{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,2,27]],"date-time":"2026-02-27T17:49:29Z","timestamp":1772214569167,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":60,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]],"date-time":"2022-08-31T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1661904000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    The racing industry is supported by a predominance of female stablehands and work riders, but few become professional jockeys. Female jockeys have recently had notable race success. No study has assessed whether the sex of the rider may subtly influence racehorse physiology to affect performance. Here, using a validated exercise tracking system (the \u2018Equimetre\u2019\u2122) that records many physiological parameters simultaneously, this study characterised racehorse cardiovascular (heart rate, heart rate recovery) and biomechanical (stride length and frequency) parameters at various exercise intensities (slow canter to hard gallop) to address the question whether any parameter varied according to sex of the rider. A total of 530 Thoroughbreds, varying in age (2\u20137 years old) and sex (including geldings), from one racing yard in Australia, completed a total of 3,568 exercise sessions, monitored by a single trainer, on varying track surfaces (sand, turf, or fibre). Different work riders,103 in total (male, n = 66; female, n = 37) of which n = 43 were current or past registered professional jockeys, participated in the study. Data were analysed using analysis of variation (ANOVA) or mixed-effect models, as appropriate. Sex of the rider did not influence (\n                    <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                    &gt; 0.05) racehorse speed nor stride length at any training intensity. Racehorse heart rate and peak heart rate increased with training intensity (P &lt; .001), with no difference according to sex of rider (\n                    <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                    &gt; 0.05). Racehorse heart rate recovery was influenced by sex of the rider, but only at the extremes of the reversed, usual training intensity on each surface (e.g. heart rate after galloping on sand was significantly lower with male riders,\n                    <jats:italic>P<\/jats:italic>\n                    = 0.03). Finally, analysis of 52,464 race results indicated a similar chance of a top-three placing for male and female jockeys. In conclusion, this study, using objectively obtained data, demonstrates for the first time no overt effect of the rider\u2019s sex on racehorse physiology in training and performance in racing. Such data could encourage greater female participation in racing and improve access of female jockeys to better quality mounts in racing events.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0273310","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]],"date-time":"2022-08-31T13:28:15Z","timestamp":1661952495000},"page":"e0273310","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Does sex of the jockey influence racehorse physiology and performance"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"17","author":[{"given":"Charlotte","family":"Schrurs","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Guillaume","family":"Dubois","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Emmanuelle","family":"Van Erck-Westergren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6490-2412","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"David S.","family":"Gardner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]]},"reference":[{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0273310.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"65","DOI":"10.2174\/18756557OTc0bOTciTcVY","article-title":"Gender differences in hemodynamic regulation and cardiovascular adaptations to dynamic exercise","volume":"16","author":"PP Bassareo","year":"2020","journal-title":"Current cardiology reviews"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0273310.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"77","DOI":"10.1079\/BJN19740060","article-title":"Body fat assessed from total body density and its estimation from skinfold thickness: measurements on 481 men and women aged from 16 to 72 years","volume":"32","author":"JV Durnin","year":"1974","journal-title":"British journal of nutrition"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1080\/02701367.1985.10605370","article-title":"A physiological comparison of performance-matched female and male distance runners","volume":"56","author":"RR Pate","year":"1985","journal-title":"Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/14763141.2020.1829021","article-title":"Effect of gender and running experience on lower limb biomechanics following 5 km barefoot running","author":"HK Kim","year":"2021","journal-title":"Sports Biomechanics"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0273310.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"665","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2018.1522700","article-title":"Comparison of biomechanical characteristics between male and female elite fast bowlers","volume":"37","author":"P Felton","year":"2019","journal-title":"Journal of Sports Sciences"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref006","first-page":"953","article-title":"Auditing the Representation of Female Versus Male Athletes in Sports Science and Sports Medicine Research","volume":"14","author":"ES Smith","year":"2022","journal-title":"Evidence-Based Performance Supplements. Nutrients"},{"issue":"6","key":"pone.0273310.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"443","DOI":"10.1080\/0264041031000101809","article-title":"The relative impact of cognitive anxiety and self-confidence upon sport performance: A meta-analysis","volume":"21","author":"T Woodman","year":"2003","journal-title":"Journal of sports sciences"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1123\/tsp.12.2.169","article-title":"Relationship of intensity and direction of competitive trait anxiety to skill level and gender in tennis","volume":"12","author":"JD Perry","year":"1998","journal-title":"The Sport Psychologist"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref009","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"169","DOI":"10.1016\/S1469-0292(02)00042-0","article-title":"Competitive anxiety responses in the week leading up to competition: the role of intensity, direction and frequency dimensions","volume":"5","author":"S Hanton","year":"2004","journal-title":"Psychology of sport and exercise"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref010","author":"EJ Houghton","year":"2017","journal-title":"Women in the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games: an analysis of participation, leadership, and media coverage"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref011","unstructured":"Committee IO. 2021. Available from: https:\/\/olympics.com\/en\/."},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref012","author":"L. Claus","year":"2020","journal-title":"Why gender equal pay is so hard to achieve in sport"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref013","author":"S. Oxley","year":"2021","journal-title":"Prize money in sport: What can football learn from cricket?"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref014","author":"C. Townes","year":"2019","journal-title":"A decade of fighting for equal pay in sports"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref015","author":"L. Douglas","year":"2018","journal-title":"The rise of women\u2019s sports"},{"issue":"1\u20106","key":"pone.0273310.ref016","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"171","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0388.1995.tb00555.x","article-title":"Influence of jockeys on racing time in Thoroughbred horses","volume":"112","author":"H Oki","year":"1995","journal-title":"Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics"},{"issue":"1\u20106","key":"pone.0273310.ref017","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"128","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1439-0388.1994.tb00446.x","article-title":"Genetics of racing performance in the Japanese Thoroughbred horse: II. Environmental variation of racing time on turf and dirt tracks and the influence of sex, age, and weight carried on racing time","volume":"111","author":"H Oki","year":"1994","journal-title":"Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0273310.ref018","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2800","DOI":"10.2527\/jas1988.66112800x","article-title":"Genetics of racing performance in the American Quarter Horse: II. Adjustment factors and contemporary groups","volume":"66","author":"ST Buttram","year":"1988","journal-title":"Journal of Animal Science"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0273310.ref019","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2791","DOI":"10.2527\/jas1988.66112791x","article-title":"Genetics of racing performance in the American Quarter Horse: I. Description of the data","volume":"66","author":"S Buttram","year":"1988","journal-title":"Journal of Animal Science"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref020","first-page":"161","article-title":"Are women the weaker sex in grand prix jumping? The answer is nay","volume":"15","author":"ME McCombs","year":"1983","journal-title":"Journal of Recreational Mathematics"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref021","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"425","DOI":"10.1080\/24748668.2012.11868608","article-title":"Differences in elite showjumping performance between male and female riders","volume":"12","author":"T Whitaker","year":"2012","journal-title":"International journal of performance analysis in sport"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref022","volume-title":"Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science","author":"T Whitaker","year":"2007"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref023","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"826","DOI":"10.1097\/PRS.0b013e318182372e","article-title":"Equestrian-related injuries: implications for treatment in plastic surgery","volume":"122","author":"SE Fox","year":"2008","journal-title":"Plastic and reconstructive surgery"},{"issue":"17","key":"pone.0273310.ref024","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1892","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.1978.03290170074037","article-title":"Equestrian sports","volume":"240","author":"WR Barclay","year":"1978","journal-title":"Jama"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref025","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"245","DOI":"10.1097\/00005373-198902000-00019","article-title":"Pediatric equestrian injuries: a 14-year review","volume":"29","author":"GW BARONE","year":"1989","journal-title":"Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref026","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.18848\/2152-7857\/CGP\/v01i03\/54021","article-title":"Demographic Profiling of elite dressage riders","volume":"1","author":"L Dumbell","year":"2010","journal-title":"International Journal of Sport and Society"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref027","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"295","DOI":"10.1177\/1527002520975839","article-title":"In the Money: Gender and Jockey Success on the Thoroughbred Racetrack","volume":"22","author":"AD Binder","year":"2021","journal-title":"Journal of Sports Economics"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref028","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"320","DOI":"10.1080\/17430437.2012.653203","article-title":"Women in the weighing room: Gendered discourses of exclusion in English flat racing","volume":"15","author":"L-J Roberts","year":"2012","journal-title":"Sport in Society"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref029","author":"F. Galop","year":"2017","journal-title":"Review of the weight allowance for female jockeys"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref030","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"106","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jebo.2014.12.031","article-title":"Does society underestimate women? Evidence from the performance of female jockeys in horse racing","volume":"111","author":"A Brown","year":"2015","journal-title":"Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref031","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/13504851.2021.1947469","article-title":"Defying the odds: horseplayers and female jockeys","author":"AD Binder","year":"2021","journal-title":"Applied Economics Letters"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref032","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"373","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00423243","article-title":"A study of physical demands in riding","volume":"50","author":"D. Westerling","year":"1983","journal-title":"European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref033","first-page":"89","article-title":"For jockeys, small is beautiful\u2014but difficult","volume":"4","author":"D. Maddox","year":"1976","journal-title":"Physician Sports Med"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref034","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"28","DOI":"10.1016\/j.applanim.2017.02.019","article-title":"Rider impacts on equitation","volume":"190","author":"J Williams","year":"2017","journal-title":"Applied Animal Behaviour Science"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref035","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2012.12.025","article-title":"Cortisol release, heart rate and heart rate variability in the horse and its rider: Different responses to training and performance","volume":"197","author":"M von Lewinski","year":"2013","journal-title":"The Veterinary Journal"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0273310.ref036","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"10","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e3181fb47f5","article-title":"The effects of training volume and competition on the salivary cortisol concentrations of Olympic weightlifters","volume":"25","author":"BT Crewther","year":"2011","journal-title":"The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0273310.ref037","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"155","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jevs.2012.05.073","article-title":"Rider and Horse Salivary Cortisol Levels During Competition and Impact on Performance","volume":"33","author":"M Peeters","year":"2013","journal-title":"Journal of equine veterinary science"},{"issue":"8","key":"pone.0273310.ref038","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e0201691","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0201691","article-title":"Anticipatory response before competition in Standardbred racehorses","volume":"13","author":"Z Boh\u00e1k","year":"2018","journal-title":"PLoS One"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref039","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103857","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jevs.2021.103857","article-title":"Comparison of \u03b2-endorphin, Lactate and Cortisol Concentrations in Winning and Losing Racehorses","volume":"110","author":"H Tavanaeimanesh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Journal of equine veterinary science"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref040","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"233","DOI":"10.1007\/BF00288314","article-title":"Competitiveness among females and males in physical activity classes","volume":"15","author":"DL Gill","year":"1986","journal-title":"Sex Roles"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref041","article-title":"Validation of an equine fitness tracker: ECG quality and arrhythmia detection","author":"F Ter Woort","year":"2022","journal-title":"Equine Veterinary Journal"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref042","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"189","DOI":"10.3920\/CEP200028","article-title":"Validation of an equine fitness tracker: heart rate and heart rate variability","volume":"17","author":"Woort Ft","year":"2021","journal-title":"Comparative Exercise Physiology"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref043","first-page":"46","article-title":"Jockeying for position: Winnings and gender discrimination on the thoroughbred racetrack","author":"MA Ray","year":"1993","journal-title":"Social Science Quarterly"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0273310.ref044","article-title":"Track Surfaces Used for Ridden Workouts and Alternatives to Ridden Exercise for Thoroughbred Horses in Race Training","volume":"8","author":"AV Morrice-West","year":"2018","journal-title":"Animals: an open access journal from MDPI"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref045","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"279","DOI":"10.1016\/S0737-0806(85)80064-2","article-title":"The interrelationships of stride lengths and stride times to velocities of galloping horses","volume":"5","author":"MH Ratzlaff","year":"1985","journal-title":"Journal of equine veterinary science"},{"issue":"11","key":"pone.0273310.ref046","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"689","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jevs.2012.02.012","article-title":"Oikawa M-a. Influence of track surface condition on racing times of Thoroughbred racehorses in flat races","volume":"32","author":"Y Maeda","year":"2012","journal-title":"Journal of equine veterinary science"},{"issue":"5938","key":"pone.0273310.ref047","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"289","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1174605","article-title":"Modern Riding Style Improves Horse Racing Times","volume":"325","author":"T Pfau","year":"2009","journal-title":"Science"},{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0273310.ref048","first-page":"1567","article-title":"The effect of rider weight and additional weight in Icelandic horses in t\u00f6lt: part II","volume":"11","author":"V Gunnarsson","year":"2017","journal-title":"Stride parameters responses. animal"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref049","article-title":"The influence of the rider on the trotting motion of a horse","author":"M Kapaun","year":"1998","journal-title":"ISBS-Conference Proceedings Archive;"},{"key":"pone.0273310.ref050","author":"JH Foreman","year":"1984","journal-title":"Physiological responses of Thoroughbred horses to conventional race training: Washington State University"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref051","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jveb.2014.06.003","article-title":"Preliminary results suggest an influence of psychological and physiological stress in humans on horse heart rate and behavior","volume":"9","author":"K Merkies","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of Veterinary Behavior"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0273310.ref052","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"75","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2011.04.011","article-title":"The influence of challenging objects and horse-rider matching on heart rate, heart rate variability and behavioural score in riding horses","volume":"192","author":"CC Munsters","year":"2012","journal-title":"The Veterinary Journal"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref053","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"439","DOI":"10.2746\/042516406778400574","article-title":"Training methods for horses: habituation to a frightening stimulus","volume":"38","author":"J Christensen","year":"2006","journal-title":"Equine Veterinary Journal"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0273310.ref054","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"628","DOI":"10.1016\/j.yhbeh.2010.06.011","article-title":"Changes in cortisol release and heart rate and heart rate variability during the initial training of 3-year-old sport horses","volume":"58","author":"A Schmidt","year":"2010","journal-title":"Hormones and Behavior"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0273310.ref055","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"70","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tvjl.2009.03.013","article-title":"Investigating horse\u2013human interactions: The effect of a nervous human","volume":"181","author":"LJ Keeling","year":"2009","journal-title":"The Veterinary Journal"},{"issue":"02","key":"pone.0273310.ref056","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"109","DOI":"10.1055\/s-0028-1093663","article-title":"Influences of stress, age and sex on serum growth hormone and free fatty acid levels in cattle","volume":"8","author":"R Reynaert","year":"1976","journal-title":"Hormone and Metabolic Research"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref057","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"117","DOI":"10.1016\/S0149-7634(01)00002-1","article-title":"Corticosteroids in relation to fear, anxiety and psychopathology","volume":"25","author":"S. Korte","year":"2001","journal-title":"Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0273310.ref058","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"80","DOI":"10.1016\/j.obhdp.2009.06.001","article-title":"The effect of conspicuous consumption on men\u2019s testosterone levels","volume":"110","author":"G Saad","year":"2009","journal-title":"Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0273310.ref059","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"383","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2013.825732","article-title":"Rapid weight-loss impairs simulated riding performance and strength in jockeys: implications for making-weight","volume":"32","author":"G Wilson","year":"2014","journal-title":"Journal of sports sciences"},{"issue":"5","key":"pone.0273310.ref060","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"533","DOI":"10.1016\/j.injury.2009.05.009","article-title":"Fall and injury incidence rates of jockeys while racing in Ireland, France and Britain","volume":"41","author":"MAF Rueda","year":"2010","journal-title":"Injury"}],"container-title":["PLOS ONE"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0273310","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]],"date-time":"2022-08-31T13:29:37Z","timestamp":1661952577000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0273310"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Yaodong","family":"Gu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"editor","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]]},"references-count":60,"journal-issue":{"issue":"8","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0273310","relation":{"has-preprint":[{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.21203\/rs.3.rs-1341860\/v1","asserted-by":"object"},{"id-type":"doi","id":"10.21203\/rs.3.rs-1341860\/v2","asserted-by":"object"}]},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2022,8,31]]}}}