Handicapping is an important term to understand in horse racing, because it has a couple of applicable meanings. First, as it has to do with betting, horse racing handicapping refers to the various methods of calculating a horse's chances for success in a race. Almost anyone can handicap a horse race, but to do so accurately and consistently is an entirely different question.

The other sort of handicapping that is sometimes practiced in horse racing is a way of compensating for advantages or differences in the horse racing field. The horses are assigned an impost, a specific amount of additional weight they must carry. The weight is added in the form of lead weights, which the jockey carries in a saddle bag.

The method by which the race organizer determines the size of the weights given to each horse takes into account several factors, including the horse and the jockey. If the horse is particularly fast, or the jockey light, the horse will be given additional weight. In this way, the competition is made as even as possible, and no horse should have a competitive advantage.

Despite the challenge of horse racing handicapping, it can produce close and exciting races. The other kind of handicapping, whereby a bettor seeks to mark and rank horses on his own, is difficult but useful when betting on horse racing. To maximize your returns, be sure to wager with VIPhorses.com, the premiere internet site for horse racing.