The Washington times., 1904-04-04
Profession of Jockey
BeSet With Difficulty
Draw Big Salaries, But Serve Long Appren-
Observation-Disclosures Sad Experience.
Career Necessarily a Short One

In one OF the American magazines
there has appeared for the past several
months a series OF articles entitled The
Choice of Profession" written by
learned men in the various professions
These articles have been highly inter
esting and instructive, and have been
eagerly read by young men who arc
starting on their Ife's career
There is vocation in life that has not
been touched upon by any of the learned
doctors. and il Is probably as lucrative
calling as any Of the more honorable
professions Of which so much has been
written. This is the profession of a
jockey.
Perhaps il may appear humorous 10
the reader to think of chasing this pro-
fession with the better known caIlings
but there is much to be said about il
that Is interesting and instructive.
The life OF a jockey is fun of hard
ships and none attains the top round Of
che ladder without much hard work and
many privauons. AS a rule. a jockey Is
an illiterate person who knows nothing
except horses; but he has 10 master
many intricate things in connection with
his calling That probably could not he
easily learned by any or the skilled pro-
fessors in colleges.
Get Big Salaries.
The jockey who is successful can com
mand a salary equal to that Of a rail-
road or bank president and If he is tenn
perate in his habits and frugal, can re-
tire after a few years with a compe-
tency.
There are very few boys who have
made "a success as jockeys, however,
who can resist the temptations that be-
set the life OF a rider of race horses,
and those who have made the best of
their opportunities ana saved money can
be counted on ones fingers.
No one who has boys best interests
at heart could advise him TO adopt the
profession Of a jockey. for # is too un-
certain Of success. It requires years of
hard work and privation. and the per-
ceutage of eminently successful riders
is very small.
In order to make success Of riding
a boy must enter a stable almost before
he has laid aside his swaddling clothes.
Light weight is absolutely necessary
and the less a lad weighs when he starts
out 10 become "a rider the better chance
he has TO succeed.
a boy must begin at the bottom of the
ladder His novitlate is passed within
the stable After a time he may be-
come a rubber, which means much hard
work and some danger, for there are
any number of race horses Of savage
disposition that win attempt TO kin
their attendants When lad is allowed
10 get astride a horses back for the
purpose Of exercising the animal he has
taken the first step toward the profess
sion OF a jockey.
Early Morning Rides.
Trainers Of horses who develop jockeys
usually have large stables. and in the
early morning hours. long before the
average person has thought Of getting
up. the thoroughbreds are out on the
track galloping. Many race takes
place between the horses of a stable in
these ear5y morning hours. and the
boys who show natural skill and are
able 70 heat their rivals in the morn
ing gailcss are the ones who catch the
eyes of the trainers A boy may show
every evidence of being a natural horse
man but ne may have 10 wait years
for an opportunity % ride IN a real
race. The owner Of a horse when II
comes TO racing for purses is not apt
20 employ an unskilled rider. and hence
the limited opportunities that come TO
the stable boys.
<-4l ILLUSTRATION OF the uncertainties
that beset the life of 2 boy ambitious
70 become a jockey occurred at Ben
ring q few days ago. A lad who had
been in the employ OF James McLaugh-
lin. himself a rider OF much prominence
a decade snd more ago. had waited for
more than three years for the chance
10 wear colors I'm a race. He was final
" given the Longer for opportunity IN
the third race on Wednesday. The boy
had the mount on horse called Tom
kiley. and he was in great Spirits when
ne came ont into the paddock wearing
shining silk jacket. He was looked AZ
with envy by the other bows i'm his
stable. for they believed that The lad
had started on a career of fame and
fortune.
Drolette's Experience.
The boys name was Drolette BE u,oe
all smiles as he galIoped his horse 10 the |
starting post and ~ clspIsved GOOD I
judgment and psU-.- WHALE at f.a
start The horses --~e .s. a,rsy m, 4
their mad journey Nv tas -tr- and
Drolette was lucky eoo.r.I. .. g.- 7rm I
Kiley Off in y0od position Tlz -yr..
vas running easily. ami no dcurr he
boy on his back mad hopes OF secs-,r 5fg /
name hOisted IN the hockey board ab adj
of the Other riders - the race. Hsldl,I
had the hos settled % running. how /
ever. wher ,. y--.e-r. Source As The
neld apprccei 81 b.. ..s ta-u S.. raj oil
the more e,.Perien,r. poys. eyer a. OIL I
tain good positions IN ne race. ana vIiH /
little regr I'd .oT -he youth and mex /
perience Of Drolet,e pulled their horses /
over toward the rail The animals cur
sharply across Tom IIiIey and before
Drolette knew what had happened. his I
horse had stumbled and the little lad
who had waited so long for the op1or- /
tunity TO ride ia real rage. was picked /
up unconscious. An examination dis
closed broken jaw and several teeth
missing. The lad was tenderly lifted
into a wagon and taken back 10 the
Jockeys room. He now lies on bsd Of
pain at the Providence Hospital WhetE- /
er his disastrous experience viii cure
him OF his ambition 10 come Jockey I
Is difficult 10 surmise. but II ne should |
stil have aspirations he can expect more
than one hard knock before he attains |