hurdle race, horse race over a course on which a number of obstacles, called hurdles, must be jumped. Hurdle racing, a kind of preparation for steeplechasing, originated in England and Ireland in the 18th century and by the second half of the 20th century had spread to Commonwealth countries, Europe, and the eastern United States. Its hurdles are light and movable and are lower than steeplechase fences. There are usually at least six jumps in the first 1 1/2 miles (2,400 metres) of a hurdle race, then one in each succeeding quarter-mile (400 metres). The less challenging hazards allow racers to maintain a faster pace than in steeplechasing.