Popular And Common Myths About Horse Racing

Just like any sport, amateur and professional horse racing is no stranger to myths and misconceptions. It’s always been a part of the sporting world, and it doesn’t take much for a simple myth to quickly spiral out of control until it’s believed to be a truth about the sport.

Most of the time these myths are harmless, but sometimes they can alter the decisions of a person putting a wager down on a race, causing them to lose more money than they can afford to. For this reason, these are some of the most common myths in horse racing and why they are wrong.

Betting On Grey Horses

It’s a very common myth among bettors to always opt for grey horses when they are racing on a rainy day. It’s a myth that has been circulating for decades, and one that many bettors believe in full. One of the reasons for this is that many people believe that grey horses are “mudders”, or horses that can easily traverse mud after or during a rain. This is, of course, not true at all, and all horses will perform the same on a wet and muddy track.

White-Footed Horses

Another extremely popular myth is the belief that a horse with one white foot is more likely to win the race. It’s believed that this part of the “winning” gene and displays itself visually as the horse having a single white foot.

For those that don’t subscribe to this myth, they will know that genes are incredibly complex, and there’s no way that a specific gene would always make a fast horse have a single white foot. Trainers and breeders spend their lives selecting the right horse for the job based on their lineage rather than their aesthetic appearance, and it’s similar in many ways to the superstitious beliefs often found among those that enjoy playing at online casinos in Singapore.

All Jockeys Are Height Restricted

One myth that most people might be surprised to learn is completely untrue is that there is a specific height restriction on jockeys. Most jockeys tend to be short, around 5 feet tall, and it’s believed that there is a physical restriction on their height, and if they are too tall, they are not able to compete professionally. In fact, there is a restriction on their weight, as this is what has the biggest impact on the performance on the animal; and those that tend to be of a much lighter weight are also often much shorter as a result.

Thoroughbreds Are Difficult To Train

There’s something of a romantic notion that the popular Thoroughbred is a wild and untameable animal that requires a special kind of trainer in order to get on the track. This is a fallacy, as part of what has led to the success of the Thoroughbred is racing is their easy trainability and steady temperament. On average, a Thoroughbred is usually quite calm and can focus on their training much more efficiently than most other breeds.

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