Can horses actually 'enjoy' jumping?

Oh yes I think some do love it! My girl loathes flat work and loves jumping. She swerves TOWARDS the jumps, even if you have no intention of jumping. I eventually learned that she has a much more enthusiastic approach to work with a jump in the school, so I put one up to do flatwork then let her jump it at the end.
 
My horse quite likes jumping. His previous owner used to tank him at a jump though. She really liked him 'wound up' and pretty much jogging on the spot. I now will never go into our jump paddock with him, he just becomes so silly. Even my jumping instructor isn't a fan of riding him in that paddock. He locks onto it and good luck with steering him. He would never intend to hurt anyone, just the way he knows and has been taught. He's amazing in the top arena to jump. Listens to me like a little angel, it's just that flipping paddock.
 
I have one that loves it. To the point where, as a 2 year old, he would jump my fence to join in loose jumping with my other horses. He's now 4 and sometimes belts at fences under saddle but he never feels as if he's throwing himself over or is unbalanced / stressed - he just loves it and if he thinks he knows where he's going he wants to go there fast!

He's a strange wee devil though - 14,1 if he's anything and happily pops 1m30 from trot... Apparently he's a pure blood highland but I have my suspicions ;)
 
Yes I believe they can actually enjoy it. My boy squealed in absolute delight when we jumped a few little sheep feeders out hacking today! :D
 
Like FrostyFeet I have a mini that just loves jumping! He will jump everything he can - puddles, tree roots, changes in surfacing, drains, potholes.. You name it, he's jumped it! Haha.

Yes, I do think they can love jumping.
 
my old boy hated flatwork and if im honest was pretty useless at it. he was an ex racer, 17hh and only knew straight lines lol. but he was quite lazy on the flat. put him infront of a jump and he came alive, had the most beautiful canter and popped 3'9" course easy. my instructor used to joke about having to do dressage tests inbetween fences as he was so responsive and collected. any other time and he wouldnt drop his head, collect or extend and struggled with corners. i believe he loved his jumping...though point him at anything lower then 2'3" and he would think you were insulting his intelligence and look and snort before cat leeping!

i admit with the way he was on the flat it took me some time to figure out his jumping ability as i was a bit nervous about jumping him at first.
 
When I had a mare, and her yearling and my boy, a youngster, we used to have a loose jumping session in the small school when unable to go out in field, they loved it, tiny cross poles and low , wide wings let them jump at a height they chose.
Also used to do a few pops after flatwork for fun, lots of gridwork will make youngsters organise themselves, then just pop a cross pole at the end, important to learn to jump from the trot as cantering encourages rushing.

I've seen yearlings jump when turned out loose. My yearling [when older] used to jump walls if it meant getting her bucket feed any quicker than going via the open gate.
 
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I will never forget watching two of my youngsters playing, jumping in and out of the 3ft high long grass one spring time. They were having so much fun, turned out in the field, doing what they wanted to do. No one could possibly have questioned how much they enjoyed it.
 
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