One furlong equals one eighth of a mile. A race in which the horses are assigned different amounts of weight to carry, according to their respective abilities and past performances. In theory, the purpose is to have all horses reach the finish line at the same time. A horse that has never won a race. A foam-rubber roll, covered with green canvas, is placed on the takeoff side.
Horses jump the fence in stride, much like human hurdlers in track and field events.
A horse in the early stages of its steeplechase career. Novice races are held at many meets, to give horses experience over hurdles before they compete with more-seasoned jumpers. The NSA, founded in 1895, is the governing body for steeplechase racing in the United States. Based in Fair Hill, MD, the NSA sanctions, takes entries, approves officials, and inspects courses. The NSA licenses all participants and keeps official statistics.