Horse racing is a popular sport, enjoyed by millions of people around the world. Some criticize it as inhumane, while others argue that the “Sport of Kings” provides the pinnacle of achievement for these impressive animals and that, while it may need reform, it is fundamentally sound.
The sport has undergone a number of technological advances in recent years. While most of these innovations have had a positive impact on race safety, the emergence of the information age has also brought new challenges to horse racing. Thermal imaging cameras, MRI scanners, and 3D printing have increased the level of care for horses after races and workouts by providing detailed analyses of injuries and conditions that would otherwise go undetected. Similarly, advanced data analytics help to better understand the performance of individual horses and groups of horses, while digitalization has made betting more convenient.
A race horse is typically bred to have a high turn-over rate. Thousands of horses leave the industry every year, either as foals, during their training, or when they retire from competition. Some are repurposed as workhorses in other industries, but the vast majority of retired race horses end up in slaughterhouses in Canada, Mexico, or Japan. Their meat is used in dog food, glue, and other products.
In an attempt to avoid a decline in popularity, the horse racing industry has been investing heavily in improvements to track surfaces, equipment, and horse welfare. But these efforts have come at a price. In a 2011 study, researchers found that racing had lost fans, revenues, race days, and entries over the past decade, largely because of the growing awareness of widespread animal cruelty and questionable practices in the industry. These include abusive training practices for young horses, the use of drugs in preparation for a race, and the gruesome fate of many American racehorses, who are shipped to foreign slaughterhouses where they are killed for their meat.
There are a few key terms that are important to know when watching a horse race:
stakes: The total monetary amount paid to the owners of entrants who finish in the top four or five positions in a race.
handicap: A system by which the weights that horses carry during a race are adjusted according to their age and experience. Fillies are allowed to carry less weight than males.
trip: A horse’s performance in a particular race, with specific reference to the difficulty (or ease) it had overcoming obstacles or difficulties.
Some journalists claim that horse race journalism could increase interest in politics, since describing distant, alien policies with familiar sports language might raise the appeal of political events. However, some critics say that this strategy simply repackages a horse race in a form that is less interesting to readers. Regardless, companies that adopt this strategy face the challenge of creating a culture in which employees embrace the idea of competing for the CEO job and accept that the most competent candidate will emerge from the race.