Career outlook for jockey
Average UK salary
£67,080
Currently employed in Scotland
1,400
"LMI for All" supplies our salary and employment status information. "Oxford Economics" supplies job forecasts and employment figures. Due to COVID-19 the jobs market is constantly changing. Some of the information may not reflect the current situation.
What's it like?
You would ride horses to win races for the owners and to entertain the crowds at the racetrack and watching on television.
You’d need excellent horse riding skills and have the dedication and determination to win.
Horse trainers would employ you to ride one of their horses at race meetings. You would either race on the flat - on a race track without obstacles - or over jumps and ditches – called National Hunt racing. You’d specialise in either flat or jump racing, although you could take part in both.
You would:
- Plan racing strategies with the horse owner and trainer
- Take advice from the trainer on tactics to suit the horse and the track
- Ride every day to exercise the horse
- Ride the horse at flat or jump races at race tracks around the UK and possibly overseas
You’d need to be able to handle horses and have a good knowledge of horse care and welfare.
It’s a demanding job physically: fitness, strength and stamina are required. There are also risks of injury, for example from falls and being kicked by a horse.
Working conditions
Hours
Environment
Travel
UK employment status
Full-time
38%
Part-time
29%
Self employed
34%
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- Resilience
- Self awareness
- Taking responsibility
- Making decisions
- Risk taking
- Concentrating
- Attention to detail
- Verbal communication
- Cooperating
- Observation
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Qualifications
There are no formal qualifications to enter this job however you will need to complete a jockey apprenticeship and get a British Horseracing Authority licence to ride.
This includes a five-day residential Apprentice or Conditional Licence course and a medical at the British Racing School in Newmarket or the Northern Racing College in Doncaster.
Once the licence is awarded, an Apprentice or Conditional Jockey would complete the Apprenticeship at a trainer's yard.
To keep the licence, jockeys then need to continue their development by taking a four-day Apprentice or Conditional Continuation course and an advanced Apprentice or Conditional course.
For entry into the riding courses, most racing schools ask that the candidate have experience in riding, jumping and galloping.
Helpful to have
Past experience as a stable hand or groom.