Will I be a good jockey?

Question

I weigh 100lbs and am 5' 3'' and am also 12 yrs old. I want to be a jockey as you see and I think I'm going to be to tall! Because I am an American not some like little good type jockey and stuff so I don't think anybody will even want me to be their jockey or even if I can become one!
I really want to be a jockey but I don't know if I'll be able to be a good one, ya know like to race in the Derby and stuff.
Please Help!
Thanx!!!!!♥

omg! i knew i would say i was 12 i'm sorry my b-day was on march 17 lol i'm not used to saying im 13

I'M A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Being a jockey is a tough, tough, tough life. There's a lot more to it than size. Strength, physical courage, and mental toughness are called for, as well as discipline that borders on fanatic.

A lot of jockeys resort to a sort of "binge and purge" regimen to keep their weight down-- forcing themselves to throw up what they eat. Some use diuretics and resort to sweat boxes or use other means of keeping their weight down that end up causing them physical damage.

Race riding is dangerous. Every year there are jockeys in North America who are killed or crippled for life because of falls. Every jockey knows when he/she gets on a horse for a race that that could be the last race of their career. It isn't a question of whether they will fall, but how bad it will be. One bad step by their own horse or any horse in front of them and they're down, with hooves flying around them and possibly the rolling bodies of 1000-pound horses that have fallen.

Once you get past the top 50 or so top jockeys in the earnings standings, jockeys do not make a lot of money. Certainly not commensurate with the danger they face when riding and the rigors of keeping their weight down. (Most jockeys also ride exercise in the mornings, which can help augment their earnings; and in the 2-year-old in training sales, they can pick up some money riding in the "under tack" shows.)

Also true: most jockeys do not have long careers. It isn't uncommon for riders who haven't been successful or who have outgrown the weight limits, or who have been injured, to have to face the prospect of taking up a completely different career in their twenties or thirties. That's hard.

The top riders can seem on the surface to live very glamorous and exciting lives, but you don't have to look very far to see that it's a tough life even for the very top riders.

Answer 2

Give yourself time to grow up a little more before you decide on a career. The other respondents in this column are right- racing is very dangerous and it is a very tough way to make a living- and if you are already 5'3", then you are likely going to be well above the height needed when you grow up. You ARE still growing at your age- and because I think you are a boy, I have a feeling that your voice hasn't changed yet, or it is in the process of changing, and that isn't the only way in which you are growing. Within the next 3 or 4 years,you will add most of your adult height and weight, and I think that you will find that you're too tall to be a jockey. If you want to get an idea of how tall you will be, figure out how tall your dad is and use that as your guide. You should be thinking about doing as well as you possibly can in school right now- and also thinking about posssibly saving for college, which is a necessity, not a luxury, in today's world. If you live near a barn, then perhaps you can convince the trainer or owner to hire you in the summer for cleaning stalls and other barn work- but remember, most facilities won't hire people under age 18 full time. I seem to remember you saying that you live somewhere in Wisconsin ( in an answer to another question in this column) so you should be able to find a place where you can take lessons (take all that you can) do chores, and be around horses for the experience. I'm originally from the Midwest myself, so I know there are places like that out there. I can't comment on whether or not you would ever be good enough of a rider to ride in a race like the Derby- most youngsters I have seen and taught usually dream of riding on the Olympic team, the way Barbaro's trainer, Michael Matz, did. It's a little unusual that you have racing ambitions. I do know this, however- most of the people who start out in racing only rarely make it to the top of the profession. Keep riding and taking lessons, study, and learn all you can- and perhaps, with a little luck and a lot of hard work, you might make it. Good luck.

Answer 3

there isn't a hight limit that i know of but sense you're 12 that means you're still growing and more than likely will gain more weight.
i'm 18, 5'4, female and american and i've been an apprentice jockey for almost a year now. for the first 6 months i had to keep my weight at 100-102 but i couldn't exceed 102. now sense i'm working on getting my jockey license i can and do weight 105.
also sense you are still young you have to wait until you're 16 to start work as a jockey. but if this is something you really want to be i recommend when you do turn 16 that you get a job at a racetrack. start off by walking the hots, or grooming.
also if you decide this isn't for you, you might want to look into becoming a jumper.
best of luck.

Answer 4

happy birthday, barbaro :o)

I think you're probably pretty much finished with growing... maybe you might squeeze out another inch or 2, but girls are usually finished growing by 14. So long as you're not near 6 foot, your height shouldn't be a problem if your weight is good. For now I think you're doing fine. you have some room so if you gain some weight it's not a problem.

besides, being a good jockey and being a small skinny jockey aren't the same thing. You can be good and still be tall... you can be small and be awful. if you practice enough and get experience, you can be as good as anyone else.

Answer 5

At your age and height and weight you could really not gain anything or grow any and that is unlikely.
There are many great careers out there in the horse industry and you could ride as an exercise rider and ride the racers just not in a real race. Exercise riders do not have all the really heavy weight and height restrictions that jockeys do.
Training or working with or as a vet is also a really good career.

Answer 6

Very sad what happened to Barbaro. I do hate to tell you this but if you are 12 now and already 5'3 its likely you are going to be a little on the tall side for a jockey. No reason you can't make a career of horses though, they always need good trainers and exercise riders if the racing world is what you want.

Answer 7

I'm a jockey here in Australia,I'm very sorry to say but when your testicles drop you will gain weight and probably shoot up,when I was 15 I weighed 30kgs,I'm now 42 years old stand 5.6 feet and ride at 53kgs,I still have to maintain a healthy diet,but good luck at this career,It is very tough.

Answer 8

Honey height does not matter but your weight does so if you can keep you weight around 110-115 you can be as tall as god meant for you to be and as far as if your going to be great. Practice hard get as low as you can to the saddle and ride hard