Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in history that dates back to ancient Greece. However, over the years the sport has changed a lot. Nowadays, thanks to technology equestrian sports are being reshaped for a more enjoyable performance.
Technology has impacted almost every sport on the planet, but it seems like it made the biggest difference in horse racing.
But what are the biggest tech innovations that reshaped this sport?
Well, for starters the sport is now more accessible to everyone in the world, safer for the jockeys and horses, and more entertaining thanks to a complex betting system.
Let’s go through some of the biggest tech innovations that made horse racing what it is today.
Keeping Horses Safe
Safety is the number one factor in every sport. Despite the fact that we are talking about animals, organizations and tech companies have found a way to make horse racing safer. Thanks to technology, we can determine the current state of horses and decide whether or not they need some health assistance.
Technology is now used to identify the fences sooner, which reduced fallers in big races such as the Grand National.
Technology is also used to adapt courses and ensure the best possible design and conditions, which ensures the safety of the jockeys and horses involved.
After the race, every horse is scanned on a thermal camera just to make sure that the heat of the horse isn’t reaching serious levels. Additionally, there are on-court X-ray machines that can help identify injuries on horses immediately.
Betting
One of the biggest differences when it comes to horse racing is betting. Horse racing is widely popular just because of its unpredictable nature and betting activities where you can earn a lot of money.
Even in the olden days, horse races were primarily organized by the local bookmakers as a way for them to earn money.
Nowadays, thanks to technology horse betting are available on every corner of the map. There are many online betting websites such as TwinSpires. They specialize on Triple Crown events – click here to learn more – but they offer you a ton of betting options on every horse race on the planet.
You no longer have to be at the trackside to make a wager, nor you’ll have to go to your local bookmaker. Thanks to the speed of the internet, even though the race only lasts a couple of minutes, you can still place live bets and possibly earn a lot of money.
Education
The bond between the jockey and the horse is much deeper than people think. However, the modern era has brought some benefits thanks to technological advancements. Tech is here to help rookie riders to achieve their dream and participate in some of the biggest horse races on the planet.
One of the best ways you can use technology for training is virtual reality. There are many first-person games and simulators where you can’t tell the difference from real life.
Data is also becoming very useful in terms of education. Nowadays, you can easily conclude the best training or tactic to use in race-based on results from previous matches.
This is an excellent piece of technology that has a positive effect on novice jockeys.
Photo-Finish
Horse racing is a fast-paced sport where there is a lot of close-up action. The real trouble was determining the winner. That’s why even in the olden day’s race organizers decided to use cameras to capture the final moments of the race.
Today’s technology used for photo-finish is much more advanced. Races like the Kentucky Derby use Lynx high-speed cameras that are accurate to 1/1,000th of a second or (.001) or greater.
This precision of FinishLynx technology has made it the gold standard for pari-mutual racing results.
Final Words
These are some of the biggest technological advancements in the history of horse racing. The best thing about this technology is that it makes the sport more enjoyable for the people watching.
We expect even more changes in the future as new technology emerges.
