Horse racing enthusiasts who enjoy watching the horses in the parade ring will enjoy the horses cantering down to the race’s starting point. They will typically look for signs that a horse is ready to run a good race, including a shiny coat and dappled muscles. As the horses canter to the start, they will note how the Jockey positions themselves in the irons, bouncing in the saddle as the horse generally moves down to the start in a slow canter.
Why do Jockeys bounce in the Saddle ? Posting is to rise out of the saddle (bouncing) for every other stride of the horse’s forelegs, thus smoothing out the jolts they will encounter if they sit upright in the saddle. This posture makes riding the horse much more comfortable for the Jockey and the horse. This manoeuvre requires a significant amount of mechanical effort by the Jockey as the horse gallops. Standing in the stirrups and bouncing up and down in the saddle, jockeys keep their bodies level and allow the horse to go quicker, and they work hard to reduce the horse’s weight by keeping their bodies out of the saddle. This stance lowers the energy a horse expends when running while bearing the rider’s weight.
Therefore, a Jockey will hover above their mount, saving the energy that the horse would ordinarily use in pushing him back up after each bounce down into the saddle.
The Monkey Crouch – Standing up in the saddle and bouncing during a Race
Todd Sloan, an American jockey, came to the United Kingdom in 1897 and changed the face of horse racing forever. Instead of swinging his legs down his horse’s flanks, he squatted high in his stirrups. The British termed the awkward-looking pose the “monkey crouch.” This novel method of horseback riding became the new standard since jockeys who adopted Sloan’s method improved their horses’ racing timings by roughly 6%, a significant difference considering horses normally gallop at approximately forty miles per hour.
Even as the horse and rider make their way forward, they bob up and down with each stride. Researchers observed that, whereas a horse’s vertical displacement averaged 150 millimetres each stride, the rider’s vertical displacement was only around 60 millimetres. The Jockey saves energy by practically hanging above his mount, which the horse would generally need to drive him back up after each bounce down into the saddle. A jockey’s heart rate may approach 190 beats per minute during racing.
The Jockey – Strong and Brave & the Qualifications
The primary function of winning a horse race is all there is. On the other hand, horse racing jockeys must be incredibly strong and daring to control horses many times their size while travelling at speeds of up to 40 miles (64 km) per hour.
To ride a horse in a race, jockeys must generally be licensed, with qualifications including experience in the saddle, excellent physical condition, and at least 16 years old. Jockeys learn the sport via on-the-job training and participation at jockey schools. Before they become full-fledged riders, they are apprentice jockeys.
Riders are constantly studying repeats of their horses’ primary races and the jockeys and horses they will be racing against in a given race. They study the horses’ form in a particular race and are well-versed in the peculiarities of the racecourse they will be competing on. A rider must be educated, bold, and influential at the end of a race and well balanced to elicit the most effort from their horse throughout a race. To keep healthy and robust, they must adhere to a tight diet and stringent exercise practices.
The Jockey – Making the Horse’s Burden Lighter
The most crucial part of becoming a jockey is not to be overweight for your height. Therefore, all jockeys must conform to weight restrictions to participate in a race. Weight restrictions vary according to the event, with flat jockeys typically weighing about eight stones (roughly 50 kilograms) and jump jockeys weighing up to nine stones (approximately 57 kilograms).
The lighter the Jockey is, the easier it will be for the horse to carry the Jockey’s weight around the racecourse. The Jockey assists the horse by adopting the monkey crouch position and bouncing up and down in unison with the horse’s stride. Due to the lightweight nature of jockeys, the average height fluctuates between 4″10 and 5″6 feet (between 1.47 and 1.67 meters).
The Jockey – The Pace of the Race and Racecourse Conditions
Horses have a different racing style, as some horses like to set their own pace in the middle of the rear of the pack and gradually manoeuvre their way into the race. Then there are the horses that like to race at the front or just off the leaders, and they will jump alertly and create a rhythm at the front of the field or just off the leaders. A skilled jockey would have researched previous races of his mount and will understand what pace is best for the horse he is riding.
Riders are constantly studying repeats of their horses’ primary races and the jockeys and horses they will be racing against in a given race. They study the horses’ form in a certain race and are well-versed in the peculiarities of the racecourse they will be competing on. A rider must be educated, bold, and influential at the end of a race and well balanced to elicit the most effort from their horse throughout a race. To keep healthy and robust, they must adhere to a tight diet and stringent exercise practices.
The Jockey – Bouncing with Strength, Determination and Bravery
Overall, jockeys have an important influence on the success of a racehorse. It typically takes time when racing to gain a feel for the horse’s behaviours and attributes both on and off the track, and the trainer needs to pick the right rider in collaboration with the horse’s owner. Certain jockeys are better suited to specific racehorses, and the trainer must use all of their expertise and knowledge to choose the ideal one for his horse.
Depending on how the horse wants to run the race, the rider must demonstrate Strength, Determination, Bravery and Quick Thinking to enable the horse to run its best race. Of course, when the horse runs its best race, the chance to reach the winning post in the first place will present itself, and we all know that a jockey’s primary role is to galvanise the horse at the right time, ultimately to win races.