Horse racing is an equestrian sport in which competitors ride horses to compete for a prize. The sport originated in ancient times and has been an important part of the culture of many civilizations throughout history, from Ancient Greece to ancient Egypt, Babylon, Syria, and Arabia. It is a sport that combines athleticism and skill with gambling, making it both a popular sport and a profitable enterprise.

The sport has been impacted by a series of technological advances in recent years, although it retains most of its rules and traditions. Some of the most significant changes have been made in race safety, with the industry now utilizing high-tech imaging equipment for both horses and jockeys. The industry has also implemented new procedures to reduce the amount of drugs that are administered to horses and jockeys.

Traditionally, horse races have been conducted between two or at most three horses. The owners provided the horses and a simple wager was placed. An owner who withdrew commonly forfeited half the purse (and later the entire amount of money bet on his or her horse). Agreements between parties were recorded by disinterested third parties, and such records came to be known as match books. One such record-keeper, John Cheny of Newmarket in England, began publishing An Historical List of All Horse-Matches Run (1729), and this became the first form of horse racing calendar.

In order to be eligible for a horse race, a horse must have a pedigree that proves its parentage. In addition, a horse must be a certain age in order to compete, and it must have both male and female parents. There are some exceptions to these rules for specialized types of horse races, such as the handicap race where all the horses are assigned a different weight that they must carry.

A horse’s performance in a race is determined by the ability of its breeding, training, and fitness. In addition, it is influenced by the track condition, the position in the starting gate, and the weight that it must carry. A horse’s performance is compared to those of other horses in the race, and the winner is declared when all of the runners have crossed the finish line.

Despite technological advances, the racing industry is still plagued by issues of animal cruelty and abuse. This is most apparent during races, when the equine athletes are subject to harsh training methods and drug use that can lead to injuries, breakdowns, and even death. Growing awareness of these issues has fueled calls for reform, and horse racing is rapidly losing fans, race days, and entries.