Horse Racing
Telepathy is most useful skill

By Vicky Baze
Special to The Seattle Times

	Vicky Baze
	E-mail this article Print this article Search archive

EDITOR'S NOTE: Vicky Baze was a two-time riding champion at Longacres in the 1980s and is horse racing's third-winningest female jockey. This is her account of what it is like for a jockey during a race.

Pound for pound, ounce for ounce, jockeys are by far the fittest and strongest of all athletes. The grit and determination they exhibit in their chosen sport far outweighs what they lack in size. They are "legged up" 10 times a day on animals 10 times heavier than they are. The racing saddles are not much more than a thin piece of leather, and the stirrups are simply pockets of metal they slip their toes into.

With ankles barely grazing each side of the horse in a balanced perch, they ride their mount with their minds, along with a skillful touch of hands on the reins. Most times jockeys have only the warmup time in the parade to the starting gate to develop a positive relationship, so telepathy and body language is a jockey's most important means of communicating and gaining the horse's confidence.

At the same time, (they are) getting their mount settled into an efficient stride and focusing a keen eye on the field of horses and riders, who are also competing for the best positioning. It all adds a new dimension to multi-tasking.

As the horses round the final bend toward the finish line, the moments of decision-making begin: Who is running out of steam in front? Stay out from behind them! Is it best to go around? Or better to glide through on the rail? Will the horse respond better with or without a tap from the crop (whip)?

In a single millisecond, these critical decisions play out many times a day in the life of a jockey — race after race — in the form of winning by a close margin ... or conceding by a length.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company