A horse race is an organized betting event featuring thoroughbred horses that are ridden by jockeys on an oval track, and the results of the race are often determined by the speed and skill of the riders. The term horse race also can be applied to other competitions that involve a close, highly competitive contest, as in a political election.

When journalists covering elections focus primarily on who’s in the lead or behind instead of policy issues—what’s known as “horse race coverage”—voters, candidates and the news industry itself suffer, a growing body of research suggests. This updated roundup examines some of the consequences of this common journalistic practice.

In 1897, the Jockey Club—the breed registry for thoroughbreds—called upon the federal government to put an end to juicing, which it described as “a reprehensible practice that results in cruelty to horses.” The government responded with the Jersey Act of 1913, which disqualified Thoroughbreds from prestigious races if they had any infusion of American sprinting blood.

This was a time of great change in horse racing, as the popularity of American racing grew, and horses started to compete for prize money. A new breed of trotters began to emerge in the United States and the sport became less reliant on pure speed and more focused on stamina, and this shift helped make harness racing America’s most popular spectator sport.

For years, it was common to see racehorses break down during a race in full view of an audience that had just been cheering for them. They could lose their balance or their leg; they might buck under the strain, sometimes in front of thousands of fans who had been rooting for them just moments before. Those were the days before racing was regulated and horse welfare became a priority for owners, trainers, and jockeys.

These days, horses are more likely to be injured in the stables and in training than on the tracks. But the grueling regimen of a race still takes a toll on the animals. Injuries like the aforementioned condylar fractures are not uncommon, and can be caused by overtraining or the use of harsh medications.

The stress of competing in a horse race can make them more likely to develop laminitis, an incurable and painful condition that causes the front legs of a horse to become sore, weak, and prone to rot and disease. The condition is exacerbated by the high levels of sweat that horse racers experience when they compete.

In the past, the condition was referred to as a “horse’s disease,” but it is now more commonly called Equine Laminitis. In addition to the obvious health concerns, the disease can lead to mental problems in horses that can affect their ability to perform in the show ring or be retrained for other jobs. For these reasons, the condition has been banned in many jurisdictions worldwide, and even the big budget HBO series Luck—which was set in the world of horse racing—was canceled after the third horse was euthanized during production.