too old for British racing school ??

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jessicajump

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i am 20 and would like to go to the British racing school i know you can go there until your 22 or something like that

but i don't want to be the oldest there are they usually really young ?

also i don't have much riding experience would i be the only one ??
 
As if 20 is old:D.If this is somthing you want to do then go for it. Racing is all about drive and determination, consider this your first lesson and phone them.Also , I remember back when dinosaurs roamed the planet and we used to get all sorts of apprentice jockeys at the yard ,who had never even sat on a horse:eek: It is a tall order (if you will forgive the pun) to find enough potential jockeys ,the right size and weight ,without needing them also to already know how to ride. Hence the British racing school was set up.
 
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i went to the northern racing college which is basically the same thing and we had 4 people out of 12 over the age of 20. a few people had barely seen a horse before going but they enjoyed it and have found placements in racing yards. we had a few lessons on the simulators at first so we were taught how to hold reins/ride before you even got on a horse. instructors were brilliant and they do say that the less experience you have the quicker you get the hang of "race style riding" as it is so different from normal riding.

if its something you want to do i say go for it!! best time of my life!! be prepared for aching muscles on your first week though lol
 
When my husband was 'the new boyfriend' he came to watch me ride in a P2P. Thinking it looked like great fun, he decided he wanted to 'have a go' having NEVER ridden before. He was 34. I pooh poohed it - said he was too old to start pointing, it was quite tricky, that I had been riding since I was four etc and why didn't he get a quite hack to start with ? He basically ignored me saying he would sort himself out. He arranged to ride everyday at the Northern Racing School, and whilst not officially being on a course, he unofficially did one with the youngsters. He was dedicated - got up everyday at 5 to get there, ride two lots before work etc. he bought himself two clapped out horses at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales without telling me (one of which had tendons like bananas, and was completely sound through 4 years of racing twice a month) and began to race. He had some terrible falls in the early days but remained a fixture at the NRS, letting the students get experience of travelling/grooming/leading up at races. He won many many races both P2P and NH and retired as a jockey at 50. Top Bloke, hence now husband.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD!
Ps I 'retired' From P2P at 30 saying I was too old !
 
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Dreamer515 said:
i went to the northern racing college which is basically the same thing and we had 4 people out of 12 over the age of 20. a few people had barely seen a horse before going but they enjoyed it and have found placements in racing yards. we had a few lessons on the simulators at first so we were taught how to hold reins/ride before you even got on a horse. instructors were brilliant and they do say that the less experience you have the quicker you get the hang of "race style riding" as it is so different from normal riding.

if its something you want to do i say go for it!! best time of my life!! be prepared for aching muscles on your first week though lol
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thanks :)
 
Bestdogdash said:
When my husband was 'the new boyfriend' he came to watch me ride in a P2P. Thinking it looked like great fun, he decided he wanted to 'have a go' having NEVER ridden before. He was 34. I pooh poohed it - said he was too old to start pointing, it was quite tricky, that I had been riding since I was four etc and why didn't he get a quite hack to start with ? He basically ignored me saying he would sort himself out. He arranged to ride everyday at the Northern Racing School, and whilst not officially being on a course, he unofficially did one with the youngsters. He was dedicated - got up everyday at 5 to get there, ride two lots before work etc. he bought himself two clapped out horses at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales without telling me (one of which had tendons like bananas, and was completely sound through 4 years of racing twice a month) and began to race. He had some terrible falls in the early days but remained a fixture at the NRS, letting the students get experience of travelling/grooming/leading up at races. He won many many races both P2P and NH and retired as a jockey at 50. Top Bloke, hence now husband.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD!
Ps I 'retired' From P2P at 30 saying I was too old !
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Oh my days, he sounds just blooming brilliant. Love it. Lucky you to have him as your bloke!
 
Bestdogdash said:
When my husband was 'the new boyfriend' he came to watch me ride in a P2P. Thinking it looked like great fun, he decided he wanted to 'have a go' having NEVER ridden before. He was 34. I pooh poohed it - said he was too old to start pointing, it was quite tricky, that I had been riding since I was four etc and why didn't he get a quite hack to start with ? He basically ignored me saying he would sort himself out. He arranged to ride everyday at the Northern Racing School, and whilst not officially being on a course, he unofficially did one with the youngsters. He was dedicated - got up everyday at 5 to get there, ride two lots before work etc. he bought himself two clapped out horses at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales without telling me (one of which had tendons like bananas, and was completely sound through 4 years of racing twice a month) and began to race. He had some terrible falls in the early days but remained a fixture at the NRS, letting the students get experience of travelling/grooming/leading up at races. He won many many races both P2P and NH and retired as a jockey at 50. Top Bloke, hence now husband.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD!
Ps I 'retired' From P2P at 30 saying I was too old !
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Awesome! I really love this story!
 
Bestdogdash said:
When my husband was 'the new boyfriend' he came to watch me ride in a P2P. Thinking it looked like great fun, he decided he wanted to 'have a go' having NEVER ridden before. He was 34. I pooh poohed it - said he was too old to start pointing, it was quite tricky, that I had been riding since I was four etc and why didn't he get a quite hack to start with ? He basically ignored me saying he would sort himself out. He arranged to ride everyday at the Northern Racing School, and whilst not officially being on a course, he unofficially did one with the youngsters. He was dedicated - got up everyday at 5 to get there, ride two lots before work etc. he bought himself two clapped out horses at Doncaster Bloodstock Sales without telling me (one of which had tendons like bananas, and was completely sound through 4 years of racing twice a month) and began to race. He had some terrible falls in the early days but remained a fixture at the NRS, letting the students get experience of travelling/grooming/leading up at races. He won many many races both P2P and NH and retired as a jockey at 50. Top Bloke, hence now husband.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD!
Ps I 'retired' From P2P at 30 saying I was too old !
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I actually think I love him a little bit :D
 
I have always wondered, how do they teach non horsey people to ride at these racing colleges?

Took a while to learn on a riding school plod, let along being plonked on a tb?

I can guess the tbs at the colleges are pretty used to their job, so whilst most of them should be pretty safe, how does this then transpire to the real racing world where there is really likely to be a killer horse on the yard?
 
There were a variety of ages when I went for my interview so I doubt you'll be the only one. I'm 18 when I go (well its my 18th 2 days after I arrive) but I'd still have gone if I were 22 :lol: It just depends how much you want it :)

wench said:
I can guess the tbs at the colleges are pretty used to their job, so whilst most of them should be pretty safe, how does this then transpire to the real racing world where there is really likely to be a killer horse on the yard?
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Not all of the horses there are 'safe' they have a variety of horses to cover a range of abilities and they like you to ride most of them throughout the duration of the course. At the BRS they do have horses that will go side ways and buck to prepare you for the real world :)
 
BDD - your OH is a proper leg-end!!!

Wench - At racing school you are taught to ride a tb. You are taught to ride work. Your taught to cling on. Put a racing school taught rider on a normal horse as they wouldnt have the foggiest how to make it go, stop or turn in a remotely elegant manner.

The horses can be right toads though! Imagine if you were getting kept race fit 3/4 of the year with no racing to bloe off steam the horses love nothing more than ripping the mick out of the students! Why not?!
 
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