In the July 2012 issue of Men's Fitness, Max Anderton went to the British Racing School to find out the level of fitness required to be a jockey.
With serious spinal and neck injuries common, especially among jump jockeys, one important aspect of a rider's training is learning how to fall properly. They do this with the Equichute – a machine used to simulate being thrown from a horse in a controlled environment. It works by moving forward along a short track before bucking violently forward, launching its rider headfirst towards the ground.
After a brief fall training session with sports psychologist John Pitt, Max was given a spine protector and helmet then perched atop the Equiciser. Watch this clip to see how he got on.
To read the jockey boot camp feature in full, buy the July 2012 issue of Men's Fitness. It's on sale now.
