Horse Racing Throughout the History
Man has been known to make use of horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences uncover that as early as 4500 BC, the actual nomadic people of Central Asia has already developed systems of horse racing. In fact, the Greeks are 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 types of later on became an obsession among Romans when they have adopted the sport.
For thousand of years that followed, this type of sports was known to be performed only for the noble men and royalties.
Modern racing is said to have started in the 12th century when the first breeding 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. They are known to possess produced sturdy race horses with excellent pace. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put all of them into tracks. This breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of today which is still the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses during 1660 to 1685.
By the 16th century, the English have been known to make a quantity of racecourses. Queen Anne that started 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 organization was the very first legion of jockeys which established the comprehensive rules and regulations including the standards as covered by the actual sports activities. Thus, they grew to become the overseers of the sports as well as sanctioned horse racing occasions.
The Jockey Club was also the actual initiator for the legislation of breeding among horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those occasions, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the publication of the General Stud Book, which was essentially, the basis of authority when it comes to the breeds that may be put to competition. According to the General Stud Book, only individuals pedigrees that have descended in the line of the “foundations sires” are believed as Thoroughbreds. The foundation sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the sport arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the Long Island. Although it has turned into a favorite past time among Americans, no one initiated the formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Because of the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, and widespread betting on horse races, the activity 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 activity 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 actual Jockey Club in England.
Nowadays the sport has reached various countries across the globe. Governing bodies were also formed to manage the horse racing occasions.