How To Get Started In Horse Racing: A Guide For Aspiring Women Jockeys

If you love riding horses and are excited by the prospect of guiding a horse as it sprints toward a goal, you might love the life of an equestrian. While the sport has historically seen more male participants, more and more female participants are making their way onto the track.

Studies show that fewer than 15% of jockeys are women. However, it’s also been found that a rider’s gender gives them no significant advantage over anyone else. It takes time and effort, but anyone can become a jockey if they put in the work. The horse racing scene is starting to see more female riders than ever before, and you could be one of them.

Below is a concise guide covering everything you need to know to become a horse racing jockey. (1)

How horse racing maintains its popularity

Horse racing is one of the oldest sports in the world, dating back to 700-40 BCE when it appeared in the Greek Olympic games. Since then, it has steadily grown into a popular sport loved by many in the modern world. (2)

Horse racing can attribute much of its popularity to its nature as a spectator sport. From its primitive origins to its modern implementation, one of the most consistent qualities of the sport has been the spectators’ willingness and eagerness to bet on which horse they believe will win.

Over the years, various platforms have been created to give fans a way to engage with the sport. Online platforms, like punters.com.au, that offer news, statistics, and an online betting platform, have risen in prominence.

It’s because of these services that the horse racing community continues to thrive. Should you become a professional jockey, you need to be aware that you’ll be entering this world.

Understanding what it is to be a horse jockey

As you’ve probably gathered by now, the term "jockey" usually refers to one who professionally rides horses in races. Jockeys typically work for themselves or for a company. It’s most common for a jockey to either race their own horse or to be employed by a horse owner or trainer to race for them.

Your job on the track is to guide a horse so that it crosses the finish, safely and in first place. It’s not uncommon for the rider to receive a portion of any winnings they help bring in. The more a jockey wins, the more sought-after they’ll be.

This all sounds great, but be prepared to work hard on the road to becoming a jockey. It can take several years. You’ll also need to fulfill a specific list of requirements. These usually depend on where you live and where you want to work.

That said, becoming a jockey will almost certainly be a career you can enjoy. In the United States alone, Career Explorer has found that jockeys rate their happiness with their work at an average of 4.4/5, placing them in the top 1% of careers according to the site’s statistics. (3)

Start by learning to ride a horse

Now that you understand a bit about horse racing, it’s time to start preparing yourself for the race track. Of course, the first thing to do is learn to ride horses if you don’t already know how.

If you have prior riding experience, it’ll help you here. You might find taking part in a beginner training program helpful if you’re starting from scratch. This should help you get familiar with mounting, riding, balancing, and control—all essential skills if you wish to turn this into a professional career. You also have the opportunity to see if the life of a jockey is really something that resonates with you.

Keep yourself fit

Jockeys need to be in good physical condition. There are generally different weight classes and limits for races, which you’ll need to consistently adhere to if you want to ride.

You need to be as light as possible to keep the horse carrying as little as possible. At the same time, you need to build strength and dexterity to balance yourself and guide a horse during the high-intensity race.

To keep fit, it’s in your best interest to maintain a regular exercise schedule throughout the year. You might also benefit from understanding a woman’s metabolism, to help you tailor your diet and keep within weight limits a jockey is expected to meet.

Learn some more about horses and racing

If you’re aiming to become a professional, you need to have an excellent understanding of horses and everything related to racing. Learn as much as you can about horses and the racing community in your area.

You can do so by taking more classes and getting more involved in the racing community. This is a great time to make your entry into the equestrian-related field. For example, working as a stablehand, learning to groom horses, or learning about training racehorses would be a fitting start.

Find a training program

Depending on your location, you may need training and certification to enter the racetrack as a professional jockey. Most often, formal certification or schooling isn’t essential. But it’s one of the best ways to learn everything you need to know about riding, racing, and caring for the horses.

Once you feel ready, find a training program or school to enroll in. Jockey training schools often require you to have experience riding horses, hence the placement of this step. Training generally lasts two years, but this can vary in length.

By the time you finish your training, you’ll likely have met some friends and made connections that can help you enter the professional scene.

Work under an apprenticeship

Completing an apprenticeship doesn’t always have to come after finding a training program. In many cases, jockeys only do an apprenticeship. You can also complete an apprenticeship alongside a training program.

An apprenticeship typically lasts around four years. One is usually entered after obtaining an apprenticeship license from a jockey club. If you’ve been working in a stable or on the field, you may have already met several senior jockeys and found one willing to take you as an apprentice.

After completing your apprenticeship, you become a senior jockey and can officially be paid by horse owners to race for them. At this point, you’ll get your jockey license and may be interested in finding an agent to help you get hired as a rider.

Start competing

A big part of the job is getting owners to recognize your skill, so they want to hire you to race for them. You can achieve this by participating in practice and schooling races while completing your training and/or apprenticeship.

Completing a certain number of schooling races may also be a requirement for earning your jockey license. However, these rules tend to change depending on your region.

By finishing all your training, earning your license, and being hired to race, you’ll become a full-fledged professional jockey.

Conclusion

Being a jockey is one of the happiest careers around. If you love riding horses, racing them could become your dream career. Becoming a jockey doesn’t happen overnight, and certainly doesn’t come easy. But most who’ve done it seem happy with their decision.

Start learning to ride horses, find training in your area, work as an apprentice, and be sure to keep yourself fit. Do this, and in a few years, you could have the life of a jockey that you’re aiming for!

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