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Just like any other sporting events, horse racing in the Philippines and all over the world have different types. It includes flat racing, jump racing, harness racing and endurance racing.
Breeds of horses played a hugged factor for each races. Different breeds have developed to excel in each of the specific races. Thoroughbred, Quarter Horse, Arabian, Paint and Appalosa are the breeds used for flat racing. Thoroughbred and AQPS are perfect for jump racing events. Harness racing is for Standardbred horses.
Flat Races
Traditionally, flat racing takes place during summer. It involves horses to race along flat tracts without any obstacles. It is a race where horses gallop directly from one point to another; it may be a straight or an oval track. This race is all about speed. Individual flat races are run for about 440 yards or around 400 meters up to two and a half miles. Short races are referred to as “sprints” and longer races are known as “routes or staying races”.
This type of racing originally started at Newmarket in England. But today, the world embraces the race type and some of the most important events take place in Europe, Australia, and United States of America.
Rules and regulations may vary between countries. It is the most common form of racing around the globe.
Jump Races
In Ireland and Great Britain, jump racing is known as National Hunt Racing. This type of race can be subdivided into steeple chasing and hurdling.
Typically, horses progress to bigger obstacles and longer distances as they get older. With that a European jump horse will start in National Hunt flat races as a juvenile, move on to hurdling the next year and then if capable, move on to steeple chasing.
Endurance Races
Endurance riding is an equestrian sport based on controlled long-distance races. The length of an endurance event greatly varies. There are races that very short, around ten miles, while others can be as long as 100 miles. There are some races that is more than 100 miles and can last for multiple days!
Different lengths of races are divided into five categories:
- Pleasure rides, 10 to 20 miles
- Non-competitive trail rides, 21 to 27 miles
- Competitive trail rides, 20 to 45 miles
- Progressive trail rides, 25 to 60 miles
- Endurance rides, 40 to 100 miles in one day, up to 250 miles in multiple days
Trails of natural terrain are used because of the very long race. Any horse breed can compete but in general, Arabian horses dominate the top levels because of its stamina and natural endurance abilities.
Horse racing is not a simple racing event as many are thinking off. Breeds and race types are factors to consider on who will win a particular event. Like racing cars, horses have different structures and abilities that is perfect for a discipline.
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