A Look Back at the History of Horse Racing – Sport – EzineMark

No matter which major city from around the world it is that you will visit, you are bound to witness a horse racing event – Australia, Mauritius, New Zealand, USA, UK, Europe, the Middle Eastern countries, and a few Asian countries. This equestrian sport has been around for centuries, but how exactly did it start out?

Before delving deeper into that, let us first check on the most popular forms of this sport. One of the most typical sights that you will see in affluent communities is Thoroughbred racing. In Australia, Standardbred horses racing is more popular – just like in New Zealand. Quarter horses racing; and purebred Arabian horses racing or endurance racing are other forms of the sport.

Important Breakthroughs in the History

After learning about some of the basic facts about it, let us now check on its history as a sport. Take a look at the following important specific dates, periods and breakthroughs in this sport:

– 4500 BCE
As mentioned earlier, horses racing as a sport has existed for centuries now. It actually started during this period when horses first became domesticated animals. Back then, it was Central Asian tribesmen who trained the animals – and this was the signal for horses racing to become a sport of the privileged and leisured.

– 680 BCE
According to the roster of ancient Olympics during this period, two-horse and four-horses racing was added to the gaming events.

– 753 BCE
One of the best ways to trace back the history of a centuries-old sport like this is to consult the ancient books – and it was in the story of Romulus’ founding of Rome during this period that the mythical city-founded organized a series of horse race events. The goal was to distract Sabine men abducted the women.

– 12th Century
This is the time that the horse race that we know of today came to be. During the 12th century, a wave of battle-weary English men returned from the Crusades with Arabian horses. The endurance of these animals over the English ones is incomparable – so they were used in this sport.

– 1702-1714
Under the rule of Queen Anne, the first modern races where spectators bid on their bets started. It was in 1759 that the Jockey Club was formed.

– 1894
Just like the English’ British Jockey Club, the American Jockey Club was established in this year to set up rules for breeding racing horses.

– 1930s-1970s
In the United States, the sport of horses racing has had its ups and downs – but it was during these decades when the popularity of champion horses like Seabiscuit revived the life of the sport.

Today, horse race has become almost a national tradition – especially in the state of Louisiana. Whether you’re a true-blue horse race fan, if you’re in it to win money or if you’re simply interested with the different facets of the sport, nothing beats the feeling of knowing that you know exactly how the sport came about so that you would appreciate its origins even more.