The Osceola times., 1885-09-12
CONCERNING JOCKEYS.
The Habits and Training of Successful
Riders.

"Yes, I earn good deal of money
every season, but have to work hard
for it, and think am deserving of all
get A jockey, in order to be sue
cessful, must constantly subject himself
to a rigorous course of training, and,
although people who are not posted on
such matters would hardly think it. the
best riders in the country-men who
earn from $1,000 to $40, every SUM-
mer-frequently 60 to bed hungry every
night for weeks
why Is that ''
well, 1t is this way: The scale Of
weights in this country is very light as
compared with that in En- gland, and so
1t " always the case that by the time
Jockey becomes man in years he has
grown TO such size that his natural
Bodily weight is far above that which
the racing rules prescribe shall be car
he'd in all the more important events
tor 2and year old runners. Of course
this scale of weights must be adhered
TO, and it is for this reason that every
Jockey is weighed before each race be-
gins in order that none of them NAV be
either over or under the weight which
the rules fix for that particular event
In winter, for instance, my weight is
about 1875 pounds, yet drring the racing
season | must be prepared to ride at a
moments notice any race where but 40
pounds is allowed to be carried This
means that have got to take off by ar
tlhcial means about fifteen pounds Of
surplus flesh aud you can have no ideu
OF how hard 1t is to do that, and then to
keep my weight down to the proper
figures"
''How is this accomplished"
"By sweating. In spite of all the care
which can be taken as to what is eaten
jockey finds that he is CON
stantly getting four or five
pounds heavier than he should be.
and this means that each morning of
the day he is to ride race he must get
up early, put on number of sweaters,
and over these place heavy clothes.
Then comes stiff walk of four or five
miles, the pace being fast enough so
that perspiration will be freely Induced;
and by dint OF hard walking and eating
little or nothing during the fore part of
the day be finds that by afternoon he is
down to the proper weight and can ride.
Of course this sort of life weakens a
man. If it were only done for Il week
or so it would not make SO much differ
erence, but where one has TO keep con-
stantly reducing his flesh by artificial
means from the lst of May until the LIST
of October ii is tremendous strain on
the mental and nervous system as well
as the physical. There is constant
feeling of weakness and sickness which
never leaves one except during sleep"
What does a jockey eat during the
racing season."
"Well, don't know how other men
manage, but find that fruit is about
the only thing can eat without causing
my weight to run up beyond proper linn
its. Of course there is not much
strength in that sort of diet, and have
to supplement- it with meat once in
while but even then | can only have a
small piece of very rare steak, and this
with little toast is quite feast for a
Jockey who is in active training.
$50 you are hungry good deal of
the time?"
Yes" said Murphy, with a curious
smile. as he looked up into the face of
his questioner, the high check bones
with the skin drawn tightly over them
telling their own story of self-imposcd
starvation. 1--WE don't know what it is
to feel that we have eaten enough from
the day the racing season begins until it
is over And then the work is hard and
of kind which makes q man want
nourishing food. You get on the back
of big, active thoroughbred race-horse
that is full of life and ambition, and
sometimes is vicious besides, and you
are expected to control him and ride
him in such a manner that his best speed
will be obtained for long distance, and
all the time you are actually weak for
want of food. "-ChJcago Tribune.