What Goes On Behind The Scenes Of A Horse Race?
Horse racing is a sport where a group of horses, ridden by jockeys or pulled by sulkies and their drivers, run against one another for trophies, money and the adulation of humans. But behind the romanticized facade of this world is a dark reality: horses race for their lives, and many of them die from injuries, drugs and gruesome breakdowns.
The horse race is the world’s most popular spectator event, with billions of dollars spent on bets and food and drink to watch it. Despite the popularity of the event, though, few people know much about what goes on inside the gates and on the track. The truth is, horse races are a series of complex and dangerous maneuvers that require the utmost concentration from horses and their riders.
In addition to the horses and their owners, there are a host of other players in a horse race, including grooms, veterinarians, track personnel and other horse handlers. These workers must be well-trained and familiar with the safety and welfare rules that govern each race. They also must be skilled at managing the tension and stress that can arise during a high-stakes event such as a horse race.
Getting ready for a race can take a lot of time and effort, especially when it comes to placing bets and selecting the right horses to enter. For example, a horse’s entry will be based on its pedigree (its parentage), age, and training record. The horses must also be healthy and physically fit to compete.
Once a horse has been selected, its trainer will create a race strategy based on the horse’s strengths and weaknesses. A good strategy will be flexible enough to adapt to changes in the competition or unexpected situations that might occur during the race. It will also be able to accommodate last-minute entries that can occur when a race fills up or horses are left off the list for one reason or another.
When the horses are lined up in the starting gate, bettors look at a horse’s coat and limbs to judge whether it is in the right condition to start. When a horse’s coat is bright and rippling with sweat, it is thought to be in peak form and ready to run. But when a horse balks in the walking ring, it is often assumed to be frightened or angry.
A horse’s ankles are particularly delicate. The massive thoroughbreds that race can weigh up to twelve hundred pounds, and their delicate ankle bones are called the sesamoid bones. The pressure of a long race causes the horses to shift their weight from the back to the front of their bodies, and this can cause injury, especially to the small bone at the bottom of each foot. Sesamoid fractures are common in horses and can be divided into four types: apical, abaxial, mid-body and basilar.
Before a horse starts a race, it is usually injected with Lasix, a diuretic. The drug is intended to prevent pulmonary bleeding, which hard running can cause. Horses are prone to this problem because they must sprint at such high speeds, causing them to hemorrhage from the lungs.