Age to Start Jumping

[hrselvr728]

I have a small mini (under 30") whom I would really like to start training to jump, but I've heard that you shouldn't start until 3 to ensure their bones are grown. He will be turning 3 at the end of May, and truthfully, he already jumps a bit on his own. I was wondering if it would do damage to do some light jumping work (alongside ground work, etc). I don't think he's grown much in the past year, since he is so small. On top of that, he was sick a couple months ago and had to be stalled most of the month. This seems to have caused his stifles to start popping a bit, and was thinking a little jump work might help tighten them back up. I don't want to cause problems that might appear down the road from starting to early, though. Thoughts?

 

[MyLilShowGirl]

If he is turning 3 in May, I don't think it is too early to start jumping. Just remember to start off slow

If you show, he will be able to show in jumping this year as well.

Have fun jumping!

 

[muffntuf]

Can you feel if his knees are closed in the front, don't feel any holes? Most times you can feel a babies knees and you will feel a hole where a knee cap should be, an older horse will have no hole. If the horse's knee caps are closed, you are good to go.

 

[Leeana]

Hi

I have a classic shetland gelding who is three this year (i think he was born in may, going off memory would have to pull out the papers) but he will be three years old this may. Im planning to start him in jumping as soon as the weather clears up and the ground is in better shape. Ultimate goal is to have him ready to make his jumping "debut" at our area II regional show in early June. I jump about 3x a week after everything "clicks" in their brain and they understand the concept and have te basic training down. Starting out when i FIRST start them in jumping i may jump them once a day for three days in a row so they get the concept and then move out to every othey day for about two week and then eventually when they understand what is being asked of the the goal is to just jump 2x - 3x a week. Now when i condition i may roundpen a few over some small (about 1ft tall) jumps on the older horses so really 2x - 3x a week of jumping around a actual course is plenty. I do everything, different types of jumps ...differen courses set up with various spooky things under them. I REALLLLY need to make a solid wall jump, that is what really hurt us at congress last year that horriable scarry brick wall OH!.

Leeana

 

[hrselvr728]

Lucky for us we have a high school right next to us that has just been moved. So now we go to the big empty soccer/football field and mostly run around. They left some football equipment there that we have been walking and trotting over to help pick his feet up. They have a few other things (no taller than a foot probably) that we have been doing a few jumps over each time we go (a couple times a week). There is a show in July I'm planning on taking him to so if we could do some amateur jumping that would be great! I will probably make some standard jumps when spring comes. I will have to check about the knee hole.

 

[skanzler]

The most important thing with training your young horse to jump, is to make sure that his knees are closed, as already stated, but the other is to make sure he is overall mature enough to handle that type of conditioning. A true jumper needs extra conditioning to handle the impulsion needed to go over the jumps well and to make sure that their mentally able to handle it. Just like teaching your horse to drive, your horse needs to be able to work well under stressful conditions. Everyone wants to make it enjoyable and it should be, but if your horse is not mentally or physically conditioned, you could be in for problems.

That being said, it sounds like you are doing the right thing, by taking him to the school and working with him and in low stress, fun environment. Keep doing that, but remember jumper is a high impact class, you for for clean then go for speed. It is the speed over jumps that can cause injury to a young horse. Hunter is sometimes a great plae to start younger horses. Even though you still need to condition and train similar to jumper, hunter is form over jumps. The jumps are usually set lower as well.

Just some thoughts. Have fun.