Jumping?????!!!????!!!

[Trinity Farm]

I have a mare that we are trying to sell and the little girl that is interested in her, I think would like her to be trained to jump. I have jumps because one of my other mares knew how to jump when we got her. If you have ANY advice please help me!!!

PLEASE,Amelia

 

[Keri]

This is how I teach them. Start lunging them over trot poles. It teaches them to pick their feet up and gauge where to put their feet. After they get the hang of that, raise the one end of the pole (put one end through a panel or fence) and have them lunge over them. Its just a tiny jump, but teaches them to pick up their feet to clear it (make sure you put them far enough away so that they can learn collection too). Then after that, lunge them over 1 foot jumps and at this point, I start teaching them to fun straight on (like you would at a show). After they start doing this without a hitch, raise the jumps and go from there. After they are jumping without problems over high jumps, be sure to add other obstacles to the jumps so that they don't spook at them at shows (flower pots, banners, etc., etc.). Hope this helps.

Good luck too!!

 

[targetsmom]

I do it a bit differently, but still start over ground poles. I lead them just like I would in a class though. I also use tree trunks (or any low solid object, but we seem to always have a tree down!) to teach them to pick up their feet and respect the jump. I use cross rails to teach them to jump the center of the jump. Then it is a matter of just being patient and slowly raising the jumps. You must go slowly enough that they trust you, and also they must lead well! It won't hurt to just practice leading then at a trot around cones or any other pattern so that they learn to follow you wherever you go. Be sure to use a ground pole in front of the jumps. Use your imagination and have fun!

 

[Trinity Farm]

Thanks everyone!! If possible I would also like a few more opinions just so I can blend them all together!!Thanks ,Amelia Lee

 

[Sanny]

We have an entire jumping course, and with a horse just learning to jump, I put the jump poles on the ground and walk the horse over them and then move up to trotting the course with all the poles still on the ground and then just start raising a few of the jumps bit by bit. If a horse is really unsure of himself I have sometimes jumped over the jump with him a few times. If a horse is a natural jumper and enjoys jumping, they will pick it up very quickly. We've had new horses jumping wonderfully the first day we tried jumping them and I've got another horse that is still uncertain and will refuse jumps after a year. He acts like a pole on the ground is 30" high. He is so athletic and a great driving horse, but he just doesn't get the jumping thing.

 

[Ashley]

Just wanted to add, not all horses are jumping horses. Some plain ol dont like it. You can usally tell which ones they are pretty quick.

 

[Keri]

Ditto Ashley. I have some that will never jump, no matter what. I also have one I've been trying to teach to side pass for 3 years. Still nothing. OH! Guess he'll never do in-hand obstacle.

 

[kayla221444]

How high do you get the jumps, how high are they normall at the shows? My mare I started and she loves it! The jump is now as tall as she is 31' and she leaps over it with no problem.... so what is the normal height for the jumps at shows etc?

 

[Keri]

Most are anywhere from 24-28" at shows. But I think they can go as high as 3ft (have to just check the rule books). Hunter jumps are shorter (around 22-24"). But AMHA does jump offs with all the horses clearing the course. I'm sure those can go pretty high.