Why are jockeys so tiny?

The reason jockeys are often so light is to protect the health of the horse. Thoroughbreds are very durable, but carrying too much weight can cause the horse unnecessary pain.

How come jockeys are so small?

Though there is no height limit for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys racing on the flat typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) to 5 ft 7 in (170 cm). Jump jockeys are often taller, with multiple examples over 5 ft 10 in (178 cm).

Why can't jockeys be tall?

Why jockeys are short. While there isn't a height requirement (or minimum) for jockeys, there is a weight requirement. This makes it tougher for a taller person to become a jockey, as they will have a more difficult time meeting the weight requirement.

Is there a minimum height for jockeys?

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.

How do jockeys stay so thin?

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.

Why are jockeys so small?

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

Strict weight requirements

This includes about 7 lbs. of gear, so that an adult male must weigh less than 119 lbs. in order to participate in the Kentucky Derby. There is no height requirement, however, jockeys tend to be shorter due to this weight requirement.

What is the weight limit for a jockey?

These are generally not prestigious races. A jockey's gear weighs about 7 pounds - saddle and all. So for a jockey to be able to ride in any race at any track, it's necessary for that jockey to maintain a weight less than 105 pounds, often less than 100.

What is a female horse rider called?

horsewoman. a woman horseman. jockey. someone employed to ride horses in horse races.

What happens if a jockey is underweight?

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. Traditionally weighing scales with seats have been used to weigh jockeys, but these have been replaced by digital scales.

Why can't jockeys have a beard?

The likely truth, say racing historians, is the sport's long history and traditionalist roots have created a culture where it is frowned upon for jockeys to sport beards or facial hair. Racing Post historian John Randall says: "Until about 100 years ago it was normal for amateur riders to sport a moustache.

What is the oldest age for a jockey?

Most jockeys begin their training between the ages of 16 and 22. There's no maximum age limit, but the average retirement age is between 40 and 50 years old, which is when many jockeys move on to becoming trainers or agents.

Do jockeys stunt their growth?

Some, such as jockeys, instead go to extreme lengths to stunt their growth – sometimes down to the size of a pre-pubescent child.

Why are there less female jockeys?

Still, as horse racing grapples with a reported attendance decline in Pennsylvania, the dearth of female jockeys persists. Some around the industry say women are more likely to retire from racing to start families and are less likely to enter the industry in their teenage years to make money.

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.

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 youngest age to be a jockey?

Other Requirements

Jockeys must be at least 16 years old. There is no set height or weight requirement, but the majority of jockeys do not weigh more than 125 pounds, many even less, with height (usually around 5 feet tall) or proportionate to their weight.

Do jockeys get paid if they don't win?

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.

Who is the shortest jockey ever?

Who Are the Smallest Horse Jockeys? The shortest jockey on record is Kenneth Glover, who 4' (122 cm) tall. In 1953, at just 15 years old, Glover of Harrogate, Yorks competed at his first race.

Why are most jockeys male?

In the present day, more than 90% of jockeys, in most racing nations, are men. This is likely an unconscious bias toward male jockeys being, on average, physically 'stronger', able to push horses harder, and thus performing better in races than female jockeys.

Are there any female jockeys?

In 2021, Rachael Blackmore, riding Minella Times, became the first female jockey to win the race.

How much does a jockey weigh in kg?

When you factor in the saddle and tack, a Flat jockey must weigh about 108lbs (49kg) in order to make bottom weight. No horse on the Flat should be carrying more than 10st (63.5kg). In National Hunt horse racing over jumps, however, 10st is the minimum set weight.

Are jockeys skilled?

Finally, jockeys need to have excellent tactical skills, as they need to be able to develop a strategy for the race and make adjustments as needed. They need to be able to read the other horses and jockeys, as well as the racecourse to determine the best path to the finish line.

How big are female jockeys?

In the US, the average male is about 5'9” tall and weighs close to 200 pounds. US women aren't far behind, with an average of 5'4” and 170 pounds. The average male thoroughbred jockey, in contrast, is 5'2” and weighs 113; women riders have it a bit easier, averaging only 107 pounds for the same 5'2” average height.

How do jockeys stay in shape?

Exercises ranging from squats, jump-lunges, burpees through to bear crawls, flutter kicks and single-leg deadlifts are all included.