Could this horse be a good jumper?

Question

http://www.horseville.com/php/view.php?id=087950

Also, how would you train a horse to jump?
(I know how to jump a horse, if you're wondering. I've taken lessons and I've read many, many books)

Answer 1

good conformation my a##, i don't think so... just from that picture I'd stay away... That horse has not had PROFESSIONAL training, it might have been ridden and therefore trained, but it got NO TOP LINE, and that's the most important thing, well other than the legs... but a professional would have put a top line on her before anything!!! If you catch a lie that easy, god knows what else is hidden...

Answer 2

I have trained many horses. First thing and most important thing would be match your experience to your horse. By that I mean. An inexperienced rider needs a solid horse. A horse that doesn't see invisible creatures in every corner. A horse that has been there and done it a million times over. Next I would suggest the right comformation on your horse. A long thin neck, the right slope on his shoulders, correct pasterns and a willing mind. I certainly hope you have someone that is trustworthy to guide you in your quest and isn't misleading you. There are many aspect to jumping that aren't in a manuel. Good Luck

Answer 3

She looks to have a pretty weak back end for a jumper. For a jumper you want a horse with heavy musclature in the hindquarters. Look more at thoroughbreds or arabians, not quarter horses.

Answer 4

Well, for the first part of your question, I'd have to say no. This is a stock-type horse, heavy on the forehand and lacking in power or developed musculature in the hind end. A horse's engines are in its hindquarters, and this is extremely important for any over fences work. Generally speaking, Quarter Horses are not the best horses for jumpers or hunters classes, unless you're planning on only showing on the AQHA circuit. That's not saying all are poor jumpers (some can have quite nice form), but many of them lack the right conformation and movement to have any real success at the upper levels.

Now for the second part of your question. I hate to sound so negative, but just knowing how to jump a horse from lessons and book reading is not enough to safely teach a horse to jump. Training a horse is a tremendous responsibility and requires years and years of experience working with many different horses. Most trainers have apprenticed as working students with other trainers at one time or another. We learn by working with professionals and understanding principles of training along with the way a horse's mind works. A novice or even intermediate rider should not attempt to train a horse, especially over fences. I can think of quite a few advanced riders who leave the training to the professionals, too.

There is no one, surefire way to starting a horse over fences. I've worked for many different trainers who have their own methods and styles. I like free jumping a horse first to get an idea of its potential over fences. A horse tends to have better form free jumping than with a rider, as there's no one interfering with its natural movement. They tend to round over the fences better and tuck their legs tighter against their body. A horse with poor form when free jumping is virtually guaranteed to have poor form under saddle. When training over fences with a rider is begun, it's important to take things slow. The horse should already be well versed in movements on the flat, including a good mastery of the walk, trot, and canter, lateral movements, leg yielding, and perhaps even the beginning of flying changes. The horse should be familiar with walking, trotting, and cantering over poles. Before jumping, its important to practice grid work with poles. Have a line of poles gives the horse something to focus on after the first pole, and provides a basic introduction to lines of jumps. From pole work, rudimentary fences work should be a natural progression. The jumps should be low at first, and the horse should be praised for its effort. Care should be taken to keep the horse moving at a steady consistent pace. Speeding forward or sucking back at these initial stages are just indications of bigger problems in the future. As I said before, though, you shouldn't attempt to train the horse yourself, at least not without the assistance of a professional trainer. If you get the help you need, it may be possible for you to work with a younger or greener horse in developing its potential over fences. But this would require either lessons several times a week or placing the horse in professional training for a few months. Either way can get quite expensive and you may be better off finding a horse that's already trained over fences. More experienced horses are preferable when you're first learning to jump (and when I say learning, I mean if you're jumping anything under 3' to 3'6"). If you're still jumping crossrails or 2', you really shouldn't be looking at horses that are green or untrained over fences, not if jumping is something you earnestly want to pursue. You need a horse that you can rely on, a horse that will get you out of trouble if you can't see your distance. A green horse, on the other hand, needs to rely on YOU to see the distance every time and give clear and direct instructions to the fence.

Answer 5

She would not make a high level jumper.
She would be ok for lower levels and most other stuff you may want to do but since she is quarter horse they are not great jumpers. THey do ok but never make it to higher levels.

Answer 6

I agree, the muscle tone could be better. Also, it is very hard to tell how the horse reacts to that kind of thing if you have never physically ridden it.

Answer 7

as long as the horse has no medical or MAJOR conformational problems, any horse can jump.

sorry it is so long......but it reads quick...I think :)
The first thing you must do is practice 2 point.
In 2 point you raise your butt just out of the saddle...make sure to bend at the hip. Do not round your back, but do look up. Grab mane. Make sure that you do not pivot at the knee. in other words.....your feet should be under you....If the horse were removed you should be able to stand up.....to get an idea of the position you can look at som pics. and movies, but beware, many professional showjumpers pivot at the knee...and that is bad!
Most people learning to jump go into 2 pouint well before take off. however since you horse needs guidance, you can't do that. to get comfy going in and out of 2 point spend a lot of time on really small jumps. By doing this you horse and you can learn where to take off.
Then you go over poles. Just start out with one pole (laying on the ground, about 3-4 in in diameter/height). You can start out with standards beside the pole, or you can make that another step. First you must make her walk over the pole. Look straight ahead! If she stops ask her to keep going. Since she is only walking, she shouldn't be able to doge it. Since it is so small do not let her turn around to go over it again, make her walk straight over it. Once you can walk over it form any direction and angle, trot over it from all directions and angles, then canter over it, then in 2 point. You can set up 2 or 3 poles in a row.....but make sure they are the right length apart. Remember, it is only a pole. Don't let her doge it or turn around before she goes over it.
Once she is totally comfy with poles try cavaletties (6 in high). Take the same steps as you did with the poles. Again it is still very low and she can go over it from a stand still. If she is giving you a really hard time you can prop up a pole on either side of the caveletti so she can't doge it. You want to go over these in 2 point.
Once she is totally comfy with 6 in. You can raise the height SLOWLY. Once she is comfy with 9 in. go to 1 foot ect...Maybe only change about three in. at a time, and only change once she is totally comfy with the height you are on.
If she refuses a jump she can't take at a stand still, turn her around and take it again. If she is giving you a really hard time you can prop up a pole on either side of the jump or caveletti so she can't doge it. If she still refuses, you can lower it. The important thing is to make her go over it so she doesn’t learn that she can refuse. (This is assuming the jump is only 3 in higher than what you have already jumped, and it isn’t a totally high or dangerous jump….) Once she goes over it give her a short break from jumping then jump her over something below her level to boost her confidence.
Remember...........
Jumping too high too soon will ruin the both of you......
Focus on other things from time to time until she starts to like jumping.........so she doesn’t get bored or angry....
Only jump safe jumps........
Don’t catch the horse's mouth....this MAY be why she refuses. Catching their mouth is when a rider gets unseated going over a jump and ends up yanking on the reins. Until you have a very stable seat going over jumps, grab the mane so you don't catch her mouth.
The thing is to raise the jumps so slowly that either of you know that they are getting higher. :)
If you can try to ride a horse that know how to jump to get a feel of it....or take some lessons. If you want to compete in jumping courses or if you want to get technical.........then you should take some lessons.

Answer 8

she looks too weak to be a hunter. i would suggest taking a horse to a well respected hunter/jumper trainer to be started over fences, rather than doing it yourself.

Answer 9

Not likely, besides it tells you below her picture what they expect of her.

Answer 10

call them and see but from the pic and her descreption seem good