There are three types of horse racing: smooth, hurdle and steeplechase.

Young horses from two years old can participate in smooth ones, practically from the first months of their race (that is, from the moment they first felt the rider on themselves). The distance in different countries varies from 1 to 3 km and runs on flat terrain. In the USA, they are divided into several more types.

• For young and not so young horses who have not yet had victories – “maiden”.
• A race to sell. In fact, the horse is sold before the start of the race for an agreed price, which does not change after the finish – this is “claming”, Contender.
• Horses that have won in the Bachelorette Party, but have not yet claimed to compete in a higher class, participate in “elawens”, Admission. Usually different conditions for participation are stipulated here. For example, only one victory in life, or a loss in the last three attempts.

Handicap is a competition in which the horses are trying to equalize by means of additional weight. It is not so easy to pick up horses of the same level for a race, and by hanging a small load on someone’s saddle, they try to put the participants on an equal footing. Sometimes a betting race is singled out separately, where each participant makes a contribution in a certain amount, and the winner takes everything.

Barrier races are longer – up to 3 km, and older horses participate in them, for young people such a load is still unnecessary. As the name suggests, there are obstacles on the path of the track, hardels are obstacles woven from branches and twigs, easily fall from the push of a horse and do not pose a threat to health. Unlike show jumping, here the hurdle is long, about 12 meters, for the entire race track, and almost the same height, about a meter.

The steeple chase is the most traumatic type of horse racing. More mature (from 4 years old) and hardy horses participate here, the distance can be up to seven kilometers, which requires an accurate calculation of strength and speed. There are also obstacles here, but “dead”, that is, massive, heavy, made of logs or fixed pillars, there is almost always a moat with water. Often horses participate in the steeplechase that did not achieve good results in smooth races in their youth.

When we talk about horse racing, we also talk about fashion. One of the obligatory attributes of horse races abroad is a hat for women. In England, there is a dress code for visitors – no revealing dresses, sportswear with a visible brand, a hat for women, a suit and a top hat for men. At the most prestigious races, competitions are also held for the best, original hat, for the most stylish outfit, for the most beautiful pair. In Royal Ascot, bets are accepted on the color of the queen’s hat.

By the way, horse racing is the second largest bet in the world.

In this sport, as in others, there are also anti-doping rules and their violators – it happens that horses are given illegal drugs. It happens that the jockey is asked to “hold” the favorite, sometimes bypassing the owner. It is doubly unethical: in relation to the audience and to the horse itself, which was brought up in the will to win, and the forced loss can affect its mood in further competitions. Of course, such cases are severely punished, participants are disqualified and fined.

Horse racing is often a real holiday, where there is a place for concerts, fireworks, food courts and other entertainment events. This is one of the most expensive equestrian sports, while keeping the spirit of the aristocracy very much, often gathering the entire flower of society.