Racing is a very spectacular sporting event. Riding horse - a truly fascinating picture! And a simple riding on horses brings people a lot of positive emotions.
As a rule, the performance of racehorses depends on their breed. For example, purebred horses are the fastest, Arab horses are strong and enduring, and in heavy-duty racing competitions, no one can compare to heavy-duty horses.
Selection of animals for racing and their subsequent preparation is a hard and painstaking work, which lasts for many years. And if the competition is attended by animals that are approximately equal in their performance - the spectacle grows in times.
Main types of races
Since ancient times horse racing has been a favorite entertainment of the aristocracy, as not everyone can afford a good race animal. Nowadays, this sport has become more democratic, and training is available to all comers. However, the main role in the competition is still played by a horse, and elite horses are still quite expensive.
There are three types of horse racing today:
- Smooth. In such races, the main role is played not only by the speed of the animal but also by the right tactics. Often, faster horses were inferior to their less frisky brethren, who better distributed their forces over the distance. Smooth horse riding races are held on round racecourses. The courses the horses run to are either 1,200 or 2,400 meters. The main requirement for a horse is that it should be at least three years old. They try to pick up breeds that are similar in their speed. In addition to purebred riding horses, the races are often attended by half-breeds, if they show good results;
- Barrier horses. Here, special obstacles - herders - are placed along the distance of two to three kilometers. A herder is a fence of one meter (or less) height, which falls from the slightest touch. Sometimes wicker barriers are placed instead of hurdles. The main thing is that the obstacle covers the entire width of the path. Here horses are required not only to be sharp but also to have high stamina and jumping power. Horses younger than three years of age are also not allowed to compete in such races;
- Style-chez. The most difficult riding discipline. These races run in a circle of two to four kilometers in length. Here the age qualification for horses is higher - from four years. Fixed obstacles are set along the entire length of the course. The height of each one is not more than one and a half meters, and the width is not more than six meters. The obstacle in the steeple-cheese can be a stone wall, moat or ditch (with or without water), hedge and so on. In such jumps, such a characteristic of a horse as high-speed endurance comes to the fore. This discipline differs from the other two in that it is primarily the more difficult obstacles and the longest course.
The main professions of the people involved in racing
The very first distance is one kilometer. Two-year-old horses only ride up to 1,200 meters, three-year-olds up to 1,400 meters, and older horses already ride up to 2,400 meters. From the age of four, the longest treadmills - from 5.7 to 10 kilometers - are open to the horses.
A jockey is a rider who tries to reach the finish line on horseback. He has a great influence on the race tactics, the success of overcoming obstacles and the speed of the horse.
It takes a long time to learn this profession because riding a rapidly rushing horse is not an easy task. The main requirements for people in this profession are lightweight, flexibility and excellent animal management skills. Jockeys usually wear protective goggles and helmets, high boots, shirt, and breeches. The color of the shirt usually symbolizes the owner of a horse (usually it is a completely different person). Many races also use a protective vest. It is this person on horseback who is racing to victory.
A huge role in the preparation of the racehorse plays a coach. It is on him that the tactics for a particular race, the physical shape of the animal, as well as the selection of equipment and much more.
If the team is removed from the race, it is the starter explained to the judges, informing about the reasons for this refusal.
General rules of racing
Horses are weighed before the start of the race, usually 15 minutes before the start of the race.
The horses will jump either directly from the stalls or from a special start gate. Each team and its stall has its own number. Each race starts with the opening of the gate, a special flag, and a bell hit.
In case of a false start, the race is stopped and the starting procedure is repeated until all the participants take the correct start.
The yellow flag shown to the jockey is a signal to stop immediately. It means that the race is postponed for some time.