The Transformation of Horse Racing Through Digital Innovation

There are a wide variety of sporting events that have been changed by the advent of technology, and one of those is horse racing. Featuring majestically graceful beings, we really can’t blame the continued interest in the modern era. However, let’s take a deeper look into just how much it has transformed below.

Source: Unsplash

The Evolution of Horse Riding and Racing

The exact date when horse racing was started has been unfortunately lost to time. As it stands, the evidence we have points to horseback riding starting in Kazakhstan, Central Asia. This is credited to be the birthplace of horse husbandry, starting approximately 5,500 years ago. However, the earliest evidence we have of horse racing is the ones held in the Olympic Games of Greece in 700–40 BCE.

Currently, it’s hypothesised that organised horse racing started in Asia, however, there’s no established evidence as of yet. What we do know is that it spread into mediaeval England sometime in 1189-1199. But it was under the reign of Charles II that this became more commonplace, in 1660-1685. From then on it spread all over Europe and basically remained unchanged until the advent of modern technology.

The most drastic change in this field has been the addition of virtual horse racing. If you haven’t heard of this subsection of horse racing, well, it basically combines live horse racing with online gaming. Here, you get to enjoy an entirely simulated horse race in a digital environment thanks to the use of CGI along with sophisticated algorithms.

Since this type of horse racing is virtual, online platforms can run them 24/7, with virtual horse results easily accessible on the designated sites. This has ensured that there’s always something new to view for fans of the sport.

Digital Innovations in Horse Racing

The most obvious impact has been on how people can now enjoy horse racing. Now, live streams of this sport have become commonplace, transmitted both on sporting TV channels along with relevant apps. This has made the sport more accessible to the general population, ensuring its longevity. In addition, fans can review the data pertaining to the horses’ performance and jockey statistics.

Moreover, a big aspect of this sport is gambling, so the ability to take a look into the insights on performance has made it easier to make informed decisions. Plus, long gone are the days when they’d be using human bookies, instead, they can now set wagers online via designated platforms. Here, fans of horse racing can peruse the available betting options in real time using a variety of devices, including their phones.

Horse racing was originally heavily tied to the elite, but nowadays, social media platforms have allowed regular enthusiasts to connect and create communities surrounding horse racing. Here, you can typically see fans of the field share valuable information, discuss strategies, and more. And while VR horse racing is still being developed, the future of this branch is set to be a bright one as virtual reality headsets become more affordable, elevating the immersivity of viewers who can’t enjoy a race live.

Source: Unsplash

So, that’s a wrap on one of the oldest sports in the world. From the way we enjoy horse racing to the digitisation of the sport and more, we can clearly see that there’s already been plenty of change due to digital innovation. And since it only spent a short period of its lifespan under technology’s wing, we’re excited to see what’s next for this sector.