Though there is no height limit for jockeys, they are usually fairly short due to the weight limits. Jockeys racing on the flat typically stand around 4 ft 10 in (147 cm) to 5 ft 7 in (170 cm).
Most jockeys are shorter and have weight restrictions
So, ultimately the jockeys should not weigh more than 119 pounds, according to Bustle. While there is no height restriction, most jockeys tend to be around 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6 due to the weight restriction.
Each horse in a race has to carry a certain amount of weight. To make sure that it does so, all jockeys must weigh out before a race to make sure they and their kit (including the saddle) are the right weight.
On average, male horse jockeys weigh 113 lbs. while female horse jockeys weigh in on average at 107 lbs. The actual average horse jockey weight is on the lower side although the race requirements range up to 126 lbs. because the weight has to include an average 6-7 lbs.
How tall are jockeys? There are no height limits or restrictions on jockeys, but because of the very low weight limits most jockeys are quite short, typically falling in a range between 4-foot-10 and 5-foot-6. The average height of the jockeys in the 2023 Kentucky Derby is 5-foot-3.
At 6ft 4in (1.93 metres), Jack Andrews is used to towering over his fellow jockeys, who tend to be at least a foot shorter than him.
The world's tallest jockey, Jack Andrews, makes his Cheltenham Festival debut on Thursday – all 6ft 4in of him. The 24-year-old is over a foot taller than the average rider and faces a constant battle to stay at the correct weight.
At most tracks in this country, riders need to be able to weigh out at 115 or 116 (22 pounds below the healthy weight for men, 9 pounds low for women). Elsewhere, as in Europe, they can be a little heavier, say 55 kilos or 121 pounds (still below what's considered healthy, but not quite as bad).
If the rider is too heavy, he may be replaced by another rider, or be permitted to carry 'overweight', which will always be announced on the racecourse before a race begins. However, no rider is allowed to weigh out at four pounds or more over the weight he is set to carry.
In the present day, more than 90% of jockeys, in most racing nations, are men. This is likely an unconscious bias toward male jockeys being, on average, physically 'stronger', able to push horses harder, and thus performing better in races than female jockeys.
By, in effect, floating above his mount, the jockey saves the energy the horse would otherwise expend to shove him back up after each bounce down into the saddle. Doing this is "very hard work," says Wilson, because the rider uses his legs in their short stirrups as springs or pistons.
The likely truth, say racing historians, is the sport's long history and traditionalist roots have created a culture where it is frowned upon for jockeys to sport beards or facial hair. Racing Post historian John Randall says: "Until about 100 years ago it was normal for amateur riders to sport a moustache.
The need to keep weight low week after week has caused some jockeys to turn to extreme measures to control weight including severe dieting, laxatives, appetite suppressants, and the use of saunas, hot baths and diuretics to facilitate fluid loss.
Racing Victoria in association with the Victorian Jockeys Association (VJA) has determined to raise the minimum weight for all country and metropolitan professional race meetings to 56kg from Tuesday, 24 March 2020 until otherwise advised.
The minimum age for a trainee jockey is 16 years. Most jockeys begin their training between the ages of 16 and 22. There's no maximum age limit, but the average retirement age is between 40 and 50 years old, which is when many jockeys move on to becoming trainers or agents.
When it comes to modern-day horseracing, jockeys are required to pass a fitness test before being allowed to compete or even gain a professional racing licence. This examination includes a bleep test for cardiovascular health, pull-band routines, press-ups, leg raises and even exercises on a mechanical horse.
Jockey salaries typically range between $35,000 and $77,000 yearly. The average hourly rate for jockeys is $25.31 per hour. Jockey salary is impacted by location, education, and experience. Jockeys earn the highest average salary in Alaska, Utah, North Dakota, California, and Nevada.
Today, we tackle the even more controversial subject of the female jockeys allowance, a topic re-ignited by the decision of the French racing authorities in 2017 to introduce a weight allowance of 2kg for female riders (reduced to 1.5kg in March 2018).
Salary Ranges for Horse Jockeys
The salaries of Horse Jockeys in the US range from $10,049 to $271,427 , with a median salary of $48,880 . The middle 57% of Horse Jockeys makes between $48,882 and $123,036, with the top 86% making $271,427.
If a rider weighs in two pounds or more over the weight that he weighed out, the Clerk of the Scales will report the rider to the Stewards and may be suspended. The one pound under and two pound over tolerances reflect the weight loss or gain a rider may incur dependant on weather conditions.
Weights. Not only is cardiovascular training necessary for jockeys, but they also have to lift some weights at least twice a week to ensure they have strong arms.
Q: What is the average age of a horse jockey? A person has to be a minimum of 16 years old to apply for a jockey license. The oldest jockey to still compete at the highest levels was 58 years old (Bill Shoemaker). The average age in this profession is currently about 40 years old.
What do you call a female horse rider? The most common terms are equestrian and cowgirl, which are not discipline specific.
On average, horse jockeys weigh between 108 to 118 pounds & their height is 4'10” to 5'6″. To ride a horse in a race, jockeys must meet a weight limit set by the racing commission. To make weight, jockeys often starve themselves and use diuretics to lose water weight.
A much-loved sport all around the globe, horse racing has been a male-dominated sport since the beginning. It's estimated that only around 12% of jockeys are female – this remains a fact to this day despite scientific findings that women can jockey just as well as men.