What Is A Furlong, and How Long Is It? History, Facts & FAQs

The world of horseracing is filled with unique terminology, with ‘furlong’ being one such term that often raises eyebrows.

Rooted in the rich tapestry of equine history, a furlong holds great significance in the measurement of horse racing distances. But what exactly is a furlong, and how long is it in more familiar terms?

n this deep dive, we unravel the origins of this unit of measurement, its relevance in the racing industry today, and how it compares to the lengths and distances we encounter in our everyday lives.

What Is A Furlong?

A furlong is a unit of length in the imperial and U.S. customary systems equal to one-eighth of a mile, or 220 yards, 660 feet, ⅛ of a mile, and 0.2 kilometers. It is most commonly used in horse racing, where it is the standard unit of measurement for race lengths.

Furlongs are also sometimes used in agriculture to measure rural field lengths and distances.

The word “furlong” comes from the Old English word “furh,” which means “furrow.” In the Middle Ages, a furlong was the length of a furrow that could be plowed by a team of oxen in one day.

Today, furlongs are rarely used outside of horse racing and agriculture. However, they are still a recognized unit of measurement in the imperial and U.S. customary systems.

For reference, the white signs in the image below are the furlong markers. The furlong markers count down to 1. When a jockey or horse passes the ‘1’ furlong sign, they have one furlong left to the finish line.

History of the Term Furlong

The word furlong comes from the Old English word ‘furlang.’ It is a combination of the two words ‘furh’ and ‘lang’ that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.

Furh translates to furrow, which is a type of trench made in a field by a plow and lang translates to length. So, originally the term was used to describe the distance of a trench across one acre of land in a ten-acre field.

Due to the weight and challenge of pulling a plow, oxen would often have to stop and take breaks from plowing. So, a furlong became the distance a team of oxen could plow without needing to rest.

During this same time, an acre was measured in width by one furlong long and one chain. Due to this, a furlong was once also known as an acre’s length. However, unlike in the past, an acre can now be of any shape.

The measurement of furlong is historically viewed as the equivalent to the Roman measurement of a stade (stadium). However, the two measurements are not exactly equal.

A stade is equal to ⅛ of a Roman mile, however, this does not translate to ⅛ of an English mile. A stade equals only 625 English feet, compared to the furlong which is 660 feet.

Then, when horseracing became a sport in England during the 1500s, the furlong became the choice of measurement.

The measurement stuck with and though miles and kilometers are used today, you will still see the use of the furlong measurement in racing. In fact, some races will be measured in both miles and furlongs, such as The Grand National, which is 4 miles, 2 ½ furlongs in length.

Though furlong is still a unit of measurement in horse races around the world, it is no longer used officially elsewhere in England.

In 1985, the furlong, along with other traditional units of measurements, was abolished under the Weights and Measures Act in the United Kingdom.

Furlong in the Bible

The word furlong is also found in the Bible as a form of measurement. However, it is a slightly different length than the English measurement.

The furlong measurement in the Bible refers to the Greek measure of length. In Ancient Greece, a furlong was equivalent to 600 Greek feet, which is equal to 606 ¾ English feet. An English furlong is equivalent to 660 feet, making it longer than the Ancient Greek equivalent.

Furlong Measurements Outside of Horseracing

Though once a common form of measurement, a furlong is almost obsolete outside of horseracing. However, there are still a few areas in the world that do use furlong as a form of measurement.

In the country of Myanmar, furlongs are used in conjunction with miles on highway signs. In some English canals navigated by narrowboats, distances are measured in furlongs and miles. Horse races in the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Ireland measure races in miles and furlongs.

Horse Racing World Record Times for Different Furlongs

Many horseracing world records are measured in furlongs, yards, or miles. Though most Thoroughbred races are between 8 to 10 furlongs, records are often recorded at each furlough during the race.

One Furlong

The world record for the fastest time at one furlong belongs to a Quarter horse by the name of Travel Plan. Travel Plan set the world record at one furlong (220 yards) at 11:493 seconds in 2009 at Los Alamitos Racecourse.

Though Thoroughbreds are known for being the fastest racehorses, Quarter Horses are the fastest horse breed over a quarter of a mile. So, it is not surprising that a Quarter horse holds a world record for the fastest time of one furlong.

Two Furlongs

The world record for a distance over two furlongs belongs to the Thoroughbred Drip Brew, who set a record time of 19.93 seconds. The record was set at Prairie Meadows Track in 2020.

Three Furlongs

In 2005, the Thoroughbred Eclat set the record for three furlongs with a time of 31.01 seconds. Eclat set the record at Remington Park.

Four Furlongs

The Thoroughbred Oklahoma Natural set a world record at four furlongs with a time of 43.20 seconds. Oklahoma Natural set the record at Fair Meadows in 2012.

Five Furlongs

Coming in with the record for five furlongs is Chinook Pass, with a time of 55.⅕ seconds. Ridden by the legendary jockey Laffit A. Pincay, Jr., the Thoroughbred set the record in 1982 at Longacres Track.

Six Furlongs

The world record for the fastest six furlongs horse race time is 1:06.49 set by Twin Sparks. The Thoroughbred set the record in 2009 at Turf Paradise Track.

Seven Furlongs

The horse racing world record for the fastest seven furlongs belongs to Rich Cream and Time to Explode, with a time of 1:19.⅖. Both Thoroughbreds set the record at Hollywood Park, with Rich Cream doing it in 1980 and Time to Explode in 1982.