Horse racing colours in Great Britain

The colours serve, as heraldry in its earliest form on the battlefield, as a "recognition device"[3] to enable spectators to identify and differentiate racing horses at a distance.

Since regulations made in 1970, permissible designs are limited in scope, style and to 18 standard colours (before 2017), and also take account of international agreements between various international controlling bodies of horse racing, counterparts to the BHA,[3] for example the French France Galop (formerly the Société d’Encouragement des Races des Chevaux, founded in 1833).

[citation needed] Such traditional events are still held on town streets and are known for furious riding and the colourful spectacle they offer,[4] for example the Palio di Siena.

In 1762 the second order made by the Jockey Club stipulated that the riders must wear the colours of their patrons "for the greater conveniency of distinguishing the horses in running, as also for the prevention of disputes".

[3] Other heraldic designs are reflected in racing colours as follows: bend sinister (sash); saltire (cross belts); chequy (check); roundels (spots); mullets (stars); per pale (halved); quarterly (quartered); per saltire (diabolo); lozenges (diamonds);[3] paly (striped); barry (hooped); fess dancetty (chevron hoop).