A horse race is a competition between horses that either are ridden by jockeys or pull sulkies driven by drivers. A horse race tests both speed and endurance and is often seen as a demonstration of the horse’s ability to perform well under a variety of conditions. The earliest horse races were organized as gambling wagers, but later the public demanded more widespread racing opportunities. To accommodate this demand, rules were developed to govern the eligibility of horses and their riders, and races were established over distances ranging from a mile to ten miles.

During a horse race, the horses are positioned in a group or “pack,” which is referred to as a pocket. The horse with the fastest speed at any given point is designated the winner. This method of racing can be viewed in person or on television. Many people place bets on the outcome of a horse race, and some people even hold parties to watch a horse race.

In order to compete in a horse race, the horse must have the proper pedigree. This is determined by its sire and dam. In addition, the horse must meet other requirements such as age, sex and birthplace. These factors are used to determine a horse’s starting position in the race and its odds of winning.

The horse’s natural instinct to live in a herd is inhibited by the confinement and stress of the racetrack, and it is not uncommon for horses to show signs of suffering that manifest as compulsive behavior. This can include biting on its gate, pulling backward and grunting, and kicking or self-harming. Some horses also exhibit cribbing, which is the habit of gnawing the ground with its front teeth.

Despite their enormous size and powerful muscles, racehorses are the victims of a multibillion-dollar industry that is rife with drug abuse, injuries and race fixing. Many horses’ careers end in slaughterhouses. In fact, a horse that is not well trained or in good condition is unlikely to run at a breakneck pace for more than 10 seconds, and most racehorses that are injured are doomed to death.

Horses weigh over 1,000 pounds and have ankles the size of a human’s, yet humans perched on their backs compel them — with a whip — to run around tracks that are often made of hard-packed dirt at breakneck speeds. Injured horses, in the vast majority of cases, are whipped on and compelled to continue the race, and they are subjected to close quarters and an abrasive, unnatural environment.

This election cycle has felt less like a horse race than many in the past, but a number of media scholars are criticizing the way in which news outlets frame elections by focusing on public opinion polls and giving attention to frontrunners. A recent column for the Journalist’s Resource, a project of Harvard University’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, cites multiple studies that demonstrate that when news outlets engage in horse-race reporting instead of covering the issues, voters, candidates and the journalism industry itself suffer.