I need race-horse help please !!!!

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sammorgan

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Hi guys,
I am going to the British Racing School in October, and i'm a bit nervous about what's going to happen afterwards. I really want to go into jump racing, because I find jumps really exhilarating, however I neciseraly want to become a jockey, id be happy as a work rider. What I would like to know is this: if I am working in a jump yard, will I get to jump the horses, or do the trainers bring in jockeys to do this? How often would i be jumping,what height, would i mainly be just on flat gallops, etc.? I would be so grateful if anyone who is currently working in a jump yard could answer a few of my questions, because it could make or break this career for me:)
Thanks a lot,
-Sam :)
 
I work on a jumps yard and in our yard if you are capable of schooling the horses then you do so. Only jockeys are allowed to jump the chase fences but the other non-jockeys that are more than capable will school over poles, tyres and hurdles.

Other yards are different. Some will only allow jockeys to school, others will teach you how to school a racehorse and if you are good enough allow you to school on a regular basis.

I should say at this point we always use the term schooling for teaching the horses to jump not your usual basic flat work schooling that happens in any normal horse persons head lol!

Most yards start over small car tyres and poles in the school before going out onto the hurdles which are about 3ft and slanted. The chase fences are bigger, stockier and don't fall down!

The majority of a horses work regime will be on gallops. Most yards school once or twice a week at most unless they have a seriously crap jumper *cough*like mine*cough* then they will school as often as necessary. It is easier to get taught things in a smaller yard to start off with before moving onto a bigger yard with all the necessary skills in place. Big yards won't have the time to teach you.

If you fancy coming up to Scotland at the end of your course we have Scu who is a jockey coach along with our senior jockey Pete and to be fair the other lads will always help and teach you what you need to know because at the end of they day if you can't do your job properly and have the horse ready for the track then you stand more chance of killing them and the horse.
 
brilliant thank you very much! I haven't got a clue what yard i want to go to yet, probably one near hampshire though because thats where i live at the moment. Any recommendations anyone?
 
I think the Racing School will place you where it considers most suitable: often stable staff live in a hostel on site rather than at home as they need to be at work early.
There are usually some horses which are suitable to learn to school on, just as there are some who you learn to canter on and ride work on. I don't suppose you know anyone who has racing ponies? John Francome was a top jockey who started as a show jumper, so practical experience is invaluable.
Don't worry too much at this stage, just concentrate on the day to day work, and it will all come together. One route in to the jumping fraternity is through point to pointing, so you might think about that, it is an amateur sport but the jockeys may work in a racing yard and there are more opportunities for you, it is very popular in some areas.
Good luck in your career, and take note of your instructors, they are very experienced and want to turn you in to a professional, that is their job, your job is to work hard and enjoy it :).
PS Make sure you are pretty fit when you go, or you will really struggle at first.
 
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Bonkers2 said:
I think the Racing School will place you where it considers most suitable: often stable staff live in a hostel on site rather than at home as they need to be at work early.
There are usually some horses which are suitable to learn to school on, just as there are some who you learn to canter on and ride work on. I don't suppose you know anyone who has racing ponies? John Francome was a top jockey who started as a show jumper, so practical experience is invaluable.
Don't worry too much at this stage, just concentrate on the day to day work, and it will all come together. One route in to the jumping fraternity is through point to pointing, so you might think about that, it is an amateur sport but the jockeys may work in a racing yard and there are more opportunities for you, it is very popular in some areas.
Good luck in your career, and take note of your instructors, they are very experienced and want to turn you in to a professional, that is their job, your job is to work hard and enjoy it :).
PS Make sure you are pretty fit when you go, or you will really struggle at first.
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Sadly i don;t know anyone with racing ponies, its all about the cc and the showjumping arround here:L I enjoy cross country though so that's sort of the same idea, so i'll just keep doing that for a while:) Sadly there's not a gallops you can just take your pony to!!
 
sammorgan said:
Sadly i don;t know anyone with racing ponies, its all about the cc and the showjumping arround here:L I enjoy cross country though so that's sort of the same idea, so i'll just keep doing that for a while:) Sadly there's not a gallops you can just take your pony to!!
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You won't learn much galloping your own pony, so don't worry too much about that, but you might get work experience in a racing yard if you are willing to start with jobs like sweeping the yard and mucking out. Try to improve your seat and hands, a good position goes a long way, and don't shorten your stirrup leathers in order to look like a jockey, this does not work!
 
ahah yeah i wast going to do that lol ! i'v got some work experience in the summer at a yard, so that should be good. i'll try to get as much as i can before i go i think : )
 
Oh, practice jumping from the ground on to the saddle, its easy with a pony, just make sure he is OK about it, you will soon get to do it smoothly and it is an essential skill, though at the racing school there will be someone to give you a leg up ,... oh and it will not be 1 2 3 jump, it will be much quicker.
Big Tip: always always make sure bridle fits properly and the straps are flat in their keepers, otherwise one day, the bridle will come off!
Always check the stirrup leathers are in good condition. Travelling at 30mph you want to stay in one piece.
Don't touch the rump with your legs when mounting or dismounting or you will be deposited on the ground.
 
Bonkers2 said:
Oh, practice jumping from the ground on to the saddle, its easy with a pony, just make sure he is OK about it, you will soon get to do it smoothly and it is an essential skill, though at the racing school there will be someone to give you a leg up ,... oh and it will not be 1 2 3 jump, it will be much quicker.
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I am so glad our yard has a mounting block as I can neither bounce on nor take leg ups lol! Me and gravity have too much of a love affair going on!
 
EKW said:
I am so glad our yard has a mounting block as I can neither bounce on nor take leg ups lol! Me and gravity have too much of a love affair going on!
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EIther way i'm happy, i reckon getting on from the ground will take some practice though haha!
 
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