When a jockey is riding and his arms are moving back and forth with the horses head, is the jockey actually pushing the horses head down to make it run faster or are the jockey's arms just moving back and forth with the horses natural movement
by 
farmboysteve
ANSWERS: 2
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If you'll notice a horse's head goes forward and back a little when he runs, even at a walk he bobs a little, kind of like a pigeon walking. SO what the jockey is doing is trying to keep the same pressure or contact through the reins with the horse's mouth. In essence, he's keeping his hands still as regards their position to the horse's mouth. If he kept his hands still he would be jerking the horse in the mouth with a tight rein or losing contact with a loose rein at every stride.
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He is trying to keep consistent tension on the reigns without pulling the horse back, which will slow the hore, or let the horse run totally free, especially early in a race unless the horse is a fast starter, etc., He wants to maintain control without hindering the horse so he does his best to move with the horses natural motion.
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