Horse racing is a global sport that continues to capture the imagination of millions of fans around the world. It has many enduring traditions, from the ceremonial pageantry of major events to the passionate fan base that rallies behind horses in need. The sport also offers a unique blend of Western and Asian cultures, where people come together in celebration of their shared passion for the horses.
The most famous horse races are the major international events, such as Royal Ascot in England or the Kentucky Derby in the United States. These marquee events have long been renowned for their elegance, with spectators dressing in elaborate hats and sipping mint juleps. These events are often considered as much about social status as they are about the races themselves. The races are usually over flat distances, with sprints requiring speed and longer distances requiring stamina.
Although horse races have been a popular form of entertainment for centuries, they have been criticized for their inhumane treatment of the horses. These criticisms have led to increased regulation of the industry and improvements in animal welfare. This increased attention has been beneficial for the horses, as it has resulted in reduced stress and improved health. However, these changes have been slow to take effect. In addition, the economic decline of the racing industry has led to a loss of fans, revenue, and race days.
In order to understand the causes of these trends, scholars have studied how the media frames political campaigns and elections as a horse race. They have found that when the media focuses on the competition between frontrunners and underdogs, relying heavily on public opinion polls, instead of discussing policy issues, they are engaging in horse-race reporting.
This research examines how key thoroughbred industry and animal advocacy informants conceptualise naturalness within the context of common racing practices that have implications for the welfare of these animals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the informants, who were presented with four images of thoroughbreds on race day.
The research found that industry informants tend to use assumptions of the natural behaviour and mental expressions of thoroughbreds to justify controlling measures they implement, and to downplay the impact these measures have on the horses’ welfare. In contrast, the animal advocacy informants tended to emphasise human-horse interactions and routine training as the main areas of concern in racing.
The findings of this research suggest that a focus on horse-race reporting can contribute to a perception of politics as a competitive game and may be harmful to voters, candidates and the news industry. Moreover, it can obscure important policy debates and make it difficult for journalists to assess the merits of competing proposals. Lastly, the research points to the need for further investigation of third-party political candidates and probabilistic forecasting in election coverage.