Horse races are competitive events in which horses compete against one another for a prize, typically money awarded to the top three finishers or in case of a tie, divided equally among all two top finishers. Horse racing is a beloved tradition in many nations around the globe despite some individuals opposing such practices due to injuries and even deaths caused by horses competing. Still, many cities and counties still host horse races each year.
Horse racing is not only physical risky; it is a social activity and way for horse owners to connect with people in their community. Dating back centuries, this ancient sport remains an integral part of many cultures’ cultural fabric. Early matches were match races between two or three horses where an owner provided purse money while bettors placed their wager on which would win; later races became public with agreements recorded by disinterested third parties who became known as keepers of the match book.
Most horse races are open to the general public, though the rules vary by country and type of competition. For example, for purebred races the pedigree of a horse must be purebred while there may also be restrictions regarding age, sex and birthplace of horses that wish to compete. Before entering higher level competitions they must first qualify by winning an allowance race as qualifying criteria.
As horses train, their conditioning improves. This may involve early morning jogs or gallops as well as more rigorous exercises like “breezing” (running at an increased speed for a set distance) that allow trainers to assess how competitive a horse could be before entering it in races.
As horses age, their performance will either improve or decline according to a specific schedule. In sprint races, for instance, an average horse will improve by 22.2 points between its second year of life and middle four-year old season before declining by 12.1 points until their five year-old period ends – these changes can be used as a proxy for peak age category (pct High SF); the higher this figure is, the better its performance; photo finishes may be used if two horses finish very close on the line while dead heats will be settled using separate sets of rules.