Jockeys tend to face some of the biggest challenges in sports, including staying extremely light, often under 50 kg, to meet racing weight requirements. Achieving this involves daily choices that take a serious toll on their bodies and minds. In this article, we’ll take a deeper look into what weight cutting really does to jockeys.
Daily Weight Loss: A Relentless Demand on Jockeys
Unlike fighters who cut weight just before a major event, jockeys have to meet strict weight limits almost every day they compete. This means constant management: fluid restriction, saunas, sweatsuits, and sometimes even self-induced vomiting to hit the required numbers. It’s not a one-off task, but a continuous, high-pressure cycle that shapes both their training and lifestyle.
In the wider racing world, these weight demands are often invisible to the casual observer. Fans and punters may follow race results and track performance trends through online platforms, including betting sites that compile race calendars, odds, and statistics. While these platforms help people understand form, conditions, and likely outcomes, they can’t convey the physical sacrifices behind those numbers, particularly how much of a race’s result can be influenced by a jockey’s ability to manage their weight safely.
Another concerning aspect of weight fluctuations among these jockeys is that dehydration is one of the most common and immediate consequences of this constant weight control. On race days, jockeys often lose 2–5% of their body mass, and in extreme cases, up to 6–7%, mostly through water loss. This level of dehydration can raise heart rate, lower strength, and reduce riding performance. Over time, nutrient deficiencies from strict dieting can reduce bone density, and jockeys who enter their careers during adolescence without adequate calcium intake face lifelong fracture risks.
The toll isn’t just physical. Rapid and repeated weight loss can fuel anxiety, depression, and disordered eating patterns. A study of 41 jockeys found mood scores were lower at minimum weight, with six riders identified as “at risk” for eating disorders. Other research highlighted regular use of extreme methods such as vomiting, laxatives, and prolonged sauna sessions — practices that many jockeys describe as part of the job rather than a personal choice.
Even small levels of dehydration can affect performance. Losing just 2% of body weight has been shown to elevate heart rate, reduce leg and chest strength, and impair simulated riding skills. Chronic weight cycling is also linked to fatigue, headaches, hunger, mood swings, and ongoing dehydration, challenges that jockeys manage daily, often without much public awareness.
Long-term, the effects can linger well beyond a jockey’s competitive years. Retired riders often report higher cholesterol and weight gain, while mental health struggles such as anxiety and depression appear more common than in other sports. These patterns suggest that the years of extreme weight control in racing leave an imprint that lasts long after the final race.
A Safer Path Forward
In the UK, there has been growing recognition of the dangers of unsafe weight-making. The Professional Jockeys Association has introduced support programs that include regular access to sports nutritionists, hydration testing, and mental health resources. Racecourses have also begun offering better food facilities for jockeys, with nutrient-rich meals designed to keep energy up without excessive calories. Some racing bodies have raised minimum riding weights slightly to reduce extreme cutting and hydration testing is now used in some races to ensure that riders are not dangerously dehydrated before competing.
Australia offers another example of proactive measures. Racing Australia has implemented strict guidelines for safe weight loss, banning methods like rapid sauna dehydration before race day. They provide accredited sports dietitians to help jockeys manage weight safely over the season and have introduced educational programs for younger apprentices so they learn better and sustainable approaches early. A 2019 initiative in Victoria even set up a dedicated “jockey well-being hub” where riders could access physiotherapy, mental health support, and tailored training plans aimed at reducing the physical strain of racing.
Both the UK and Australia show that with structured support, education, and regulation, jockeys can perform at their best without putting their long-term health at unnecessary risk. These examples suggest that more racing nations could adopt similar systems to create a safer sporting environment for riders.
Why Do They Do It?
The simple answer is pressure, long-standing traditions, and competitive advantage that push jockeys towards these habits in weight cutting. The sport demands low weight, and until regulations change, jockeys often feel like they have no other choice.
Conclusion
Weight cutting for jockeys isn’t just about losing a few pounds; it’s a daily health hazard. From dehydration and weakened bones to mood swings and long-term mental stress, the risks are real. Encouragingly, some racing bodies are starting to offer help with safe nutrition and weight methods.
