For most of the year these youngsters, who are in their first year of racing and often still inexperienced and immature, race against their own age group only. Sex Allowance . When the two meet in mixed company, males carry more weight than females to compensate for the difference in strength between the sexes. It is generally accepted all over the world that weight has a material influence on the performance of a horse. In other words, the further a horse runs, the greater the slow-down effect of weight carried.
Horses usually carry different weights to compensate for differences in ability.
A better horse may have to carry more weight to give his lesser opponents a chance to compete. In South Africa the older, more mature horse will sometimes have to give weight to a younger horse just to compensate for that difference in maturity. In the same way, fillies normally receive weight from colts when they run together in the same race. Each race will have its own conditions which stipulate how the weights to be carried are arrived at. By analysing the results of races, and taking note of the difference in lengths at the finish and the weights carried, it is possible to devise a rating system for horses.