Why are jokey's sooo tiny ?????

Question

im watching ascot many of the jockeys are being interviewed and by gosh they are small people!

i always thought it was just a very wrong stereo type .. but oobviously not

is it the smaller the person, the lighter the load, the faster the horse?? which in turn would only allow small people to get this profession

or is it some other reason ?

Answer 1

Yep. Aerodynamics. ><

Answer 2

they are small, and not so tall so less air resistance! and lighter so not much weight on th horses back.

They have to be under a certain weight. i think its something like 12stone. And concidering the majority of jockeys are men they have to be very light!

They sit on top of their backs instead of wrapping themselves around the horse also so the horse can go faster.

Answer 3

I thought it was going to be a joke when i opened the question :p

Yeah I think thats the reason they are small alright. Although I have nothing to back that reason up

Answer 4

Yes . plus they were born that way.

Lucky them !!

Some bigger ones can become jockeys ,,

Castaneda was 5'7 so if your small framed and have the weight ,, great

Bigger Jockeys are Steeple Chase riders "5'5' --5'7'

Answer 5

It's the smaller the person the lighter the load the faster the horse! Just think about it if it was a big heavy jockey would the horse really want to carry that?

Answer 6

You answered your own question.

The smaller the person, the lighter the load, the faster the horse.

xCherryx

Answer 7

Is this a jokey !

its because they were born lukky

Answer 8

if you were a horse and trying to run a race would you want some huge person on your back? nope

Answer 9

generally the smaller the jockey the lighter they are, also they can tuck in and make their shape more areodynamic when they are on the horse which makes them quicker

Answer 10

in the united states stakes races (such as the kentucky derby)all the horses have to carry the same weight to even the playing field which is 126 pounds.  so if you weigh more than that you wouldnt be able to be a jockey for those races.  if you weigh less then 126 they add the weight to the horses saddle.

any race the most weight you will see a horse carry is like 132

Answer 11

I went to Ascot last year, that Willi Carson stands on a box to make him look taller for the camera.

Answer 12

Do you think they were called Jokeys before they became Jockeys?

The lighter they are, the better.

Answer 13

yeah bascilly they have to be under like 120 and like 5"4 and below because its easier on the horse and it makes it go faster.

Answer 14

the have to be