Why Are The Horses Not In Stalls?

Question

What type of races are they when horses are not in stalls? At the start you just see them running? Also sometimes the favourite might be the first 1 running and the outsiders are just turning around when he has already started running. Surely this is a major disadvantage for the outsiders

Answer 1

As has been said you were probably watching a National Hunt (or jumps) race  - a NH race can be either a hurdle race, a steeplechase, or a "bumper" race (a flat race run under NH rules).

All I would add to the above answers is that you do get some flat races started without stalls - these are "flag starts".  They usually take place because there is something wrong with the stalls or because the layout of the course means that the stalls cannot be moved to that part of the course - I have seen this fairly often in Ireland.

Answer 2

one of the main reasons they are not in stalls is just the size of the animal.a national hunt 3 mile chaser is a large animal and stalls would have to be made bigger just for that type and that is not economicaly viable.Another reason is that because they are jumping fences that plays a major part in the outcome of a race.as many as 4 lengths can be gained or lost at each fence so a level start is not that important-whereas in flat racing it is all about speed so a level break has more significance.

Answer 3

Jump races don't start from in the starting stalls.  It isn't a disadvantage because those races are longer and it is usually jumping ability and stamina not speed that counts.

Answer 4

That's National Hunt (ie: over fences), i wondered this before and i just guess that as these races are 2-3 miles long, (rather than in a flat race which is relatively much shorter), a few yards at the start doesn't make too much difference by the end.

Answer 5

Steeplechasers do not start races in the starting gate- they just line up behind the web and wait for the flag to drop. Likewise, horses in timber races, point to point races, and hunter paces do not start races this way either, because these races are much longer than their flat race counterparts, and the speeds are somewhat slower until just before the end of the race. Trotters and pacers start behind a mobile starting gate, to allow them to build up enough speed for the race before they start.

Answer 6

You mean a "Starting Gate"...also the trotters and pacers don't use a  standing gate, but a moving folding gate.