What is a "handicap pouch"

Factual Questions
1

I’ve seen it on the web related to hunting and carrying shells, but is it also related to horse racing? thanks

2

You may be thinking of this?

3

Of course formalised horseracing was invented over here, like so many other sports. I think the handicapping system is different in the UK to the USA:

You should be aware that the perfect combination of horse and jockey will not need any extra weights. This is because the dead weight in the pouch is harder for the horse to carry than the live weight on the saddle.

There is a brief and succint guide here UK Horse Racing :: FAQ

4

Not thinking of… i need to translate this phrase into Spanish with hardly any context

5

So the handicap pouch is the extra weight added to a horse in a handicapped race?

6

Not necessarily just a handicapped race.
For example the Kentucky Derby rules, IIRC, mandate each horse carry 126 lbs.
If the jockey and equipment come in at say 122, 4 lbs will be added.
Different than a handicap race.

7

It’s the bag that the weight goes into

8

ok, thanks. It’s pretty clear now.

9

I can’t find a cite (of course) but I believe now they have sealed bags of various weighs so a weight couldn’t “accidentally” fall out of the bag at the gate.

10

And after the race, all the jockeys queue up with their saddles and weights to be weighed in. Any discrepancy and the horse gets disqualified.

11

Once it’s determined that a horse will require ballast for a race, is there any benefit to the jockey himself donning the ballast in an attempt to make the added weight less “dead” (at least, from the horse’s perspective)?