How hard is it to become a horse jockey?

Applicants need to have a high school diploma or GED and experience riding and training horses. In the United States, formal training is not required to become a jockey. However, other countries like the United Kingdom do require formal training.

Is it hard to be a horse jockey?

A career as a horse jockey doesn't come easily. There's a limited amount of jobs available for jockeys, and the horse jockey requirements make it a tough field to break into. In addition to complying with the average weight limits, it's also a physically demanding job.

How long does it take to become a horse jockey?

You must be at least 16 years old to start a jockey apprenticeship, though this number could vary by state. Apprenticeships can take up to four years to complete.

Can anyone be a jockey?

To be a jockey you need to be committed, dedicated, highly motivated and a very good rider with good horsemanship skills. You will also need to be light – Flat Jockeys are usually around 8 stone, with Jump Jockeys weighing slightly more at around 9st 7lbs.

What age do jockeys start riding?

Most jockeys tend to start quite young, around 16 to 22 years old, as they're required to have a certain weight and height to be able to ride the horses. Although a higher number of women are starting to show an interest on the sport, the world of jockeys is mostly formed by men.

Learning to be a racing jockey can't be that hard, can it?

What is the weight limit for a jockey?

So, ultimately the jockeys should not weigh more than 119 pounds, according to Bustle. While there is no height restriction, most jockeys tend to be around 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 due to the weight restriction.

How much do jockeys get paid?

The salaries of Horse Jockeys in the US range from $10,049 to $271,427 , with a median salary of $48,880 . The middle 57% of Horse Jockeys makes between $48,882 and $123,036, with the top 86% making $271,427.

Do jockeys have to be a certain weight?

Every race has slightly different rules, with weight requirements ranging from 112 to 126 pounds, including jockeys and about seven pounds of gear on the horse.

Is being a jockey a full time job?

You would work around 40 hours a week, depending on the number of races you take part in, often involving early starts and late finishes.

How tall is an average jockey?

Height Limits for Jockeys

As I have already mentioned, while weight limits are a big deal in horseracing, there are no height limits. However, this doesn't mean that you will find jockeys of all sizes. On the contrary, most jockeys are 58 to 67 inches (1.47 – 1.70 m) high on average.

How long is a jockey apprenticeship?

Apprentice Jockeys are indentured for four years with the option of an extension. During this time Apprentices receive both practical and theoretical training. Apprentices receive 'on the job' training under the supervision of their employing trainer as well as through the Team Thoroughbred NSW Training Academy.

How long is a jockeys career?

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.

How many jockeys are killed each year?

It is also true that the sport is considered to be one of the more dangerous occupations, stabilising at about 1.4 deaths per year nationally.

What is the life of a jockey like?

Weight Limits

A jockey's life off the horse is grueling and, at times, dangerous. The spectre haunting almost every rider is extra weight. In the trade, the scale is sometimes called “the Oracle.” It's an apt name — the scale decides which jockeys are light enough to be allowed to race.

Are jockeys treated well?

Jockeys are the worst-paid and most seriously injured athletes in any professional sport. The thoroughbreds they ride are running at speeds of more than 40 mph, which means that paralysis and even death are not uncommon.

Who is the smallest jockey?

15-year old Kenneth Glover, of Harregate Yorks, is probably the world's smallest jockey. He is so small that the bundles of straw he carried into the stables nearly bury him. He is, in fact, just 4ft.

Why are there no female jockeys?

Once the quality and capabilities of the horses being ridden were taken into account, the performance differences between male and female jockeys became nonexistent.

What happens if a jockey is 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.

Do jockeys get paid if they don't win?

Rather than earn a salary, a jockey receives a “mounting fee” — often $50-$110 — for each race, riding sometimes eight races per day. The real money for jockeys comes from prize money, if they can ride a horse to finish first, second or third in a race and earn part of the purse.

Who is the richest horse jockey?

Meet Yutaka Take, the world's richest jockey. A legend in Japan, Take, 52, enjoys 'God' status in his homeland and has a film star wife.

Do jockeys starve themselves?

“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 have eating disorders?

Horse jockeys have a demanding job that requires very specific weight requirements and as a result many jockeys are diagnosed with eating disorders.

Why do jockeys have to be short?

Despite their light weight, they must be able to control a horse that is moving at 40 mph (64 km/h) and weighs 1,190.5 lb (540.0 kg). Though there is no height limit for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) to 5 ft 7 in (170 cm).