How do I become a horse jockey?

How do become a horse jockey?

• Okay, well I don't want to ride in races so much as warm up the horses. I'm 5"3 and 110lbs. I've stayed this height and weight for a few years now so I'm not supposed to get much bigger, if at all. I have great strength in my legs and arms (softball player) and can think quick. Apparently I have great horse sense, have ridden 8 years, and people have told me I was born in the saddle. But, I've never ridden as a jockey! How would I go about this? I don't mind working my way up. I'm in it more for the experience rather than as a job and to jump right in. Honestly, I don't mind grooming and cleaning stalls at all. I actually enjoy it. So should I offer my services up in return for them to teach me to ride? And then start working my way up from there to hopefully warm up their horses more? Any advice would be GREAT! Thanks!

• Answer:

  Your Answer: Find a small training center and a trainer with another rider on staff who is willing to teach you. Work there until you are bored to death, then go to a bigger training center or farm. When you ride at the racetrack for the first time, make sure everybody knows you're new and green. If you ask for help and advice, the veterans will watch you and help you. Accidents happen when new riders start galloping at the racetrack without sufficient experience, or without telling trainers and other riders that they're new, so if you are an aspiring exercise rider or jockey, please don't make that mistake. Most jockeys start out learning to do what exercise riders do, and spend years doing it before they ever ride in a race. Many of the same qualities and skills that jockeys need are also requirements for exercise riders, such as: concentration and awareness intelligent bravery and confidence humility and patience empathy and tactfulness dedication and discipline balance, strength, and agility What do exercise riders make in salary or for freelance riding? Generally about $10/head for freelancers, and $400-$500/week (about $25,000/year) for salaried riders. Freelancers can generally ride about 8 horses/day, Most riders work 7 days/week, so that comes to $560/week before taxes. Some salaried riders are lucky enough to work for a trainer who pays bonuses several times a year, generally 1% of the trainer's share of purse money earned. Smart owners will make sure that their trainer is paying bonuses to staff based on purse earnings, because this is an important incentive for riders and also for grooms. Source(s): Horse owner and breeder Avid horse racing enthusiast