OzVet

Here’s what a racehorse use to have to be fit enough to do:

1. The horses shall run four miles (over undulating terrain, on turf), and the winer shall be recorded.

2. They shall then rub for half an hour.

3. They shall then run a second heat of four miles, and rub for half an hour.

4. They shall then run a final heat of four miles, and the overall winner will be the best two of three.

5. The horses shall carry 80 stone apiece (approximately 160 lbs. –!)

From Dr. Deb Benett’s ‘Ranger Piece”

Most Thoroughbred racehorses these days compete in races that are from .5 to 1.5 miles. Racehorses are started young, and most are in hard training by the time they are 2. However, as they are not physically mature until much, much later, this is incredibly hard on their bodies. Most of today’s racehorses probably couldn’t handle the strenuous races of the past.

Read Part 2