Horse & Dog Harness v. Thoroughbred

[Roseanne]

Do you have a preference when it comes to horse racing? I like harness racing myself. I think it's exciting to watch the drivers on the sulkies fighting the power of the horse to keep them on pace without breaking.

 

[bienamie]

Is harness racing the one where the horses pull a two-wheeled cart?

I have only watched this on TV but it looks like it would be exciting to be in a real race.

 

[Smokey]

Is harness racing the one where the horses pull a two-wheeled cart?

I have only watched this on TV but it looks like it would be exciting to be in a real race.

That's it, bienamie. The cart is called a sulky and there are two types of racing in the harness world - trotter and pacers. In either case, if the horse begins to lope (or gallop), it's called breaking and they have to go to the back of the field. It is pretty exciting, in my opinion.

 

[shaqque]

I am hearing about harness racing for the very first time. Don't the carts (or sulkies) literally slow down the horses considering they are fast animals?

I am only used to the normal horse races but I now see how diversity can come in different forms.

 

[Roseanne]

Well, the thing is, Shaqque, they aren't allowed to break pace from their trot, so however fast they can trot is how fast they are allowed to go. Standardbreds (the type of horse used in harness racing) aren't as broad as, say, a quarter horse, but they are very strong nevertheless. The sulkies are made to be very light and drivers are typically small, broad-shouldered men, so they aren't really pulling as much weight as you might think.

 

[maxspencer90]

Roseanne, thanks for that clarification. I have not been to such a race before but your description now gives a very clear picture of what's involved.

What I know about Standardbreds is that they are best suited for harness racing. Is it that they have more endurance in comparison to the quarter horses?

 

[Smokey]

I'll chime in here and say that standardbreds don't have the endurance of quarter horses. Quarter horses are much more powerful animals, but a standardbred can hold a fast trot comfortably for at least a mile.

 

[bienamie]

Going through this thread, I am now looking forward to attending a harness racing event.
I guess it's livelier and interesting when in a real race, as opposed to watching from the TV. How popular is this kind of race?