A horse race is a contest of speed and endurance between two or more horses that takes place on a designated course. The race winner is determined by the first horse to cross the finish line. Horse racing is one of the oldest and most popular sports, with a history dating back thousands of years. It has evolved into a sport with enormous spectacle and high stakes, but the basic concept remains the same. In modern times, it is a multibillion-dollar industry that has undergone some major changes, including the development of sophisticated electronic monitoring equipment. While some critics argue that horse races are inhumane and corrupted by drug use and overbreeding, others maintain that the “Sport of Kings” represents the pinnacle of achievement for these magnificent animals.

Historically, horse races have been held in various parts of the world, with many having been organized by noblemen to wager money on the outcome. Some of the earliest documented horse races took place in France during the reign of King Louis XIV (1643-1715), and by 1715, the sport had become popular enough to warrant official regulations that were published in French. These established a number of standardized rules, including the requirement that horses have a certificate of origin and imposing extra weight on foreign-bred horses.

While many horse races are run in the United States, the majority are held in Europe and other countries that have developed an enthusiastic following for the sport. In addition to being a sport that relies on the skill of riders and trainers, horse racing also requires extensive financial resources for breeding, training and maintenance. In some cases, the race winnings are used to recoup those expenses.

A major form of horse racing is the handicap race, in which the weights that a horse must carry are adjusted on the basis of its age and/or sex. Typically, the younger and less mature a horse is, the lighter its weight.

In handicap races, the jockey is tasked with coaxing maximum performance from his mount in order to win a race. This is done by urging the horse on with a whip, and it requires considerable skill and judgment to achieve success.

A jockey may also ride a horse under the hand-riding technique, which involves using only the hands to urge the animal along. A horse ridden under hand ride is not whipped, and this style of riding was more common in the past.