The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-01-03
MAKING n HORSE JOCKEY.
Painful Training to Undergo Before
n hoy Is Fitted to Ride.
From the Albany Erenino journal

From the Albany Erenino Journal
Among the many who are interested In racing,
probably but few pay anT thought to tho pains
and miseries undergone by that unfortunate
although much envied class Of men. the jockeys.
Some men-very few-are really born jockeys.
They are of that small build which 10 essential
for their work. they are blessed with q c%onstitu-
ton that docs not run to fat." and at the same
time they are endowed with the nerve and reso-
luton necessary 10 their calling. Many lads,
however. who by their build" give promise Of
making good jockeys are. as they turn to man
hood. cursed with the tendency to lay on flesh.
but having once tasted the excitement. and
also. It may be. shifted ut the profits OF a Jockeys
life, will not Rivo 1t up without n struggle, not
withstnnding tho warning OF the scales. To
these the life Is one OF great misery. almost tor
ture, from trainins down.; iGtersporsed; no
II not quite as dangerous 10 health. rs those
during which the poor fellow has TO DO penance
Probably no criminal 70 whom hard labor Is
melted out as q punishment underRoes such labor
ine" himself so as to scale with another lucky
fellow whose nature runs less 10 fat. In tho
hottest weather he piles on clothes a., and takes ss
sweats the more no feels he has done his duty.
Then comes the puzzle. After the labor, there
but tho fond must be strictly Limited, and tho
drink must be for naugnt. The privation Is
horrible. FRAMING Tor COnultlOn IL DhU enough,
and has made many a good fellow throw athlet-
icism TO the dogs, but training for weight Is q
far greater infiction. There are so many
pounds 20 be got of and so many days or weeks
In which to do u. BY physic, by. sweating, by
hard labor. and by starvation II has got TO be
done, and that In a certain time.
As an instance OF continuous self denial there
are few positions which will compare with that
OF n jockey when he Is working himself down
To scale. A man in ordinary condition hardly
varies in weight from day to day, whatever he
may eat or drink. and many men leading fairly
irregular lives keep their weight almost without
change for months. ana even years: IL is not so,
however, when training has, brought, down the
weight far below it's natural level. Under such
circumstances every cell In the body seems
hungry and athirst, and moisture is sucked
up as by blotting paper: Jockeys ana
the weight laid on as the result OF small
indiscretiOns In diet. and II Is gravely stated
that u pint OF stout imbihcd by a thirsty
"wns,er" is computed 10 put on three or four
pounds! OF course, such things cannot be, aud
the laws OF nature are not altered even for
jookevs;, nevertheless. II 10 certain that, when
fluid over a minimum which has been attained
Is not eXcreted. but goes entirely to the tissues,
and thus to tho increase OF weight. 1t Is unneces-
II must be to play such prRnks with the
constitution over and over again. Health
depends. largely upon the, maintenance
the assimilative and tho excretory func;
lions. relations which are entirely perverted
In the life Of the jockey. At one period he de.
rivrs his nutriment from food like tue rest OF
mankind; at other tirles. and for long smells
he ubsi ,ts largely upon his own tissue, Many
break down under the strain, either ~ cone
qucnre OF the fluids drunk being insufficient IA
enable the excretory organs TO rcriorh Iheiir
functions properly, or from the starvation Tell
ing on tho nervous system before II affects tlieif
than continue the miserable system OF stnrva.
ton which 10 involved In Keeping Inc scales On
the right side.