Essentials of Expert Jockeyship.: Clear Cut Statement by Englands Famous Dictator of the Turf of Long Ago., Daily Racing Form, 1917-03-01

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ESSENTIALS OF EXPERT JOCKEYSHIP. Clear Cut Statement by Englands Famous Dictator of the Turf of Long Ago. There is an old saying that "No persons are so well managed as bachelors wives and old maids ihildren:" their theories are beautiful, because their practice is imaginary. On this principle I write by essay. "Two of a trade can in -vi r agree." but I flatter myself, in this instance, that no jealousy will exist between myself and tin-artists of the turf, whose inimitable performance, anil whose skill, patii nee and intelligence in the strife of battle have afforded me many phasaut moments. The first order instilled into a lads ear by the trainer is: "Sit still and keep your hands down: hold en by your knees; dont turn your toes out: elbows into the sides: hands on level with the pommel of the saddle: balance yourself hy you -loins; dont hang on by the bridle." There is nothing more delicate than a horses mouth, beiovc it has been spoilt by rude hands, and the power of the bit is generally terribly abused, owing to ig nonnce; but the main point is a good-natured disposition to treat the horse kindly, and not to be tempted to qnarrel with him ea any pn tease. Of all animals, none are more susceptible to kindness t! n tie- thoroughbred horse, and even those which have been made notoriously vicious, by bad treatment. attack themselves to their own lads, who are kind to them. With nine horses out of ten the whip and spurs are detrimental in a race. It may be considered a bad compliment to a jockey to ask him to ride without them, beeaase they are naturally considered an essential part of his eostame, and he is supposed to possess sufficient diser tioa not to make an unwise use of them. Put a featherweight ought never to be allowed spurs; when the boy gets tired he hangs o:i by them. He should not have a whip, unless the horse is a notorious slug. because when his horse is in difficulties be i thrown off his balance by using it. and he abandons bis reins when, to use tin- common expression, "he ought to keep him fast by the head.- Where a Race Is Lost or Won. The beauty of the race consists iu detecting the how and where. The how it was lost: the when it was won. It is highly interesting to observe a n ce won out of the fire, solely by fine riding — by the jockey slipping his opponents, or by taking the off chance by laying away. hen the struggle was made too far from home: the forced pace, too unnatural to last tie- distance, by which the superiority of his antagonists succumbs, and the man wins on an inferior animal, si lcly by his patience and by his knowledge of pan. This knowledge of pace to a jockey is as important as the judgment of distance to a fencer or to a baser; it must emanate from natural genius, and be self - taught. All the celebrated jockeys, from South. Pratt, the Chiffneys. Ruckle, to the first-rate artists of the present day. were eminently famoas in this respect. It is the criterion of race riding. The most trying task a jockey can be set is to rid ■ a jady horse four miles against an antagonist known to possess superior speed with doubtful bottom ; and his object, con c|utntly. is to ride the distance steadily against time, alias, to come the best pact the horse can maintain, without forcing him beyond his natural powers of endurance, and at tin- sane time to keep a reserve to land the horse in the final struggle. Riding a horse of acknowledged superior speed is an easy te.sk. aim only regains a fine band and patience. The jockey has the advantage of waiting: nineteen horses cut of twenty follow on better terms than when they take the lead. If the jockey has any doubt on the subject of comparative speed, he must go up to his adversary at a certain distance from home and ascertain the fact, if he discovers it is all right, he draws his hors.- hack Bad wails till he measure; his length on the post: if. en the contrary, he finds the other horse can gn as fast or faster than his own. there is no remedy but to fight the battle without loss of time, and to tide him boate. When Good Judgment Plays Its P?rt. This is the A. 15. C. of riding races. With bones of known merits, the orders for riding are simple, but tiie disiualifieatioas of a jockey manifest themselves by ascertaining in a law field of boms their rolatho metlts in comparison with his own bone, by deciding instanter what tactics to pursue, improving his position by the casualties which may happen in a race, and never to be seduced to main tain a pan which is unnatural to the calibr- of his bone; not to lay out of his ground when tie- pan is indifferent, and never to fight the battle in Croat in any part of the race if he can find other jockeys who will do that work for him: finally, if he has twenty-ona pounds in band, not to win ■hove a length. The increase of racing and the numerous country handicaps have produced nany superior light-weight riders — hoys who carry old beads on yoaag sboal-il-is. and who will add, eventually, distinguished nam--- to the old list of Jockeys; but it i~ extraordinary that we constantly remark lads who. as children, have ridden feather-weights with pr.-.it judgment, lose their art as they incie.i.i in years. This i- owing to vanity, to that nek upon which men of all professions are wrecked when they Oat-let themselves that they ar - clover and have arrived at the top of the trie, having, in fa. t. only reached the krarest branches; the result is they cease to listen to good advice, they ride sceord-ing to their fancy, anil the first indication that they are good for nothing i- rolling about in tia ic saddles and flourishing their whips Instead of sit. tine still and keeping their horses fast by tin- bead. In no department of life is the axiom that "hon- mtj is the b.-st poii.-y in-.!-, dearly demons trated whea talent is allied to strict boaor and integrity; it is a sure road to ton para tree wealth. On tie-other hand, m,n possessing first-rate ebilitka i to prosper from the moment a taint is easl npon their reputation, and their ib cliae in life i-, invariably marked by poverty and neglect, Tin- above m written i y Admiral Bona Perhaps tie greatest aiithoiif on racial the turf has ever known list] fi-e yean .-mo. bnt es rj word, and every scrap of advice, holds as good todaj and is as valuable as on the da] it was written. .Moreover, one should not be blind to the pure English, the literary style, the ditectaess and the simplicity of the laagaagC in which it is written. Is there anv spirit of the imperious, autocratic, dictatorship with Which we have been taaghl to associate the name of Admiral Rous. He i taking the racing public into his confidence, and is talking to stable Ih.js in as democratic and fiieiallv .; spirit as any owner could in these most deasoeratfc days speak to a Jockey. — Loudon Spurting Life.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917030101/drf1917030101_1_8
Local Identifier: drf1917030101_1_8
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800