Findon jockey Philip Hide has revealed the financial hardships facing jockeys following the shutdown of racing this week.

The sport has been suspended for at least seven days following the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. Racing is not due to resume until March 7, but the ban could well be extended as the authorities step up measures to contain the disease.

Trainers and their staff still have regular incomes, but jockeys are paid only when they race. The top dozen or so do well enough to cushion the effect of a protracted lay-off but it is the second division riders who will soon begin to struggle.

Hide is a freelance based at Findon with trainer Josh Gifford. He has ridden 20 winners from about 180 rides this season, but is not paid for attending Gifford's yard three or four mornings a week.

When he visits other trainers like Gary Moore at Brighton, he receives only a contribution towards his travelling expenses.

Hide said: "Hopefully I can absorb the loss if the stoppage is just one week. But the income is zero, compared to an average turnover of around £850 a week when I am working."

Jump jockeys are paid around £85 a ride, from which they must pay their valet, travel expenses and equipment replacement and repair.

Hide said: "If the stoppage is extended, I will have to find some other work like stacking supermarket shelves.

"But I'm philosophical because it must be desperate for so many people in the farming community who are much worse off than jockeys."

Hide and a group of jockeys including Richard Johnson, Carl Llewellyn, Warren Marston and Rupert Wakley, tried to organise a few days' skiing in the Alps without success.

Hide said: "If we had had a Saturday to Saturday lay-off, we could probably have rented a chalet between us. But as it is the tail-end of the French school holidays it became impossible to organise midweek accommodation. So most of us, except the rich ones, will just have to sit and suffer."

There was no hint of self-pity in his voice and don't forget that jump racing has already lost 87 fixtures as a result of the poor weather this winter.

Among the riders largely unaffected is 21-year-old Ian Mongan, leading apprentice on the three all-weather circuits and fourth overall in the jockeys' table. Mongan, in his second season as a professional, is employed by Moore at his yard overlooking Brighton racecourse.

He said: "I am lucky, because I do have a weekly wage and, although I will miss the earnings from 15 or 20 rides each week, at least I do not have the expenses involved in travelling."

Mongan has also found another ray of sunshine in the gloom.

He said: "I need only 20 winners before I lose my 3lb apprentice allowance and it will be to my advantage if I still have that claim when the turf season begins at the end of the month."

So, no hard luck stories there, but then you would not expect any whingeing or whining from this particular breed of tough sportsmen.

The Jockey Club and British Horseracing Board have acted correctly in suspending racing while an assessment of whether a longer stoppage will help the battle against the foot-and-mouth is made.