Wanna be a jockey?

Question

I want to be a jockey when I'm older, but I want to go to college first...I'll prolly be about 22 or 23 when I'm done....is that too late to start?

Answer 1

No that is not too late to start.  More and more jockeys are starting out in their 20's anyway especially the ones that didn't grow up in racing families.  In fact a lot of the older jockeys are really encouraging the younger generation to go to college so that the younger jockeys have something to fall back on when their riding careers are over.  So I applaud you for wanting to go to college first and Good luck!

Answer 2

Any horse jockey will tell you that their profession isn't simply a job: it's a lifestyle that demands passion and commitment every hour of the day. Horse jockeying can be an exhilarating profession, but also a very dangerous one. If you want to get a job as a horse jockey, you must be prepared to give it everything you have.

Check your weight. You can't get a job as a jockey unless you are sufficiently light--usually no more than 115 pounds. Make sure you can sustain that weight and stay healthy throughout your career before embarking upon a horse jockey's life.

Locate a racetrack or training facility that can give you a job. Like any other profession, you become a horse jockey by starting at the bottom. A recommendation from an owner or a trainer is usually required to work at a track or training stable.

Take on basic horse care duties in your job. This usually begins with "walking hots"--walking horses and rubbing them down to cool them after they have been training--and moves up to grooming horses and keeping them looking their best.

Exercise the horses. Once you have mastered tasks like grooming and walking hots, you can move on to more formal exercising duties. Part of these duties entails "ponying": walking the horse while mounted on another horse and holding the reins. Eventually, this will also include formal exercising in which you mount the horse and take him through his paces.

Sign up for schooling races. These include training on certain specific aspects of horse racing, particularly how to maneuver in the gate (and exit it at the start of the race), and how to safely circle the track with other horses and jockeys present.

Apply for a jockey's license. You need one in order to compete, and can usually apply at the track or training facilities where you work.

Seek out horses and owners. You may have a specific horse you work with or you may need to locate one, but your qualifications don't mean much until you have a horse to ride and have competed in legitimate races. Many jockeys employ agents in order to help them secure a job racing a horse.

Answer 3

go to school first or take time off from riding,22 or 23 is fine i was 28 when i started riding races it isnt that big a deal but the younger you are the better trainers like to see that you start when your a teenager