Horse racing is one of the oldest surviving sports. Its close ties to aristocracy and gambling have brought about success and popularity for centuries and continue to do so. As time has moved on the sport has become increasingly modernised to account for technological and social advances whilst maintaining its high level of grandeur and royal tradition. Dubbed as the ‘sport of kings’, horse racing has become the king of sports and is the second biggest sport worldwide. So let’s have a look at how it has changed over time and the evolution of the great sport of horse racing.
Early History:
Originating in 4500BC Mongolia, horse racing at its very premise is such a simple sport. I think this simplicity allowed the sport to grow over the world and gained popularity in ancient civilisations such as Egypt, Greece and Roman. It would be the 648BC Greek Olympic games that would witness the first competitive horse racing. At this stage the sport would be solely involving wealthy individuals who could afford horses and included men only at the time.
Middle History:
As the sport spread through Europe it would start to gain particular popularity in Britain and Ireland. Following the commencing of the Epsom Derby amongst other important races in the late 1600s and early 1700s, the Jockey Club was created in 1750.This was the start of horse racing as we know it today. The club set standardised rules and regulations, some of which still remain today, and meant the sport became much more legitimate.
Recent 20th century History:
Despite the rules and regulations brought in by the Jockey Club and the huge effect this had on the sport, horse racing remained a sport for the wealthy. The legacy of the Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot are a testament to how much influence and interest the British royal family had on the sport at the time. This would remain the case till the 1920s when the sport became much more involved with sports betting as the wagering of bets now had to be made through bookmakers, unlike now where it has been revolutionized with online platforms and an odd calculator UK to help bet smarter. This change in culture of the sport would drive it away from the aristocracy and towards more normal people. From then onwards the sport would become even more popular in Britain and indeed, around the world.
Importance of the last 100 years:
As with everything in the last 100 years, there has been an exponential technological and social advance within horse racing. The accessibility, mentioned previously, has allowed the sport to grow and globalise. This has led it to become the second largest sport around the world. The changes in the wagering system has also meant that horse betting has become hugely normalised and many find a lot of joy in gambling on this sport. With this betting the sport has become a focus of investment internationally. The royalty and traditional affluence has traded places for the massive prize pots and huge bookmaker stakes in the 21st century horse racing world. Technologically the sport has seen a rise in equipment standards. Changes in saddles to more lightweight nylons and aerodynamic leather have replaced the clunky metal and heavy blankets. This allows better standards for the horse and also the conditions allow for less danger for the jockeys. As the sport has managed to grasp common popularity around the world it has also managed to iron out corruption and drug scandals which had plagued the sport in years gone by.
Conclusion:
Whilst the sport is by no means perfect and does have flaws, horse riding remains the oldest surviving sport in the world. And for good reason. This ancient sport has consistently been providing exhilarating and memorable sporting moments for centuries. Nowadays it is much more inclusive, safe and accessible to everyone whilst retaining its very illustrious and traditional past.
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