Horse races are forms of close competition between two or more horses that typically end with either the first horse crossing the finish line first, or at any time between several horses competing against each other to see who comes in first or last. A race may take the form of either a flat race or steeplechase and is seen as both a test of speed and stamina; their practice has been witnessed across centuries and civilizations worldwide – even mythological battles like Odin’s Steeds against Hrungnir’s Steeds exist as examples!

Contrary to its romanticized image, horse racing is an inhumane business which profits from injuries, drug use and breakdowns of horses forced into racing at speeds which can cause internal hemorrhages, brain damage and even death. Although increased awareness has resulted in some improvements for this dark side of horse racing has led to some improvements but its decline continues apace despite these gains in public awareness.

Horse races may seem like “the greatest sport on Earth,” but behind-the-scenes there exists an intensely violent industry where horses are bred, trained, and eventually sent for slaughter when no longer useful. Animal welfare groups like PETA have documented abuse, neglect, cruelty in training horses for racing as well as breakdowns and deaths on race day as well as transport to slaughterhouses.

Horse races in which horses have been trained to cover specific distances, such as ten furlong (2.0 km) races or four-mile (6.8 km) events. These are among the most prestigious events of horseracing and can take place around the world at various track venues. These races require skill, judgment and riding ability on behalf of riders to coax horses into an advantageous position for victory – making for exciting competition!

Horse racing features several forms of handicap racing events that allow horses to enter according to criteria such as their age, sex, birthplace and prior winnings. Open to the general public and typically requiring higher entry fees than maiden/claiming races (in which horses are entered with maximum claimable value by owners); maiden/claiming races can often prove more challenging for trainers due to filling capacity issues and can significantly impact financial success of trainers.

An entertaining children’s entertainment where two characters, Mr Punch and Judy, engage in verbal sparring. Typically performed on stage or outdoor arenas near seaside towns.