Physiological Demands and Muscle Activity of Jockeys in Trial and Race Riding

Physiological parameters and muscle activity of jockeys may affect their fall and injury risk, performance, and career longevity, as well as the performance and welfare of the horses they ride. Therefore, this study aimed to quantify the physiological demands, body displacement, and electromyographic (EMG) activity of twelve jockeys riding 52 trials and 16 professional races. The jockeys were instrumented with heart rate (HR) monitors, accelerometers, and integrated EMG clothing (recording eight muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteal, erector spinae/lower back, abdominal external obliques, abdominal, trapezial and pectoral) which recorded continuously whilst riding. During race day, jockeys rode an average of 5 ± 4 trials and 4 ± 2 races over 2−2.5 h. The trials represented lower intensity cardiovascular demand (~81% HRmax) and Training Impulse (TRIMP) scores (4.4 ± 1.8) than races at maximal intensity effort (~94% HRmax, 7.2 ± 1.8 TRIMP, p < 0.05). Jockey head displacement was similar in trials (5.4 ± 2.1 cm) and races (5.6 ± 2.2 cm, p > 0.05), with more vertical (6.7 ± 2.7 cm) and less medio/lateral (2.3 ± 0.7 cm) and fore/aft (3.7 ± 1.6 cm) displacement for jockeys riding in trials than races (5.5 ± 2.3, 2.8 ± 1.0, 5.6 ± 2.5 cm, p < 0.05). Jockeys in races adopted a lower crouched posture, with their centre of mass (COM) shifted anteriorly, using greater hamstring activation and less upper arm muscle activation than in trials. The differences in riding posture and physiological demands on jockeys riding in a race rather than a trial, highlight the requirement for an off-horse race-specific training programme to improve jockey fitness and performance. Greater jockey stability and coordination will have mutual benefits for both horse welfare and performance.

Physiological Demands and Muscle Activity of “Track-Work” Riding in Apprentice Jockeys

Purpose: To enhance performance in race riding, knowledge of current training workload is required. The objectives of this study were to quantify the physiological demands and profile the muscle activity of jockeys riding track-work. Methods: Ten apprentice jockeys and 48 horses were instrumented with heart-rate monitors, accelerometers, and a surface electromyography BodySuit (recording 8 muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteal, lower back, obliques, abdominal, trapezial, and pectoral) that recorded continuously while riding their normal morning track-work. Data were extracted and time matched into 200-m sections for analysis once the jockey reached steady-state canter (6.9 m·s−1). Results: Jockeys rode a mean (±SD) of 6 (1) horses each morning over 2.5 hours, spending ∼30 minutes at a canter (8.8  [ 0.7] m·s−1), with mean heart rate of 129 (11) beats·min–1 and ratings of perceived exertion representing easy-/moderate-intensity exercise. Mean magnitude of horse (0.17 [0.01] m) and jockey center of mass (0.16 [0.02] m) displacement per stride differed from that of the jockey’s head (0.11 [0.01] m, P < .05). The majority of horse oscillation was damped in the upper body with a 3-fold reduction in the medio/lateral and fore/aft planes (P < .05), to minimize jockey head movement. Lower-body muscles absorbed horse motion, with core and upper-body muscles important for postural stabilization. Conclusions: The physiological demands of riding track-work were low, with no evidence of fatigue. Future research on jockeys in races as comparison would identify the specific requirements of a jockey-specific physical conditioning program.

Review of physical fitness, physiological demands and performance characteristics of jockeys

This narrative review collates data from different equestrian disciplines, both amateur and professional, to describe the physiological demands, muscle activity and synchronicity of movement involved in jockeys riding in a race and to identify limitations within our current knowledge. A literature search was conducted in Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed and Scopus using search terms related to jockeys, equestrian riders and their physiological demands, muscle use, movement dynamics and experience. Abstracts, theses and non-peer reviewed articles were excluded from the analysis. Jockeys work at close to their physiological capacity during a race. The quasi-isometric maintenance of the jockey position requires muscular strength and endurance, specifically from the legs and the core, both to maintain their position and adapt to the movement of the horse. Synchronous movement between horse and rider requires a coordinated activation pattern of the rider’s core muscles, resulting in less work done by the horse to carry the rider, possibly leading to a competitive advantage in race riding. Reports of chronic fatigue in jockeys demonstrate poor quantification of workload and recovery. The lack of quantitative workload metrics for jockeys’ limits calculation of a threshold required to reach race riding competency and development of sport-specific training programmes. Until the sport-specific demands of race riding are quantified, the development of evidence-based sport specific and potentially performance enhancing jockey strength and conditioning programmes cannot be realised.