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Science 17 July 2009:
Vol. 325. no. 5938, p. 289
DOI: 10.1126/science.1174605
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Brevia

Modern Riding Style Improves Horse Racing Times

Thilo Pfau,* Andrew Spence, Sandra Starke, Marta Ferrari, Alan Wilson

When animals carry loads, there is a proportionate increase in metabolic cost, and in humans this increase in cost is reduced when the load is elastically coupled to the load bearer. Major horse race times and records improved by 5 to 7% around 1900 when jockeys adopted a crouched posture. We show that jockeys move to isolate themselves from the movement of their mount. This would be difficult or impossible with a seated or upright, straight-legged posture. This isolation means that the horse supports the jockey’s body weight but does not have to move the jockey through each cyclical stride path. This posture requires substantial work by jockeys, who have near-maximum heart rates during racing.

Structure and Motion Laboratory, The Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield, AL9 7TA UK.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: awilson{at}rvc.ac.uk

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)