Racing has just been given the green light as we work to pull our economy from the brink post lockdown. As always there are some big named jockeys bordering on being fit to ride in some big meetings post injury. This gives high hopes to some of their counterparts coming up through the ranks. But what are the qualities needed to get those jockeys back to full fitness and remain at the top of their game?

I write this with one particular jockey in mind, a jockey that walked into Oaksey House about 10 years ago to (eventually) get (a little) help with a chronic injury. He was a natural athlete, a talented rider (a tamer of bears in fact!), and tough, really tough. And at the time I remember thinking that we were starting this rehab process about 6 years too late. A jockey that was deserving of so much more – RIP Banksy.

So can sporting success be predicted by an individual’s approach to injury? Yes I think it can give a good indication.

Why am I so sure of myself? Because I’ve worked with thousands of people going through the rehab process. Over time I have seen patterns arising differentiating the more successful individuals from the rest of the pack.

Take jockeys, I see particular attributes in the more successful individuals:

1. They’re tough but not too tough. They don’t complain about every single niggle but when there is something significant to address they address it and sooner rather than later. One of the best indicators of future injury is previous injury. So getting niggles fixed before they become bigger issues enables the jockey to maintain fitness, weight and psychological wellbeing; as well as futureproofing their bodies for the long-haul!
2. They have a good ‘team’ around them and they accept help from and allocate tasks to ‘the team’. This could be in the form of family members, a spouse, friends and or work colleagues. The team can help with all types of emotional and practical support from being that listening ear to driving them to their rehab sessions. This allows the individual to focus on the practicalities of being a jockey recovering from injury.
3. And perhaps the biggie, the all-encompassing but rarely discussed aspect of achieving sporting success and staying injury free involves childhood experiences. We’re individuals taught how to ask for help? Were they listened to as children? Were they taught that their feeling we’re important too? A little deep? Not really! Getting the balance correct in the early years will set individuals up for life. Get it wrong and the cracks will start to develop.

So often I meet incredibly tough, capable, hard-working people who lack one or more of these 3 elements of success. Because of this doors just don’t open. The qualities that make them as amazing as they are also stop them from getting right to the top of their game.

So, be realistic about your injuries. Be tactical with your rehab. Build a team around you to help offload pressures both physical and emotional. And ultimately if you aren’t great at asking for help – learn quickly because without this ability achieving your potential will become a very difficult task.

If you’re a jockey and need to start the rehab process get in touch with The Injured Jockeys Fund at ijf.org.uk

What’s your experience? Do you ignore or address your injuries? Comment, like, share.