Health & Wellbeing

Health & Wellbring

— history making Priorities

Health & WellBeing Initiatives

The Jockeys’ Guild is deeply committed to supporting the whole-body health of every rider and recognizes that a jockey’s wellbeing extends far beyond physical fitness and injury recovery. The mental and emotional demands of the profession are significant, and the Guild is dedicated to ensuring that members have access to the resources, support, and care they need to thrive both on and off the track.

Nutrition Resources & Education

The Jockeys’ Guild recognizes that proper nutrition is fundamental to rider safety, health, and performance. With the physical demands of race riding, and the strict weight requirements imposed across the industry, jockeys face unique challenges in maintaining strength, energy, and long-term wellbeing. The Guild is committed to supporting riders with safe, science-backed resources that promote sustainable nutrition practices.

Supporting Riders With Evidence-Based Nutrition Guidance

The Guild is expanding access to education and tools that help riders make informed decisions about their daily nutritional needs, both in and out of competition.


New initiatives focus on:


  • Guidance on healthy weight management strategies that avoid dangerous dehydration or rapid-cutting practices.
  • Access to sports nutrition experts familiar with the demands of professional riding.
  • Encouraging balanced eating patterns that support muscle recovery, energy, and overall health.
  • Helping riders understand the long-term effects of extreme dieting and the importance of sustainable habits.
An open-faced tuna, avocado, and hard-boiled egg sandwich on toasted oat bread topped with lemon slices on a white plate.

OUR COMMITMENT TO JOCKEY NUTRITION


As part of the Guild’s broader focus on whole-body health, we are prioritizing resources that help jockeys stay strong, safe, and competitive throughout their careers. By elevating nutrition education and promoting healthy, sustainable habits, the Guild aims to protect riders’ physical wellbeing and support them in meeting the demands of the profession without compromising long-term health.

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Meet Jockeys' Guild's Sports Nutritionist

Alyson Onyon

Alyson Onyon, MS, RDN, CSSD, serves as the Sports Nutritionist for the Jockeys’ Guild, bringing elite performance nutrition expertise to support jockey health, safety, and peak performance. She is currently the Director of Performance Nutrition at Syracuse University, where she leads comprehensive nutrition programming for all varsity sports and develops nutrition education initiatives while advancing advocacy to promote lasting athlete wellness.


With seven years at Virginia Tech, where she advanced to Assistant Athletic Director of Sports Nutrition, Alyson oversaw nutrition services for 22 teams and helped develop innovative fueling programs and athlete dining operations. Her experience includes individualized counseling, weight management, hydration strategies, and race-day fueling—key areas that directly align with the unique demands of jockeys—while consistently advancing nutrition education and advocacy across teams and organizations.


A graduate of Cornell University and former Division I student-athlete, Alyson understands the discipline and pressures of high-performance sport. As a Registered Dietitian and Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, she is committed to delivering practical, science-based guidance that supports the Guild’s initiatives around rider wellness, injury prevention, and sustainable performance through ongoing nutrition education and advocacy.

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Together with medical and sports-science professionals and industry partners, we are developing practical, athlete-focused nutrition education tailored to the unique demands of racing.

While this has long been a core commitment of the Guild, new momentum is advancing how we support riders’ health and performance. The Jockeys’ Guild has partnered with Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and, in 2026 the Guild contracted a dedicated Sports Nutritionist to support our members.


This collaborative effort ensures jockeys have access to the most current guidance on:


  • Hydration strategies
  • Safe supplementation
  • Meal planning on the road
  • Fueling for race-day performance
  • Preventing long-term health complications related to weight-making
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Collaboration With Industry Partners

A renewed focus on jockey nutrition drives meaningful progress.

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OUR COMMITMENT

TO JOCKEY MENTAL HEALTH


The Jockeys’ Guild will continue advocating for expanded mental-health resources, increased awareness, and stronger industry-wide support systems. We believe that every jockey deserves accessible, compassionate care that addresses both the physical and emotional realities of the profession.

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A hiker with a large backpack sits on a rocky cliff, looking out over a vast mountain valley.

pROACTIVE sUPPORT FOR mENTAL & eMOTIONAL hEALTH

Collaboration With Industry Partners-

A United Industry Approach

Recognizing the unique pressures and risks inherent in professional racing, the Jockeys’ Guild joined industry partners to form a dedicated committee focused on addressing the mental health needs of jockeys. This collaborative effort was built on a shared commitment to proactively identify challenges, remove barriers to care, and strengthen support systems within the racing community.


Working alongside the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and the Race Track Chaplaincy of America, the committee assessed existing resources, listened to riders, and evaluated where meaningful improvements were needed. Through this partnership, HISA helped facilitate access to Onrise, a confidential mental health platform that provides professional counseling services tailored to the needs of racing participants.


The Race Track Chaplaincy of America continues to serve as an essential partner in this initiative. With chaplains embedded at racetracks across the country, they have established trusted relationships within the backstretch community. Their presence allows them to recognize early signs of distress, provide spiritual care and emotional support, and, through specialized trauma training, identify and respond to potentially life-threatening situations.

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 Onrise 

 Guild members receive confidential access to licensed mental-health professionals who understand the realities of the racing industry. Counseling services support riders experiencing.

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Race Track Chaplaincy of America (RTCA)

RTCA Chaplains provide emotional and spiritual support for riders and families.

Click here to see a list of tracks with RTCA Chaplains.

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Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA)

Integration of rider mental well-being into national safety standards.

Jockeys' Guild is committed to a unified effort to ensure jockeys have access to comprehensive, compassionate, and confidential mental health support—both on and off the track.