The Debate over whether horse racing is a sport has been raging with each side giving its reason on why they hold a given view. For those who argue that horse racing is not a sport, issues of betting and animal cruelty have featured highly in their argument. They have constantly reminded all who may be interested in this line of argument that horse racing is outright betting disguised as a sport. They are also quick to remind that the activity cannot be termed as a sport since it is not humans who toil to win but horses who are forced to face the direction that the jockey wants. They argue that if it was a sport, it is the horse that should be awarded and not the jockey and the sport should focus more on the animal rather than the jockey and the owner.
Horse race is a sport
The other side of the argument sees horse racing as a real sport, one which takes high-level skills to handle such as a strong animal and leads it to a great performance. To them, it is not convincing that horses are real athletes. They question why horses cannot compete against themselves when left alone. It takes the human mind and great maneuvering to lead it in the required direction and win a race.
Aladar Kollar has been a great horse racing in Europe enthusiast, taking part in horse racing betting and giving expert advice to bettors on how they can wager on their favorite horses successfully. He does not mince his words in support of horse racing as a sport. According to him “Azok, akik azt mondják, hogy a lóversenyek esetén az emberek kizárólag a fogadásokat élvezik, azok nem olvasták el azt, amit a mightytips lovi szakértői írtak a lóversenyek és fogadások kapcsolatáról. Egyértelművé tetté, hogy a lóverseny egy olyan sport, amely a zsoké nagyszerű képességeiről szól. Ezek a képességek és a magas adrenalinszint váltja ki azt az izgalmat, ami az embereket arra készteti, hogy egy bizonyos ló győzelmére fogadjanak.”
The sport is fun-filled and competitive; something that attracts people who are not afraid to take risks. This is even made clear by horse racing movies which give credit to both the jockey and the rider. Jockey is in it to win and emerge the best out of the skills that he or she has put to guide the winning horse. Financial gains may be involved in different types of horse racing but it is not all about money, even if you do not involve monetary gains riding a horse will still need some skills, and that is what makes it a sport. The most skilled jockey will ride a horse in the right direction and at a speed that will make it a winner.
Training
The argument that the horse puts all effort into is far from the truth, the jockey is the most important party in the race.
- He or she plays an important role; it is not the same as taking a slow canter along a road.
- The jockey puts in a tremendous effort to help the horse move in the intended direction.
- Pair this with skills to bear down and catch up with an opponent, this gives you an adrenaline-filled task.
- One move in the wrong direction not only leads to losing the race but can mean a disaster to the jockey.
Those who have a contrary opinion fail to see the beauty of athletes and their horses pairing up and working as a team to achieve a hard-earned victory. Some call it a partnership between man and the beast, terming it as a sport of kings. They do not refer to horse racing as such for nothing, it is out of the superior cooperation that horse and jockey portray, each aiming at victory.
Seeing it any other way is erring, the several horse racing podcast that covers the event could not be praising a game that harms animals and likewise, horse racing outfits could not be carrying images that do not give satisfaction to all parties. Just to remind the naysayers, a horse is not an animal to force into something; its massive weight can scare even the mightiest of humans. The horses are into racing as they enjoy the game, they are excited as people who wager to see their favorite horse take the day.
Taking horse racing as a sport provides fans and people who are thrilled by adrenaline-filled activity with entertainment and a way to make money out of betting activities. For horses to be part of the game they must be well taken care of, regulations regarding how they should be treated ensure that no horse is mistreated. Being one of the oldest sporting activities and the fact it is still popular up-to-date means, it will not be waning any time in the future.