You are confident in your sense of balance and think you weigh less than others. You love the thrill of a roller coaster ride and have a strong desire not to lose to others in a race at a field day. And you love animals, especially horses.

Riding a racehorse in a horse race. The jockey is the one who participates in the race together with the racehorse, and together they run the course in pursuit of victory. Up to 18 horses can participate in a race, and the prize money varies depending on the rank. Recently, not only men but also women have been active as jockeys. Both men and women compete on the same stage in this meritocratic world.

There are two types of jockeys: those who belong to the Japan Racing Association (JRA) and those who belong to the local horse racing industry. There are multiple application requirements, all of which must be met.

*Aged 15 years and older to 20 years and younger
*Persons under the specified weight (45kg-48kg) for each age group
*Vision (correctable* soft contact lenses only), etc.

The number of successful applicants to the horse racing school is narrow, with only about 10 people passing the entrance exam each year. After successfully passing the course, students follow a three-year curriculum to enhance the skills needed to become a jockey. In addition to graduating from horse racing school, students must also pass the jockey license exam, a comprehensive test to ensure that they understand the rules and regulations of horse racing. Only after passing the jockey license test can one debut as a jockey.

In recent years, horse racing has been taken up as a sport, and jockeys have had many opportunities to attract attention as athletes. Because horse racing is enjoyed by everyone from the young to the elderly, it attracts a great deal of public attention. Many horse racing fans are also fans of jockeys. In addition, while most athletes retire at a young age, some jockeys are still active on the front lines well into their fifties. Because they can remain active jockeys as long as they continue to hone their skills, it is a profession in which they can remain active for a long time. Jockeys who pursue their dreams with racehorses are not limited to Japan. Every year, Japanese jockeys travel across the ocean with their racehorses to compete with the best overseas. In Europe, horse racing is known as the "King of Sports" and one of the most glamorous sports in the world. Horse racing is also very popular and well known in Australia and the United States. In the United Arab Emirates, horse racing is becoming more popular than in other countries, with the creation of the world's most expensive race in the last few years. Jockeys have ample opportunities to make their mark around the world.

The main source of income is a portion of the prize money won in races and, in the case of jockeys belonging to stables, their stable salaries. Each race has its own rank, and the higher the rank, the higher the prize money, with some races offering more than 400 million yen per race.

Monday is a day off. Most racehorses also take Mondays off from training.

From Tuesday to Friday, the horses will be trained. Training takes place at one of two locations in Japan, either at the Ritto Training Center in Shiga Prefecture or at the Mihura Training Center in Ibaraki Prefecture. On Saturdays and Sundays, the workdays are held at racetracks throughout Japan. On Saturdays and Sundays, the horses compete in races together with the racehorses they trained on weekdays.

It's a chart that shows at a glance the main routes to getting a job as a jockey!