Amador ledger., 1903-09-25
JOCKEYS IN TRAINING
KEEPING THE WEIGHT DOWN is NOT
A DIFFICULT PROBLEM.
Fattening Foods Are Avoided, and
Judicious Exercise Is Courted-As
Rule, Riders Last a Dozen Years
and AS Glass Are Not Saving.

Fattening Foods Are Avoided, and
Judicious Exercise Is Courted-As
Rule, Riders Last n Dozen Years
and as a Glass Are Not Saving.
ut is popular belief" well known
trainer said to reporter recently,
"that jockey has to resort to all sorts
Of injurious practices in order to keep
his weight within required limits. The
idea, however, is a far stretched one
Of course jockey has to go through
certain exercises each day and has to
be very much more careful regarding
what he puts in his stomach than most
people in order to keep his weight down
ard from acquiring a superduity Of
mesh, but he certainly does not starve
himself, as is generally supposed. If
he did so he would break down entirely
in very short time. A jockey must
also be in the best possible physical
trim and have his wits about him be-
fore race, and to attain that he must
be careful how he uses his constitution.
There are two very important things
jockey has to consider in studying his
dietary. He must see to it that his food
is of the best quality and that it con-
tains practically no flesh forming prop
critics. All such fattening foods as, for
instance, soups, beef, pork, potatoes,
puddings and pastries a jockey must
deny himself Coffee, tea or other
drinks are only taken very moderately,
as all liquids help more or less in put
ting on flesh.
Although a jockey has to eschew
such foods, there are many other varie-
ties which he gets just as much pleas
ure in eating and which at the same
time are equally as good and strength
ening for his constitution. A few days
before a race Jockey who has a
mount in 1t will not stint himself-pro-
vided he has no fear of overlapping
his proper weight for the race-in any
thing which he thinks will not inter
fere with his digestive apparatus.
Some jockeys, Of course, take on
and lose flesh quicker than others. I
have known one or two who were par
ticularly anxious to ride in certain
races, but for which they were perhaps
as much as eight or nine pounds too
heavy, who reduced that weight in the
same number Of days. To accomplish
that, however, they have to resort prac-
tically to starving diet leaving as
little as the strain on the vitality will
permit without breaking down and try
ing to reduce their overweight by GER
tain sweating exercises. 1t Is needless
to say that no jockey could stand too
frequent repetitions of such severe
measures to subtract from his weight
ing his health and even sacrificing his
life; still, many willingly resort to such
get light weight quick methods where
they see good opportunities Of making
a name or a pile Of money for them
selves.
ut must be remembered that by ma
ture jockeys as whole are not of sub
stantial physique or imposing in height,
although they are as tough as whip
cord. If they were, therefore, to in
dulge every day in the heavy bill of
fare that the average business or work
ing man partakes of 1t is not probable
that they would increase much in
weight or height. You often see jock
eys in the big hotels and restaurants
at the various racing sections after a
race tucking in big and expensive din
ners with gusto and relish that
would give chronic dyspeptic an ap-
petite for hard tack.
walking running, cycling, punching
the bag and hurdle Jumping are favor
ite exercises among jockeys to keep
their weight down. On going out for
walk or run they wrap themselves in
the thickest of woolen sweaters and
other heavy clothing, no matter how
high the temperature may be, and the
exercise is kept up for distance per-
haps of eight or nine miles, or, as we
say, until you are drowned in sweat
Turkish baths are also frequently in
dulged In by many, and they must
wear excessively warm clothing after,
and also when going for a gallop, no
matter IL the weather be boiling hot.
'T should say that ten or twelve
years is the average of Jockeys ac-
tive turf life. The length of his career,
however, depends a great deal on his
riding ability and luck.
Jockeys are not Of a saving class,
and with but few exceptions 1 know
of none who has ever managed to put
enough money away to keep him in
even half decent comfort after retiring
from the turf. The majority, however,
succeed In scraping up bank roll Of
sufficient dimensions to start in some
business. Like retired pugilists, they
have a fondness for the liquor bust
ness, and know few one time jock
eys who are prospering in that trade in
different parts Of the country. Others,
again, become 'bookies,' poolroom keep
ers and enter into such businesses as
enable them to crafty their tnveterate
love for gambling. know Of only one
ex-jockey who Is an exception to this
rule. He retired some years ago with
$4,000 to his credit, and he 1mmedi-
ately went into the real estate business
In New Jersey. Today he Is doing well.
He was fortunate enough, however, to
receive a good common school educa-
ton in his early boyhood days-and
that's thing jockeys very rarely get.
Outside of their knowledge of horse
manship the great majority are as
ignorant as red Indians. New York
Times.