What You Need to Know About a Horse Race

Horse racing is more than just a sport- it’s a time-honored tradition steeped in competition and elegance, human and equine spirit. From chariot races to today’s grand events, horse racing is part of the fabric of culture around the world. Whether you’re betting or just watching, you’ll find plenty of horse racing terminology to know!

A horse’s bridle is the collection of leather straps that fit around its head connecting the mouth bit with the reins so a jockey can control the mount. Being ‘on the bridle’ means a horse is travelling smoothly through the race, not exerting itself too much or pushing from the saddle to ask for more effort.

During a horse race, the track is dotted with flags that mark different parts of the course and indicate the starting, midway and finish lines. A horse’s running position is noted on a chart by the number of lengths it was ahead or behind its nearest competitor at each location, such as the halfway point or the quarter pole (a mark at measured distances around the track designating how far to go before the finish line).

When a horse is unable to compete with its peers due to age, illness, injury or weight, it will be entered in a claiming race. The idea is to provide a level playing field and allow horses that are not fast enough for higher-level races to run against one another. It also provides a risk-reward situation for owners: If their horse wins the race, they may be claimed by another owner. If they lose, they won’t earn any money and might not be able to re-enter a high-level race.

While it’s true that racing has a long and distinguished history, growing awareness of abuse in the industry is threatening to shrink the overall fan base and reduce race days. Despite these challenges, some major improvements have been made, particularly in the areas of drug use and breeding practices. For more information on the dark side of horse racing, read PETA’s groundbreaking investigations into abusive training practices for young horses, drug use and the transport of American-bred horses to foreign slaughterhouses.