Horse Racing Throughout the History

Man has been known to make use of horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences reveal that as early as 4500 BC, the actual nomadic individuals of Central Asia has already developed systems of horse racing. Actually, the Greeks are known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.

Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were popular during these ages. These later on grew to become an obsession among Romans when they have adopted the sport.

For thousand of years that followed, this type of sports was considered to be performed only for the noble men and royalties.

Contemporary racing is believed to have started in the 12th century when the first reproduction between Arabian as well as English horses were made. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights in combat to the mother land after the Crusades. They are known to have produced sturdy race horses with excellent speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put them into tracks. This breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of today which is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.

King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses during 1660 in order to 1685.

Through the 16th century, the English have been known to make a number of racecourses. Queen Anne who founded the Ascot in 1711 is known to have made horse racing an official sport.

Halfway in 1700�s, the Jockey Club was made through the initiation of the elite figures involved in horse racing. This particular business was the first legion of jockeys that established the comprehensive rules and regulations including the requirements as covered by the actual sports activities. Thus, these people became the overseers of the sports as well as sanctioned horse racing occasions.

The Jockey Club was also the actual initiator for the legislation of breeding among race horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those times, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the book of the General Stud Book, which was essentially, the basis of authority when it comes to the breeds that may be put to competition. Based on the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees that have descended in the line of the “foundations sires” are thought as Thoroughbreds. The building blocks sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.

Only in 17th century did the sport arrive in America for which the initial racetrack was seen in the Long Island. While it has turned into a favorite past time among Americans, no one initiated the actual formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Due to the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, as well as widespread gambling on horse races, the activity grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are known to be on regular operation in the united kingdom.

Due to the lack of a governing body, this activity had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most prominent and high-ranking stable owners met and organized the American Jockey Club which was patterned on the system as used by the Jockey Club in England.

Nowadays the sport has reached various countries across the globe. Governing bodies were also formed to regulate the horse racing occasions.