Harness Racing

Harness racing is a form of horse-racing in which the horses race in a specified gait. They also usually pull two-wheeled carts called sulkies, although races to saddle are still occasionally conducted.

In most jurisdictions, harness races are restricted to standard-bred horses although cold-blooded horses are raced in Scandinavia. Standardbreds are so called because in the early years of the Standardbred stud book only horses who could trot or pace a mile in a standard time, or whose progeny could do so, were entered into the book.

Standardbreds have proportionally shorter legs than thoroughbreds and longer bodies. They also are of more placid dispositions, as suits horses whose races involve more strategy and more re-acceleration than do thoroughbred races.

Gaits

Races are conducted in two gaits. In continental Europe all harness races are conducted between trotters. A trotter's forelegs move in tandem with the opposite hind legs, that is, when the right foreleg moves forward so does the left hind leg, and vice versa. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States races are also held for pacers. Pacers' forelegs move in tandem with the hind legs on the same side.

Lineage

The founding sire of today's Standardbred horse was Messenger, a grey thoroughbred brought to America in 1788 and then purchased by Henry Astor, brother of John Jacob Astor. From Messenger, came a great-grandson, Hambletonian 10 (1849-1876), who gained a wide following for his racing prowess. However, it is his breed line that he is most remembered for. From Hambletonian 10's four sons, the lineage of virtually all American Standardbred race horses can be traced.

Races

Pacing races constitute 80% to 90% of the harness races conducted in North America. The horses are faster and, most important to the bettor, less likely to break stride (a horse that starts to gallop must be slowed down and taken to the outside until it regains stride). One of the reasons pacers are less likely to break stride is that they often wear hopples or hobbles, straps which connect the legs on each of the horse's sides. The belief that hobbles are used to create this gait is a misconception. The pace is a natural gait, and hobbles are merely an accessory to support the pace at top speed, which also ensures safer races.

Most harness races start from behind a motorised starting gate. The horses line up behind a hinged gate mounted on a motor vehicle which then takes them to the starting line. At the starting line the wings of the gate are folded up and the vehicle accelerates away from the horses. Some European races start without a gate.

The sulky (informally known as a bike) is a light two-wheeled cart equipped with bicycle wheels. The driver carries a long, light whip, which is chiefly used to signal the horse by tapping and to make noise by striking the sulky shaft.

Almost all North American races are at a distance of on...