How fit do you need to be as a jockey?

“(Jockeys) need to be strong to be able to control the horse … you need the strength to hold them together,” Turner says. “You need strong legs, particularly when you're pushing them. A strong core is also quite important as then you've got your spine and your pelvis to keep everything in line and in balance.

How fit do you have to be to be a jockey?

A jockey has to have excellent upper‐body strength. Whether it's to settle a keen or horse or ride a finish, it's is a vital component of a rider's fitness. The first test is to hold the press‐up position, with elbows bent at 90 degrees and by the rider's side, for 90 seconds. That is a 100 per cent pass.

What is the weight limit for a jockey?

At Churchill Downs and at similar racetracks around the country, jockeys can't weigh more than 126 pounds with all their equipment on, which usually works out to about 118 pounds of person. Jockeys who ride fillies and apprentice jockeys have to weigh even less than that.

What is the best exercise for a jockey?

Exercises ranging from squats, jump-lunges, burpees through to bear crawls, flutter kicks and single-leg deadlifts are all included. There's even a video to help walk (or run!)

Is being a jockey hard on your body?

The average jockey gets sidelined by injuries about three times a year. A jockey's life off the horse is grueling and, at times, dangerous. The spectre haunting almost every rider is extra weight.

Do you have what it takes to be a top jockey?

Is being a jockey physically hard?

Although the horses are the main athletes in horse racing, the job of the jockeys is also very demanding, and requires a very specific set of physical attributes. Most importantly, horse jockeys need to small and light. They also need good leg strength and flexibility, endurance fitness, and balance and coordination.

What is the max age to be a jockey?

A person has to be a minimum of 16 years old to apply for a jockey license. The oldest jockey to still compete at the highest levels was 58 years old (Bill Shoemaker). The average age in this profession is currently about 40 years old. What is this?

How much do jockeys get paid?

Prize Money

The percentages a jockey receives for a Thoroughbred race range from 5% for a second- or third-place finish to 10% for first place. In less competitive races, the jockey's earnings can be as low as 0.50% for a third-place finish, 1% for placing second and perhaps 6%-10% for first place.

Can jockeys be overweight?

If the rider is too heavy, he may be replaced by another rider, or be permitted to carry 'overweight', which will always be announced on the racecourse before a race begins. However, no rider is allowed to weigh out at four pounds or more over the weight he is set to carry.

What is the average jockey age?

Interestingly enough, the average age of jockeys is 20-30 years old, which represents 36% of the population.

How athletic are jockeys?

A combination of a disciplined diet and an intense training regime, in many cases beginning daily at 5am and involving long running sessions, ensures that jockeys are some of the fittest athletes on the planet. They must strive to stay fit and lightweight enough to perform at the very top of their sport.

What happens if a jockey is over the weight?

If a rider weighs in two pounds or more over the weight that he weighed out, the Clerk of the Scales will report the rider to the Stewards and may be suspended. The one pound under and two pound over tolerances reflect the weight loss or gain a rider may incur dependant on weather conditions.

How do jockeys stay so small?

“Starvation is still a very common practice in that the jockey may not eat for 24 hours or more before a race, and combine this with a sauna or hot bath.” Among Irish jockeys, 14% use vomiting as a method for meeting weight requirements, Dr McGoldrick and his team found in a 2011 study into dieting habits.

Do jockeys lift weights?

Not only is cardiovascular training necessary for jockeys, but they also have to lift some weights at least twice a week to ensure they have strong arms.

How tall is the average jockey?

While there is no height restriction, most jockeys tend to be around 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 due to the weight restriction. While it's imperative that jockeys ride horses as they race, there are more benefits to having a buddy on the tracks than just companionship.

What is the career span of a jockey?

Much like in golf, the career of a professional jockey can stretch for three decades or, for a select few, even longer. Unlike golfers, however, jockeys must endure the incredible strain (and the life-threatening danger) of sitting on top of thousand-pound animals running in packs as fast as automobiles.

Can a jockey have a beard?

BHA spokesman Joe Rendall says: "It's a common misconception jockeys aren't allowed beards, and seems to be based more on pub quiz folklore rather than anything in the rules. As it stands, any jockey considering growing a beard who might be concerned about a close shave with the stewards needn't worry."

Can anybody be a jockey?

You can apply if you're aged 16 or over and work at least 16 hours a week in a licensed racing stable. There are no qualification requirements.

How old was the youngest jockey?

Azra was foaled at the Bashford Manor stables of George J. Long. Clayton rode Azra to the winners circle at the Kentucky Derby in 1892, making him, at age fifteen, the youngest jockey to ever win the noted race.

Does jockey weight matter?

To make sure that it does so, all jockeys must weigh out before a race to make sure they and their kit (including the saddle) are the right weight. If a jockey is lighter than the weight the horse has to carry, the difference will be made up by thin lead weights in a special saddle cloth.

Why do jockeys sit so high?

Jockeys "don't follow the movement of the horse but stay relatively stationary," says co-author Alan Wilson. By, in effect, floating above his mount, the jockey saves the energy the horse would otherwise expend to shove him back up after each bounce down into the saddle.

Do jockey whips hurt?

Use of the whip in racing is likely to result in pain. Use of the whip in racing increases risk of injury to horses and jockeys. The use of the whip for safety.

What is a typical jockey diet?

Plenty of starchy foods such as bread, rice, pasta and potatoes to help to keep you feeling full. At least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day to provide vitamins and minerals. Avoid drastic measures. Don't eat too much fat. Consume 2-3 portions of dairy foods a day to help keep bones strong.

How do jockeys lose weight so quickly?

The need to keep weight low week after week has caused some jockeys to turn to extreme measures to control weight including severe dieting, laxatives, appetite suppressants, and the use of saunas, hot baths and diuretics to facilitate fluid loss.