Seven Facts About Horse Racing You Probably Didn’t Already Know

Horse racing is one of the most enjoyable sports to watch, particularly if you’re lucky enough to attend in person. From the thrill of the race to the betting and the traditions that come with prestigious races, there’s a lot to take in with different horse racing events. Despite its many millions of fans around the world, there’s still a lot of information that’s unknown about horses and this sport – here are seven facts you may not know about. If you’re a betting man and would like to receive the racing results quickly, there are many sites out there that provide this service.

A testing competition

The Belmont Stakes, which forms part of the much-famed Triple Crown, is known as the ‘test of the Champion’. It’s the longest of all three of the taxing races which put the horses’ speed at a disadvantage – an attribute that normally benefits a racehorse. The Belmont Stakes is the oldest of the Triple Crown races, dating back to 1867, and is a true test of stamina and determination.

The lifespan of a horse

The average racehorse lives for around 30 years, but in terms of their racing career, they typically retire at the age of 15. No racehorse over the age of 18 has ever won a race, showing that these athletic creatures perform best in their prime.

A historic sport

Horse racing stems from the Eurasian continent and there is proof that suggests that horse racing was a popular sport as far back as 4,500BC. There are records of horse racing from ancient Greece and Rome, with depictions on pottery of chariot racing and even mentions in literary works from the likes of Homer.

The weight of a race

On average, a horse weighs around 1,000 pounds which puts a jockey’s job into perspective. While it may seem as though they don’t have a particularly hard task in racing, consider that they are riding vast animals that are travelling at around 40 miles per hour.

It was once illegal

During the 16^th century, horse racing was actually banned in the UK, and the majority of horses were acquired by the government. Luckily for horse owners and racing fans, the ban didn’t last long, and it quickly regained its popularity.

The ultimate test of horses and riders

The Grand National, held at Aintree Racecourse in the UK, is considered to be one of the most valuable races because of the complexity and nature of the track. It’s often referred to as the ‘ultimate test of a horse and rider’, as both need to traverse the four-mile-long track and 30 fences and obstacles. Because of how taxing this race is, it’s been the site of many bizarre and unusual accidents over the years and remains one of the most interesting races to watch as the outcome is even more uncertain than in a standard race.

A huge heart

The average weight of a horse’s heart is around nine pounds, but when the famous Secretariat was put down, it was discovered that his heart was a staggering 22 pounds, making it 2.5 times larger than the average.