Why do horses race anticlockwise.?

Question

good luck

Answer 1

They don't always!  European racecourses go left-handed, right-handed, straight, up , down: you name it, we do it!

It is only in America that ALL racetracks run in the same direction: pretty boring if you ask me.

Oh and by the way, the correct term IS anticlockwise, only Americans call it "counterclockwise".  It's the English language after all!

Answer 2

Most races (be it humans, machines or animals) on a circular or oval track run in a counterclockwise direction. The exceptions being the Australian version of NASCAR (AUSCAR) and some European horse tracks.

In the case of American horse racing the reason has less to do with physics and much more to do with politics. In 1780, the first circular US race track was established by William Whitley near his home in Lincoln County, Kentucky. A staunch supporter of the Revolution, Whitley insisted that horses race counterclockwise, as opposed to clockwise as was the custom at the time in England. While some race tracks were slow to adapt (Belmont racetrack in NY actually ran clockwise until 1921), now all racetracks in the US follow Whitney?s patriotic tradition.

Nature is Left-handed. The list of natural phenominium that run counterclockwise is quite impressive. It includes: the molecule structure of amino acids, the shape of seashells, the rotational direction of all the planets (except Venus), and the orbital direction of the earth around the sun.

The list of man made events is even more interesting. Carrousels, windmills (except in Ireland), revolving doors, cable operated airplanes, the usual direction in which people spin Hula Hoops, the running track in Central park, most washer and dryer, baseball runners and Elvis' hips all move counterclockwise.

Answer 3

They think that by going against the direction of the clock, they are time travelling back into the past.

Answer 4

well that isnt true in the uk

over here they race clockwise and anti clockwise

diffirent tracks have diffirent directions

all the best

Ian

Answer 5

anticlockwise...LMAO...do you mean counterclockwise?

Answer 6

I dont know if horseracing runs anticlockwise for the same reason as most race track events.   The reason most athletics races go 'anti' is, I read a long time ago, because it puts less strain on the heart.

Answer 7

Because their left fore and rear legs are shorter than their right side. I thought everybody new that. Sometimes if they are not they shoe the right side of the horse with thicker metal.