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. In fact, the Greeks tend to be 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 activity.
For thousand of years that followed, this kind of sports was considered to be performed only for the noble men as well as royalties.
Contemporary racing is said to have started in the 12th hundred years when the first reproduction between Arabian as well as English horses were made. They were sparred by the return of the noble knights in combat to the mother land after the Crusades. These are known to have produced sturdy horses with superb speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse as well as put all of them into tracks. This particular breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of today which is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II was known to have held horse races in his private courses throughout 1660 in order to 1685.
By the 16th century, the English have been known to produce 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 very first legion of jockeys that established the comprehensive rules and regulations including the requirements as covered by the actual sports activities. Thus, these people grew to become the overseers of the sports and sanctioned horse racing events.
The Jockey Club was also the actual initiator for the regulation 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 basically, the basis of authority when it comes to the breeds that could be put to race. According to the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees which have descended in the line of the “foundations sires” are thought as Thoroughbreds. The foundation sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the activity arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the actual Long Island. Although it has become a favorite activity among Americans, no one initiated the 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 sport grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are known to be on regular operation in the country.
Due to the lack of a governing body, this sport had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most prominent and high-ranking stable owners met as well as 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 around the world. Governing bodies were also formed to manage the horse racing events.
