The History of Horse Racing

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports on record and has been around for thousands of years. Not only has it survived the test of time but it has also been an organized sport throughout the world even dating back to the original Greek Olympics.

It was in the 12th century when horse racing as we know it today really started to take off. Arab horses were bred with sturdy european horses and the result was sturdy but extremely fast racing horses. Eventually race courses started to open throughout the country and rules and regulations were put in place. The Jockey Club was then formed and is still a governing body today.

Newmarket in Britain was the very first venue for horse racing and is now known all over the world. King Charles II arranged horse races in open fields and the winner would be given a prize.

Between 1702-1714, when Queen Anne was on the throne, horse racing developed from two horses to several and spectators would place bets on the horse they thought would win.

In 1750,at Newmarket, the horse racing elite formed a set of comprehensive rules to control racing. They were known as the Jockey Club and this still exists today.

There were concerns regarding the breeding and registration of race horses and a gentleman called James Weatherby was given the job of tracing the history of all race horses. Steps were then taken to control and regulate the breeding. All foals born to a race horse now had to be recorded in the General Stud Book. This book was first published in 1793.

It was in the year 1866 that the National Hunt Committee was formed. In 1993 the British Horseracing Board became the governing authority for horse racing.

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