Jockeys are easy to spot at the race track; they wear bright-colored tops with white pants and are the smallest people on the track. But it’s difficult to gauge their height and weight unless you can stand next to one. The average horseracing jockey is 5’2″ tall and weighs 113 lbs, well below the average …
When a racehorse breaks down on the track, the decision to euthanize often happens within minutes. To people watching from the grandstand or at home, it can look like a rushed, callous choice. It isn’t. The biology of a horse’s leg makes that decision, in the most serious cases, the most humane option available — …
Horse blinders, also called blinkers in racing, narrow what a horse can see from the sides so it can focus more on what’s ahead. Trainers use them to reduce side distractions, improve gate behavior, and help some horses stay steadier in racing, driving, and training. They are not for every horse. Some horses perform better …
Most horses can run around 25–30 mph, but elite racehorses can break 40 mph when everything comes together. After decades around racehorses, I’ve learned that speed isn’t just a number on a stopwatch — it comes down to breeding, mechanics, conditioning, and a horse’s ability to use what nature gave them efficiently. How fast can …
After I broke and started a couple of young horses, I turned them out for a few months—the way I usually do. When I brought one back, he had put on more weight than I wanted and had lost fitness. Our vet happened to be at the barn, so I asked him to take a …
At a 2026 youth rodeo in Amite, Louisiana, a tan barrel mare stopped me at the rail. From a distance, she looked buckskin — until she turned under the arena lights and the dorsal stripe cut clean down her back. Up close, the leg barring settled it: true dun. After 30 years evaluating horses in …
A flat tire or dead battery is an inconvenience in a regular vehicle. With a loaded horse trailer, it can become a safety problem quickly — now you have a horse standing in the heat while you figure things out. The gear that stays in my truck and trailer is what turns those moments from …
If you’re buying your first horse, I’d put breed farther down your list than most beginner guides do. I’ve helped find horses for my own kids and grandkids, and for plenty of other first-time riders over the years, and I’ve seen good and bad beginner horses within the same breed. If you want a place …
I’ve used grazing muzzles as a practical turnout-management tool when a horse needs less grass but still benefits from being outside, moving around, and socializing. Brand matters, but I put fit, daily monitoring, confirmed water access, and breakaway setup ahead of any logo on the muzzle. My best overall grazing muzzle pick is the Best …
The best jockeys in horse racing depend on what you’re measuring. James McDonald leads the 2026 Longines World’s Best Jockey standings — the closest thing the sport has to an official global ranking — having won his third title in 2025 with 184 points, six of his qualifying wins coming aboard the mare Via Sistina …
