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More often, winning distances are merely a fraction of a length, such as half a length. In
British horse racing, the distances between horses are calculated by converting the time between them into lengths by a scale of lengths-per-second. The actual number of lengths-per-second varies according to
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Distances smaller than that are similarly described in reference to the equine body with terms such as a "neck", and a "head", a "short head" or "nose", the smallest possible named advantage by which a horse can win. In
Ireland a margin of more than 30 lengths is described as a "distance". In the
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the type of race and the going conditions. For example, in a flat turf race run on good going, a value of six lengths-per-second is used; in a national hunt race on heavy going, where horses are assumed to be moving more slowly, the value is four lengths-per-second.
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United
Kingdom, the maximum recognised distance is 99 lengths, with anything over this being referred to as "99+ lengths". In France the term "short neck" is used for a margin intermediate between a head and a neck.
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to mark that winning margin; using
Equibase's official measurement of a length—8 feet 2 inches (2.49 m)—the pole was placed 253 feet 2 inches (77.17 m) from the finish line.
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61:, where it describes the distance between horses in a race. Horses may be described as winning by several lengths, as in the notable example of
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as well. It is particularly useful as a guide for riders in spacing animals apart when a number of them are all together in a riding
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Unit of measurement for the length of a horse from nose to tail; approximately 240 cm
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In reporting result of horse races winning margins are commonly abbreviated:
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370:"How long is a length? It's a bit like a piece of string"
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from nose to tail, approximately 8 feet (2.4 m).
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finishing margins are typically measured in meters.
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284:Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting
343:"NYRA Places Secretariat Belmont Margin Pole"
103:These terms are used in other disciplines of
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73:placed a blue-and-white checkered pole at
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295:Glossary of North American horse racing
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290:List of unusual units of measurement
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318:"Glossary of Horse Racing Terms"
54:The length is commonly used in
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279:Glossary of equestrian terms
131:United States Abbreviations
69:by 31 lengths. In 2013, the
247:Three-quarters of a length
176:Three quarters of a length
71:New York Racing Association
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408:Horse racing terminology
186:European Abbreviations
111:such as during group
286:(horse-racing terms)
42:for the length of a
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67:1973 Belmont Stakes
50:Use in horse racing
40:unit of measurement
382:on 9 December 2017
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113:riding instruction
18:Nose (horseracing)
322:Daily Racing Form
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16:(Redirected from
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378:. Archived from
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413:Units of length
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347:The Blood Horse
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349:. June 7, 2013
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239:Half a length
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168:Half a length
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86:Other measures
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65:, who won the
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194:Abbreviation
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139:Abbreviation
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123:Abbreviations
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105:equestrianism
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384:. Retrieved
380:the original
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351:. Retrieved
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327:November 26,
325:. Retrieved
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93:Harness race
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75:Belmont Park
59:horse racing
56:Thoroughbred
53:
35:
34:, or simply
32:horse length
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375:Racing Post
368:Kerr, Tom.
255:One length
223:Short neck
207:Short head
63:Secretariat
402:Categories
386:8 December
301:References
117:horse show
99:Other uses
263:Distance
353:June 25,
273:See also
115:or at a
191:Margin
136:Margin
38:, is a
36:length
231:Neck
215:Head
199:Nose
160:Neck
152:Head
144:Nose
109:arena
44:horse
388:2017
355:2020
329:2018
266:dst
226:snk
202:nse
179:3/4
171:1/2
258:1L
250:¾L
242:½L
234:nk
218:hd
210:sh
163:nk
155:hd
147:ns
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372:.
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309:^
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30:A
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20:)
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