Why are all horse jockeys small and seem middle eastern?

Question

I realized after seeing Barbaro's jockey and Eight Belles jockey and several others from the field that all horse jockeys in the triple crown are small and have dark skin and black hair. I was curious as to why this is?

Answer 1

The smaller they are the more aerodynamic they are. Less weight - the horses can move faster.

Answer 2

The less weight you have, the less the horse has to carry.  Many jockeys have eating disorders to keep their weight down.  I've never noticed whether they have dark hair and skin.

Answer 3

Most of the jockeys I've seen have been Hispanic, not Middle Eastern.

Answer 4

Um, they're mostly latin-americans...  Edgar Prado, Barbaro's jockey, is from Peru.  Gabriel Saez, Eight Belles's jockey, is from Panama.  That's why they have dark skin and black hair.  There are a lot of caucasian jockeys too... mostly Cajun jockeys from Louisiana.  Robby Albarado and Calvin Borel are both Cajun jockeys.  A lot of jockeys come from south america and louisiana because there's a lot of horse racing in those areas.

And they're small because they have to stay under 112 to ride in the lowest level races.  If you're too tall, you will weigh too much and won't be able to be a jockey.

Answer 5

They need to be small so they sit light on the horse. About 112 lbs. is an ideal weight.  Most Burger eating Americans may not be that light.

Answer 6

It is based on the weight standards as determined by The Jockey Club, which dictate that these men and women meet standards that were basically set so many years ago when health & nutrition were not as advanced as it is now.

Answer 7

They are small because it's easier for them to win.  Easier on the horse to run faster.  Most are middle eastern because they are very rich and it's very popular in the middle east.

Answer 8

the smaller the rider is the less weight, thus the horse goes faster!

Answer 9

There small so they don't weigh down the horses.

Answer 10

The less the  jockey weighs the less the horse has to carry, thus the faster he may run. A lot of the jockeys are Latin American and that may be a reason but not the only reason they may have dark hair. Foremost, you must love horses and understand them to be successful as a winning jockey. You must be a dedicated athlete that fallows a very strict regimen to stay employed. It is a difficult and sometimes dangerous job to get to the winners circle.

Answer 11

The smaller you are the less energry the horse has to expell to move makeing it faster!

Answer 12

They are small so that they are not heavey on the horse, but as far as eaastern descent.

Have you not heard of Will Shoemaker, Pat Day, Jerry Baily and Gary Stevens. .

Answer 13

Horses really aren't supposed to carry more than 10-15% of their body weight - so a 1200-1500 lb. horse really shouldn't carry more than a 150 pound about person.

So - these answers are actually somewhat correct in that the smaller the person the less weight the horse carries.

However, weight is added - all racehorses carry a certain amount of weight to offset the weight of the jockey - to make the competition even.

Race car drivers are abou the same - they all have a weight they try to achieve because the performance of the car is affected by the geometrics of where the weight is in the car - same with the racehorses.

So why are they all "un-american"?  That's a good question, but few are actually middle-eastern.

Many are from Latin American and Central American countries.  These people tend to naturally be smaller, stronger for their size and wirier.  Many of them come from families who for generations have ridden racehorses.  They have brothers and fathers and uncles in the business, so they have connections.

I feel also that they must have some ability many Americans do not - perhaps in their acceptance of what they must do - perhaps they take instruction better, perhaps they have a heightened sense that fits horse racing - it would be interesting to see someone like Edgar Prado answer this question.

But let's not forget, there are plenty of great American Jockeys - remember Steve Cauthen who rode Affirmed?  The early ones like Bill Shoemaker and Eddie Arcaro were American.  Even some not-so-late like Jerry Baily and Chris Antley were little American Guys.

Just my thoughts and ideas.....have fun!

Answer 14

K, well the first answer isnt really corect. the smaller, no your not more arydynamic. But, middle eastern, thats because that is like a native sport to most of them. Kinda just like criqut is for some countries, and canada (i live there) lives on hockey. Its just native sport.

Answer 15

Because middle eastern people Ride horses everywhere they go and know all about horses... How many middle eastern people are in nascar or Indy racing? Thats right none because they don't know anything about the automobile.

Answer 16

Fat people slow horses down.