Horse racing is one of the most popular sports on the planet, with millions of viewers tuning in annually to watch some of the biggest races on the schedule. Races such as the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Breeders’ Cup Classic see the eyes of the world on them, which often means that there is increased pressure on jockeys to produce the best performance from their horse.
However, this pressure is on the riders throughout the season, with horse racing action taking place every day throughout the year. Only jockeys that are constantly performing at the highest levels will be given the best horses in training to ride for the most significant races.
But, what factors and methods do jockeys follow to ensure that they are able to control their emotions in the constant high pressure environment?
Regular Appointments
There are few more stressful professions in the world of sport than being a jockey. Stars who ride regularly at the highest level will constantly need to follow strict diet plans and maintain their weight in order to fulfil their obligations on track, which constantly means that stress levels within the weighing room are high.
Therefore, it will come as little surprise that jockeys regularly visit psychologists to ensure that they are able to maintain a healthy mental wellbeing. Here, jockeys can unload their fears of not being consistent enough, as well as mention any factors that could be impacting their performance on track.
Studies have found that jockeys that regularly book appointments to relieve stress have enjoyed better results on the track than those that look to deal with issues alone. You can find more information about horse jockeys in Kentucky Derby here: twinspires.com/kentuckyderby/odds/
Life as a jockey can often be gruelling for those involved, with many of the highest level athletes having to spend time away from close family in order to compete in established international races. Therefore, maintaining a healthy mental health is key for all those jockeys at the highest level of the sport.
Steps Taken To Reduce Stress
Renowned Irish jockey Mark Enright has revealed on countless occasions that he suffered with mental health issues throughout his career on track. The Irishman also revealed during research that a staggering 50% of jockeys in the weighing room would be classed as depressed due to their involvement in the sport and attempting to maintain their health to continue riding at the top of the sport.
However, studies that were carried out by the Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board have now ensured that significant steps will be made to ensure that all jockeys can feel less stressed within the sport.
The governing body spoke directly to those in the weighing room to learn more about their fears, with issues such as success on track and making weight among the key factors that jockeys were concerned about. It was also found that both of these issues had a massive impact on a jockeys social life and negatively impacted their relationships and involvement in social events.
Future Steps That Could Be Taken
As part of the IHRB study, jockeys were also quizzed about what they would like the future of the sport to look like.
A recurring issue that was typically mentioned during this stage was the fact that there were too many races on the schedule, meaning that there was little downtime throughout the year to see friends and family.
This is something that Irish racing have listened to, as they have condensed the schedule, with jockeys given a clear break at the end of each season before the action on track resumes for the next campaign.
However, these fears haven’t been aligned across the board, with racing in the United Kingdom going in the opposite direction. The clearest evidence has been seen in 2024, as the sport has recent included Sunday night all-weather racing, which has been criticised by jockeys across the board.
Owner/Trainer Expectations
Another negative impact for jockeys is the stress that comes from trainers and owners. Both will demand jockeys to ride at the top level when taking a ride on their runner, meaning that the pressure to claim victories in intense.
While it looks unlikely that this demand will ever diminish, given that it is a sport, and a will to win is a key fixture, there are a growing number of trainers that will take into consideration the responsibilities of their jockeys, attempting to give them a lighter workload throughout the season.
Another huge stress for jockeys is caused by the public, with the professional riders typically lambasted for their rides on losing horses, despite having done nothing wrong. Social media has given the public a faceless view to abuse jockeys after losing a bet on their horse, and there are growing calls for companies such as X and Facebook to take harsher steps to ensure that the athletes can feel safe online.
