Horse racing keeps growing in popularity. The spectator and racegoer numbers and betting statistics are continually pointing to growth, despite criticism from animal rights groups. To give them their dues, the racing community has worked hard to make horse racing safer for jockeys and horses.
They have, for instance, reduced the fence height of some jumps at the Grand National, and efforts to reduce the occurrence of accidents continue. Proponents of the sport point out that animal rights advocates would ultimately like to ban horse racing altogether, knowing well that this is a highly unlikely scenario. Indeed, animal rights activist continually call for the Grand National to be abolished. Sadly, horses have been put down following falls at this great big race. Nevertheless, the Grand National and horse racing, in general, attract huge crowds and the horse racing industry is alive and thriving.
The Attraction of Horse racing
Just why horse racing is so popular comes down to a number of factors:
The Social Aspect of Going to the Races
Going to the races is as much about socializing as it is about watching the races or placing bets. Lots of people simply go to dress up and socialize, some may never even watch one single race. There is always plenty of entertainment options and special events like Ladies Day are enormously popular.
The Beauty of the Horse Race
Many people love watching thoroughbreds compete because of the beauty and power or these horses. Responding to the concern of animal rights activists, jockeys, trainers, and owners insist that race horses are treated like royalty. Owners will go so far as to build large and comfortable stables for their horses, taking as much care with it as they would if they themselves were going to live in it. They often hire expert builders, like Scotts (or a professional of a similarly high repute) to construct these equestrian buildings. Furthermore, animal experts insist that horses like to assert their position in “the herd” and therefore may even enjoy competing against each other.
Off and Online Betting
Betting makes watching a horse race all the more exciting. Both in Britain and Ireland, horse racing and betting are exceedingly popular. Practically each and every town and village, even the smallest, have a bookmaker’s, usually open seven days a week. The racing action in both countries is excellent, and you can watch many of the events on site or on TV. For some people, horse racing is a hobby, regular gamblers become quite proficient in studying all the different stats and picking a winner. We say, never miss the biggest betting races in the UK and Ireland – William Hill, the famous bookmaker will tell you exactly what horse to pick and how to win a few dollars.
The Horse Racing Industry – Great for the Economy
The horse racing industry in Britain and Ireland provide plenty of jobs and pays into the coffers of the national economy through the betting tax. Both nations would sorely miss horse racing revenue and therefore, the political system in Ireland and Britain continue to support the horse racing industry as well as possible.
The popularity of horse racing has only increased since the emergence of the countless online horse race betting website. No doubt, horse racing is big business, but it’s also a pastime for a great number of people.
