Ban’ei Horse Racing Episode 2

Ban’ei Horse Racing, a one of a kind and unprecedented horse race. The highlight of this race are the two obstacles, one is 1 meter and the other is 1.7 meters, that the horses overcome. The horses cut a brave figure as they clench their teeth to overcome these obstacles, and for the spectators, they clench their fists tightly as well. This is because this race has not one horse that overtakes another without stopping from the start of the race until the horses reach the goal. It is even determined that the jockeys rest the horses before taking them over the obstacles. How long the horses rest is also a part of their strategy, and these rest periods can even be the turning point in a race. No matter how much they use their whips, there are horses that are so tired out that they won’t budge an inch even right before the finish line, as well as horses who are completely exhausted while climbing the obstacles. These races are different from the elegant patterns woven by thoroughbred horses, but that’s what makes the interesting. In the second part, we take a look at the circumstances surrounding the day a race is held.