Horse racing is a sport that has evolved over the centuries from a primitive contest of speed or stamina between two horses into a global spectacle with large fields of runners, sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment and enormous prize money. The basic concept has remained unchanged, however: the horse that crosses the finish line first wins. It is a dangerous sport and riders must exercise extreme care when riding a horse at high speeds to ensure both their safety and that of the animal.
The horse race consists of a number of races over distances of between one and four miles depending on the type of race. The race is run over a track that may have obstacles (hurdles, fences or ditches) placed along the course which horses must jump. A jockey mounts a horse, and they compete against other riders to win the race. The winner receives the largest share of the prize money. A second place finisher receives a smaller share, while a third place finisher receives a fraction of the winnings.
Different national racing organisations have different rules, although the majority are based on those written by the British Horseracing Authority. Some national races are open to all, while others have eligibility criteria such as age, sex, birthplace or previous performance. Some races are restricted geographically, or are held only in certain townships.
When deciding who won a horse race, the stewards examine a photograph of the finish and determine which horse crossed the finish line first. If the photographs cannot be judged, a dead heat is declared and no winner is awarded.
If a horse has won multiple races, it can gain a higher ranking in the race handicaps. In these, the horse is assigned a weight to carry and its performance can be influenced by its barrier position relative to the inside (front) stalls, sex, trainer, rider and other factors. The top-rated handicaps offer the largest purses.
In some races, the horses must also meet other criteria such as a minimum level of race experience or a maximum weight for their gender. These races are known as conditions races. For example, in the UK, a law passed in 1913 – the Jersey Act – disqualified British Thoroughbreds with American ancestry, following a series of victories by French horses carrying supposedly “tainted” American blood.
Industry informants’ conceptualisations of naturalness largely focussed on layers 1-4 of the commodification model, with animal welfare as a byproduct or equal to integrity measures. In contrast, animal advocacy informants recognised a more holistic idea of naturalness encompassing the animals’ life world, their telos and their relationship with humans, which they viewed as an intrinsic part of their horseness. In particular, they were concerned with human handling practices that denaturalise the horses’ condition and violate their nature, agency and autonomy.