Being a jockey is a dangerous profession. The risk factors that jockeys face are so high that premiums to cover these athletes are among the highest in all professional sports. Read on for more interesting facts about injury and safety precautions among jockeys...

• Because horse racing is so dangerous, an ambulance follows the jockeys around the track in preparation for an emergency.
• The Jockeys' Guild receives 2,500 injury notifications in a year. The average jockey gets sidelined by injuries about three times a year.
• Approximately 50-60 jockeys have been totally and permanently disabled at any given time, and more than two jockeys a year are killed in North America.
• Common injuries include concussion, bone fracture, trampling and paralysis.