Do racehorses even know they're 'racing' each other? It’s unlikely

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Do racehorses even know they're 'racing' each other? It’s unlikely
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Do horses even know they are in a race, let alone have a desire to win it? Do they understand what it means when their nose is the first one to pass the post?

When racing season arrives, everyone becomes an expert on the horses that are the stars of the spectacle.But do horses even know they are in a race, let alone have a desire to win it? Do they understand what it means when their nose is the first one to pass the post?

This synchronisation includes maintaining similar speeds to other group members , being alert to the positions of their own body and their neighbours' to avoid collisions, and adapting their speed to the terrain and environmental cues that indicate upcoming danger or obstacles. In the wild, "winning" — that is, arriving first, long before other group members — could even be a negative, exposing the "winner" to an increased risk of predation.

During the early stages of a race, jockeys rely on horses' innate desire to remain with the group to ensure they maintain the physical effort required to keep in touch with the front runners. This tendency may then be overruled so the horse will act independently of the group, leave it behind and come to the front to hopefully win.

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