text: what's different about horse races and chariot races?   it is a horse race. however, in chariot racing ,as the name implies, a horse, or several horses, pulls a cart on wheels (a chariot). this ancient form of racing could be the more modern and civilized predecessor to harness racing. if  you want to see the difference, watch, and compare the following: a thoroughbred race, a harness race (pacers & trotters), and finally ,get the video, "ben-hur" (1959). fast forward to the chariot race.