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HORSE  DISCUSSION FORUMS

megz86

Hey everyone

Just a quick question- how long after a horse being broken in can you start jumping them? I know every horse is different but what should they be able to do before you move onto jumping?

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supersezabell

I personally wouldnt look at starting or doing any jumping with them til around age 6, maybe some trot poles and small cavallettis at age 5 but i disagree with jumping them young as the damage to legs is simply irreversible.

supersezabell

But to add to that, say you had a "older" horse you wanted to start jumping, id initially start them over trot poles and cavallettis/straight bars up to 30cms and stay at that height until they are jumping it properly eg close to the poles with their legs not overjumping it and then go up to the next height until they do the same etc etc. Its important to make sure that they can negotiable lots of different stridings, spreads, doubles etc at a low height below you move up.

A LOT of people make the mistake of when their horse is over jumping due to its lack of ability to judge height they think it is just demonstrating fantastic ability so they take it up in heights and the end result is an overfaced horse who will stop jumping.

Hope this helps

megz86

i agree supersez... my horse is 6, hes been broken before and ridden around 6times about 18months ago so next week hes off to the breakers for a "refresher" for a couple of weeks. I dont want to rush him so looking for advice on what he should be able to do before we start jumping. I would only let him do poles and cavallettis until we were both confident

edited to say- just saw your last post SS, thanks that does help!

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Merrylegs

I totally agree with Sez on the age thing but in addition, the horse needs to be well balanced and responsive on the flat first. A good solid flatwork foundation is essential... without good flatwork (and ongoing good flatwork) a horse cannot jump well. They need to be balanced, they need to learn to lengthen or shorten their striding, they need to be able to move off the leg, they need to listen to their rider and not go screaming around a course at break-neck speed... cannot stress it enough... flatwork flatwork flatwork!

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norrishbex

there is no point in even thinking about jumping until your horse is balanced in all three paces on both reins. After that, then pole work, and don't move poles off the ground until they are balanced, listening, and getting it right 99.9% of the time (even the great ones make mistakes). I don't jump my young ones until I can get exactly the number of strides I want in between poles, and they can trot and canter over a simple course of poles, then I start lifting the poles off the ground. They gotta crawl before they can walk!

megz86

It would be preferable for them to know how to do flying changes then? So they stay balanced around the course? In saying all this, it will be at least 4-5 months before i can even think about any of this due to my "condition"

In case you havent noticed i know next to nothing about jumping a horse "properly" and will be doing lessons to benefit us both but i would love a little "checklist" of things he should be able to do coz im scared of wrecking him by pushing him into it too early

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norrishbex

Flying changes aren't necessary, but I would certainly make sure you can do simple changes easily.

supersezabell

Youve put it brilliantly there flying changes would be "preferable" but is NOT necessary. Mainly they need to be responsive to you in the sense say they land after the jump and are on the 'wrong' leg for the way you need to go, they need to be able to correct it themself or be ready to instantly come back to trot and then correct it when you ask.

As said complete balance in flatwork is most essential first eg always impulsive, always go into the correct leg, are responsive to you.

Ive found practise makes perfect and you will always get horses (like my pony) who thinks after a few jumping rounds they "know" it all lol so you just need to make sure they are listening to you, able to lengthen/shorten strides incase you need to adjust for take off and slowly you can get them to learn by looking one way- or i found for one of mine opening the rein of the way you want to go after landing can encourage them to land on the correct leg for you to go around the course.

Skito

i wouldnt start until the horse is balanced and knows how to flex, move off leg, shorten, lengthen and until its fully developed and muscled accordingly


but saying that - i do trot poles with mums 2 little geldings who are 3 - teaches them to find their feet and place them appropriately

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