
The earliest horse races were match contests between two, or at most three, horses, but pressure from the public eventually produced events that had larger fields. By the end of the 19th century, some races had as many as 60 horses on the starting line.
Some of the earliest racing pedigrees have been preserved, and they show that horses have long been bred for speed. The earliest races were not a sport of skill but rather a contest of brute strength, and the winner was determined by which rider could get his or her horse to the winning post at the fastest speed.
Aside from the sport’s commercial interests, horse racing has a long history of being a popular spectator sport. People have flocked to horse races since ancient times, and the sport is often featured in mythology. It’s believed that the contest between the god Odin and the giant Hrungnir is a form of horse racing.
The death of a racehorse is always shocking, but it’s especially tragic when the horse is put to sleep because of an injury or illness. A large percentage of the horses who are euthanized each year are ex-racehorses who cannot find new careers after their career on the track. These horses are often shipped off to slaughterhouses in Canada and Mexico, where they suffer horrific deaths. Only a handful of independent nonprofit rescues and individual volunteers work to save them, but the job is a huge undertaking.
The biggest criticism of horse race journalism is the tendency to focus reporting on the race between two candidates vying for victory. This practice detracts from the quality of political coverage and harms voters, the democratic process and even journalists themselves. This collection of research looks at the consequences of this style of reporting and how it can be improved.