History
Contemporary horse racing originated in Britain but the sport has been around since man domesticated horses.
Horse racing goes back as early as 4500 BC when nomadic tribesmen of Central Asia indulged in the sport.
Healthy Horses
Thoroughbred horses are the stars of each tournament, and with good reason. They are the epitome of athleticism with resting heart rates of 40 beats per minute. In comparison, humans can have a resting heart rate of anywhere between 60 to around 100 beats each minute.
At a weight of around 450 kg or 1000 lbs, pedigree horses everywhere are much faster and more agile than the average horse.
Their average weight is significantly lighter in comparison to most other horse breeds. As a rule, thoroughbred racehorses have only one of two different birthdays to accurately track their age. All race horses in the Northern Hemisphere celebrate a birthday on 1st January while those in the Southern Hemisphere have 1st August as a birthday.
The Two Codes
Horse racing comprises two main types – also known as two codes of the sport. The first code is flat racing where horses run on all-weather surfaces with no obstacles. The second code is jumps racing where horses run on turf and jump over hurdles or steeplechase jumps.