Do you believe some horses just cant jump small fences?

[JessPickle]

Just a thought really, I personally find pickle wont jump anything under 2 ft ish, although I have always read stuff saying a horse can always jump small fences it is just the rider would prefer to jump bigger fences as it is easier!

Now at 17.1hh I think it makes sense he wouldn't want to jump small fences and there is a substantial difference if you look at him jumping/smashing through smaller fences while bigger jumps he is always more careful.

So what are your opinions?

 

[WelshRareBit]

Yes I do, I took Murphy SJ in the 1'6 class and he stopped at every one almost, but he can jump (I have evidence!)

On the right

He was the joke of the show that day I bet lol

 

[Nats_uk]

I have to say yes but it's not a case of they 'cant' jump small fences, its more a case of they don't respect them.

After a year of intermediate/open tracks my horse is not interested in fences under 90cm/1m (and sometimes its a struggle with them). Anything smaller he gets lazy and complacent with. He also is more likely to stop/back off a 'spooky filler' at small heights as well and like WelshRareBit my horse can jump:

 

[WishfulThinker]

Yup!! Well more that they dont bother!

If its under 2ft3 Beau doesn't really care about it and will lollop over it. Its soo embarrassing as he looks like a useless jumper - but e is just conservative with energy

 

[asbo]

jay is 17hh & has hunted & x/c, he is terrible at anything under 2'6, just knocks it over

 

[Stacie_and_Jed]

Yes. If i put jed at too smaller jumps he wont bother picking his feet up and just kinda canter over them i suppose.

Put him at a bigger jump and he fly's at them..........see!

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[Starbucks]

Badger hardly ever goes clear BN but nearly always goes clear Discovery, it's very frustrating!!

 

[Smash]

Not 'physically' can't, more like can't be bothered to put the effot in to jump when it's more an inconvenience than an obstacle.

 

[moneypit1]

Fly jumps small fences like they are 4ft. His problem is that when hes not in the mood, nothing is jumpable, whether it be 2ft or 4ft - !!!!!!

 

[MillionDollar]

My 13.2 NF mare jumps 2ft jumps in the most awful awful way, but stick them up to 3-4ft and she flys!!!

 

[PennyJ]

No, I think they can't be bothered to jump them and show their disgust with us by refusing or ploughing through them instead!

 

[MagicMelon]

I think they can all jump small, just dont respect them. One of mine is very spooky over a small cross pole yet happily pops round foxhunter tracks! I think its because he thinks "oh god, why is it so small... something spooky is going on!"

 

[debradley]

Yeah I'd agree, when my girl was jumping - the higher the better; the little ones she just didn't have any respect for. It's the same with raised trotting poles, she actually thinks its a game to knock everyone down! So guess it's not that she can't jump them, she just can't be bothered to put the effort in.

 

[Ottinmeg]

otto is the same, if you take him in a class thats 2ft 6 he looks as if to say you are having a laugh and flies round like a lunatic and flat jumps every one. stick them up to 3ft plus and he will jump them properly at a sensible speed.