A horse race is a close contest that requires intense concentration and skill. Similarly, a political campaign is often described as a horse race in terms of its competitiveness and how it might affect the outcome. As such, the term horse race can be used to refer to any kind of tight contest. However, as the election approaches it is increasingly used to refer to a specific presidential contest. The mud-slinging, name calling and attack ads of the current campaign can make it hard to focus on the issues at stake. This election may thus seem less like a horse race and more of a nailbiter.
As long as there have been horses, people have loved them and been entranced by their speed and beauty. Horse races have entranced spectators for centuries, with some of the earliest accounts dating back to the Greek Olympic Games in 700 to 40 B.C. Today, it’s possible to experience the thrills of a day at the races without spending more than the price of a decent used car.
While it is difficult to pinpoint the exact origins of horse racing, archeological evidence shows that it was a popular pastime in Ancient Greece, Rome, Babylon, Egypt, Syria and Arabia. The sport has continued to evolve over the years and it is now a global industry that includes a wide variety of betting opportunities and events.
Most horse races are won by a well-trained animal with the right mix of genetics, physical condition and training. However, the reality is that most racehorses are pushed beyond their limits, subjected to cocktails of legal and illegal drugs designed to mask injuries and enhance performance. The abrasive nature of the sport and its intense, high-impact exercise can lead to many types of injuries. A common injury is bleeding in the lungs, known as exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. This is a painful and often deadly condition. The injury occurs because the lungs are unable to circulate enough blood to carry oxygen, and as a result the lungs fill with blood.
Other common injuries include the bone spavin, a spiral fracture that forms around the bone; lameness, or the inability to walk on one leg; and a spit box injury, when a horse’s head is hit by another horse’s hoof while it is in its stall. The latter is usually caused by the jockey’s aggressive riding style. A bad trip, which describes the difficulty encountered by a horse during a race, can cause a horse to race wide or be boxed in by other horses. In the betting business, a horse that finishes in the money wins a portion of the total purse. The most common payouts are win, place and show. Adding to the excitement of a race is the fact that a horse can also win a stallion season, which is a lifetime breeding right for one mare.