In horse racing, a furlong is a unit of distance equal to one-eighth of a mile, or 220 yards. Races shorter than a mile are measured in furlongs, while longer races are typically measured in miles. A half-mile race, for instance, will be listed as "four furlongs" in a racing program. The term "furlong" comes from the Old English word for "furrow," which was defined as the distance that could be plowed by a horse in one day. Here are some common horse racing distances in furlongs and miles:
- 1 Furlong = 1/8 mile
- 2 Furlongs = 1/4 mile
- 4 Furlongs = 1/2 mile
- 5 Furlongs = 5/8 mile
- 6 Furlongs = 3/4 mile
- 7 Furlongs = 7/8 mile
- 8 Furlongs = 1 mile
- 9 Furlongs = 1 1/8 miles
- 10 Furlongs = 1 1/4 miles
- 12 Furlongs = 1 1/2 miles
On average, a horse can run one furlong in just 12 seconds.
