Jockeys

1. Form pairs and create two concentric circles, with one person standing behind their partner, all facing into the centre.
2. The person standing behind their partner is the ‘Jockey’ while the other is the ‘Horse.’
3. Describe these three commands:
   – “JOCKEYS UP” – Jockey will jump onto the back of Horse;
   – “JOCKEYS DOWN” – Jockey immediately dismounts Horse; and
   – “SWITCH” – Jockey and Horse switch positions (and therefore roles.)
4. When you call “RACING,” each Jockey must run around the outside of the circle and return behind their partner as quickly as possible.
5. Last Jockey to return to their Horse will eliminate that pair from the circle
6. Note, Jockeys are only required to run if they are standing on the ground.
7. Play continues until there is only one horse and jockey combination left in the race.

Given the fast-paced action this exercise requires, sequence it appropriately, and consider the physical attributes of your group before charging forward.

Working in pairs, ask your group to form a large circle where one person stands facing into the circle, and their partner stands directly behind them. You should end up with two circles, one inside the other.

Explain that the person standing behind their partner is the ‘Jockey,’ while the other is the ’Horse’ – for now!

Furthermore, as with all racing, you are looking for the fastest horse and jockey combination, and to achieve this goal, you will call one of a series of commands. To prepare for the race, describe these three commands:

• “JOCKEYS UP” – the Jockey will immediately jump onto the back of the Horse;
• “JOCKEYS DOWN” – the Jockey immediately dismounts the Horse; and
• “SWITCH” – the Jockey and Horse immediately switch positions (and therefore roles.)

The fourth (and final) command is “RACING” which will oblige all of the Jockeys to run around the outside of the circle (formed by all of the Horses) as quickly as they can and resume their standing-behind-their Horse position.

Each jockey’s aims not be the last person to return to their ‘stable,’ lest they be eliminated. Once eliminated, the unfulfilled horse or jockey is entitled to give the next series of calls.

Note, if the Jockeys have mounted their Horses, and the next call is “SWITCH,” the partners switch their immediate roles. And, the command “RACING” will only oblige the Jockeys to run if they are standing on the ground (ie they have not mounted their Horse.)

As soon as your group has a basic grasp of what’s going on, ramp up the pace of your calls. Works a treat.

Play continues until there is only one horse and jockey combination left in the race.

Given the physical requirements of this exercise – ie supporting people on one’s back – consider both the abilities of your group and the sequence of your activities to adequately prepare your group.

Sometimes I require a jockey to place both hands on their shoulders of their horse to qualify as having fully returned home. Distinguishing who stood behind their horse before another is a more difficult task.

You could integrate Jockeys as part of a well-designed SEL program to develop your group’s ability to make caring and constructive choices about personal behaviour and social interactions across different situations.

Specifically, this activity offers opportunities to explore and practice the following social & interpersonal skills:

Self-Awareness

• Recognising Strengths, Prejudices & Biases
• Demonstrating Self-Confidence, Honesty & Integrity
• Experiencing Self-Efficacy

Self-Management

• Controlling One’s Emotions
• Demonstrating Self-Discipline & Self-Motivation
• Setting Personal & Group Goals
• Use Planning & Organisational Skills

Social Awareness

• Demonstrating Empathy & Compassion
• Understanding & Expressing Gratitude
• Respecting Others

Relationship Skills

• Communicate & Listen Effectively
• Build Positive Relationships
• Work Collaboratively

Responsible Decision-Making

• Demonstrating Curiosity & Open-Mindedness
• Making Reasoned Judgements
• Anticipating & Evaluating the Consequences of One’s Actions
• Promoting Personal & Collective Well-Being

You can learn more about SEL and how it can support character education here.

There is no specific health & wellness perspective to this activity other than promoting the benefits of enjoying a short burst of physical activity and having fun.

In a small way, you could argue that the focus required to interact and engage physically with others may speak to the benefits of having developed a set of supportive and healthy behavioural norms in advance. Or, if not, you could use these less-than-desired interactions or outcomes to explore what sorts of behaviours your group would prefer to see. For example, you could invite your group to reflect on the level of safety consciousness that was demonstrated during the activity and relate this to a set of observed impacts on others.

If you can think of more explicit ways in which Jockeys could be purposefully integrated into a health and wellness program, please leave a comment at the base of this page.

• Swap: Require that only the (slowest) jockey swap roles with the person giving the commands. This means that the number of jockey and horse combinations never changes, but the person giving the calls does.
• Simon Says: If the “JOCKEYS UP” or “JOCKEYS DOWN” command is repeated two (or more) times in a row, any Horse and Jockey combination that flinches or moves in anticipation of a different call, will be eliminated. If you want to be really tricky, say “UP” or “DOWN” only and see what happens.
• Take a Rest: Introduce a “REST” command, which requires the Jockey to crawl under the legs of their Horse and sit in front of them. Although now appearing as part of the inside circle, these folk are still the ‘Jockeys.’
• Tough Challenge: Eliminate the slowest person/pair to respond to every command, not just “RACING.”
• Everybody Races: If you have a particularly athletic group, when the call of “RACING” is given, the Horse piggy-backs the Jockey all the way around the circle. Last to return is eliminated.
• Take a look at Circle Tag for another fun but very active form of an elimination game.

Did you know that it is not necessarily the fastest horse that wins a horse race. The jockey often has a significant influence on the result too, and this next activity demonstrates just that…

Coupled with one or more reflection strategies, here are some sample questions you could use to process your group’s experience after playing this very energetic, running elimination game:

• To succeed at this game, what was your most valuable skill? Why?
• What was most exhausting – listening carefully, or running fast?
• Did you have fun? Why?