How to Become a Jockey

Racing horses is one of the most exhilarating and dangerous of the equestrian sports.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Halter
• Jockey Saddle
• Lead Ropes

1. Get a referral to work on the back side of a racetrack. You need a recommendation from either a trainer or an owner to get a job on the racetrack.

2. Begin your career "walking hots." This means you'll cool down hot horses that have just run or exercised. Walking hots is done from the ground.

3. Move up to grooming. Once you've established yourself on the racetrack, you can become a groom. Grooms are typically responsible for grooming three to four horses. The groom is responsible for making sure the horse is brushed, cleaned and ready to ride.

4. Pony racehorses: While seated on one horse, you hold on to the lead rope of the racehorse and trail him to the side. This gives the racehorse exercise and gets him used to being ponied, which is how the racehorse enters the racecourse.

5. Exercise racehorses. You finally get to ride the racehorse, but only for exercise. You'll be required to gallop the horse on the track for practice.

6. Compete in schooling races. These are practice races designed to teach new jockeys how to come out of the gate and race. Successful completion will get you an exercise license.

7. Realize that track stewards will judge you on your ability to ride while you compete in smaller races designed for exercise jockeys. The track stewards will critique your ability to handle the horse and to maintain safety among a group of horses on the racecourse.

8. Get your jockey's license from the racetrack. This license is valid at all racetracks.

Tips & Warnings

• Everyone who works on the back side is fingerprinted by the sanctioning body of the racetrack.
• If you don't want to or are unable to get a referral to the racetrack, you can also attend a school for jockeys. Contact the racetrack for information.
• According to the Jockey Guild, jockeys cannot weigh more than 115 pounds, though there is no hieght limit.

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[jockey]

on 11/30/2007 I am a jockey in the UK. Here you have to goto either the BRS (British Racing School) or the Scottich equivilent. You goto train there for a few months and then you will be given a job with a trainer. There is two ways of getting into the racing school. Working your way up through the trainer so they will sponser you. Or get an interview and see if the BRS will sponser you. It's soo much fun, but be warned. the work is VERY hard but VERY rewarding.

on 3/16/2006 Get as much experience riding racehorses before showing up on the backstretch. Understandably, trainers are reluctant to entrust their valuable charges to a rider whose abilities are unknown. Best bet, start very young, work and ride, probably breaking babies, at a farm owned or used by a trainer with a significant presence on the track. You still need someone to take you under their wing and it's going to be tough. Even more so if you're a woman. Good luck!

on 1/13/2006 Go to a minor league racetrack, and approach the back gate guards, and ask if you can look for work. This is easiest at county fair racetracks or similar. Usually they will let you walk around and ask trainers for work, sometimes you have to be ID'd first. To start you have to ask to be a hot walker. It helps if you have handled horses before, but they might take a newbie.

Another option is to get your start on a horse farm or riding stable, and then with experience you have a head start.

If you don't have luck at the barns maybe hang out at the backstretch café or diner and chat up the workers there.

I got my first track job at Hialeah, Florida sitting in the stands watching the morning workout, were the trainers are watching.

on 11/22/2005 The race business is just that, a business. It's not for the weak hearted. Nobody has sympathy for the new guy or girl, so don't expect it. Don't take anything personal and definitely don't leave anything personal.

on 11/22/2005 In Ireland, I have learned from being involved in the industry is that it's not what you know, it's who you know. Unfair, I know, but it is stupid to paint a romantic notion of the job. If you have a wealthy parent or a family member has contacts in the racing industry, you have a better chance than someone who is the only person in their family who's into horses. The trick is to try and build up as many contacts as you can and ring up trainers and say you would like to get some experience without pay. You will most likely be mucking out for ages but eventually they will let you start handling the horses. In Ireland, it would be advisable to get involved in point to point racing.