How to Follow Horse Racing Terminology

Like most industries, horse racing has its own terminology, and to follow it requires involvement, education and patience. Some of the terms will become familiar quicker than others, depending on how and to what extent you are involved in the industry. However, a good understanding of most betting terms is essential for successful handicappers.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn the main terms relating to horses, jockeys and their actions. Know that bobble refers to a horse starting out bad from the gate, and a horse is checked when the jockey pulls up the horse for a moment because he's cornered.

    • 2

      Purchase "Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies" by Richard Eng from the Dummies website (see Resources below). It can be a handy reference until you are comfortable with all the frequently used terms.

    • 3

      Browse online horse racing glossaries. The one on the Daily Racing Form website is authoritative (see Resources below). You can use these glossaries as a source of learning as well as for a reference point when you come across a new term.

    • 4

      Read up on the wagering terms like daily double, quinella, exacta, trifecta and superfecta. Follow through with the meaning of terms like box a horse, wheel a horse and key a horse.

    • 5

      Subscribe to a horse racing magazine, like the "Blood-Horse" on the BloodHorse website (see Resources below). Each article in this magazine will teach you a few more terms. The advantage of using such a resource is that you will be learning terminology in context, learning not only the raw meaning of the each word, but also seeing how and when insiders use it.

    • 6

      Join wagering groups, especially those in which there are some experienced players. The more experienced the player is, the more filled with jargon his talk is likely to be. Even though you might occasionally feel lost with all the new terms, this is a great way to get up to speed with horse racing terminology.

    • 7

      Participate in online communities and read horse racing blogs. Online discussions are packed with slang and abbreviations.

    • 8

      Start wagering. If you don't feel you are ready, you don't have to wager actual money. Go through the process and manage your wagering on paper. This process helps you follow the terminology, learn the handicapping process and build up your confidence to start betting with real money.