Horse Jobs – Racetrack Starter

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Perhaps one of the most vital jobs in all of racing, the starting gate crew carries the burden of getting a field full of highly strung young horses into tiny spaces.

This is a position which benefits from a deep understanding of horse (Thoroughbred in particular) behavior, physical strength & agility and a love of the sport. This can be a dangerous job and this position may have a higher percentage of track injuries.

This is a great position for someone who wants a lot of hands on time with the animals and has a calm demeanor.

Job Description

Responsible for getting each animal safely into the starting gate stalls and quiet enough for the race to begin. They also work trainers & jockeys during practices helping train young animals to enter & break from the gate.

Responsibilities

• Calming upset animals at the gate
• Guiding each animal into their gate stall
• Keeping animals calm while waiting for start
• Catching and re-loading early starters
• Training young animals to enter & break from gate

Requirements

This is a position which doesn’t require much formal education (however equine studies are always a plus). Trainers and track mangers will be more concerned with track experience and a knowledge of race horse temperament.

Larger facilities may require a high school diploma for employment.

Resources

The best place to start looking is the tracks themselves & speaking with barn mangers. Here are some resources for finding the tracks near you.

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• National Thoroughbred Racing Association
• British Horseracing Authority
• Australia Racecourses

The Right Job For You?

If this isn’t your dream job, there is a long list of different careers that involve horses. Each one requiring a different skill set, schooling requirement and amount of contact with the animals.