Man may be known to use race horses for racing since this specie was first domesticated. Historical evidences reveal that as early as 4500 BC, the actual nomadic individuals of Central Asia has developed techniques of horse racing. In fact, the Greeks are known to have incorporated horse racing in the Olympics since 638 BC.
Both the chariot horse racing and the mounted horse racing were popular during these ages. These later on grew to become an obsession among Romans when they have adopted the sport.
For thousand of years that followed, this type of sports was considered to be performed only for the noble men as well as royalties.
Contemporary racing is believed to have started in the 12th century when the first breeding between Arabian as well as English horses were made. They were sparred by the return of the noble knights in combat to the mother land after the Crusades. These are known to have produced sturdy horses with superb speed. Thus, breeders maximized the potentiality of a racehorse and put all of them into tracks. This particular breed is the Thoroughbred that we know of these days which is still typically the most popular breed in the United Kingdom.
King Charles II was known to have held horse races in his private courses throughout 1660 to 1685.
By the 16th century, the English had been known to produce a number of racecourses. Queen Anne who founded the Ascot in 1711 is known to have made horse racing an official sport.
Halfway in 1700�s, the Jockey Club was created through the initiation of the elite figures involved with horse racing. This organization was the very first legion of jockeys that established the actual comprehensive rules and regulations including the requirements as covered by the sports activities. Thus, these people became the overseers of the sports and sanctioned horse racing occasions.
The Jockey Club was also the initiator for the legislation of breeding among horses. Thus, James Weatherby, an accountant of the Jockey Club during those occasions, traced back the family lines of all racing breeds in England. His researches brought forth the book of the General Stud Book, that was essentially, the basis of authority in terms of the breeds that could be put to race. According to the General Stud Book, only those pedigrees that have descended from the line of the “foundations sires” are considered as Thoroughbreds. The building blocks sires are the: Byerley Turk, Darley Arabian as well as Godolphin Arabian.
Only in 17th century did the activity arrive in America for which the very first racetrack was seen in the actual Long Island. While it has become a favorite past time among Americans, no one initiated the formalization of horse racing until after the Civil War. Because of the already-established obsession plus the industrial development, and widespread gambling on horse races, the sport grew largely by the year 1890 when 314 operating tracks are considered to be on regular operation in the united kingdom.
Because of the lack of a governing body, this activity had become purely dominated by criminal elements. In 1894 though, the most notable and high-ranking stable owners met and organized the American Jockey Club which was patterned on the system as used by the actual Jockey Club in England.
These days the sport has reached various countries across the globe. Governing bodies were also formed to regulate the horse racing occasions.