Man may be 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 individuals of Central Asia has developed techniques of horse racing. Actually, the Greeks tend to be known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.
Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were well-liked during these ages. These types of later on grew to become an obsession among Romans once 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 believed to have started in the 12th century when the first reproduction between Arabian as well as English horses were made. These were sparred by the return of the noble knights in combat to the mother land after the Crusades. These are known to possess produced sturdy race horses with superb speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse as well as put all of them into tracks. This particular breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of these days which is still typically the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II had been known to have held horse races in his private courses throughout 1660 in order to 1685.
Through the 16th century, the English had been known to make a number of racecourses. Queen Anne who founded 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 first legion of jockeys that established the comprehensive rules and regulations including the standards as covered by the actual sports activities. Thus, they became the overseers of the sports and sanctioned horse racing events.
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, that was essentially, the basis of authority in terms of the breeds that could be put to race. Based on the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees that have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are thought as Thoroughbreds. The building blocks sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian and Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the activity arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the actual Long Island. While it has turned into a favorite activity among Americans, no one initiated the formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Due to 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 united kingdom.
Due to the lack of a governing body, this activity had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most notable and high-ranking stable owners met and organized the American Jockey Club which was patterned on the system as used by the Jockey Club in England.
These days the sport has reached various countries across the globe. Governing bodies were also formed to manage the horse racing events.