NotAnotherChestnut
Well-Known Member
For those of you out there with youngsters.. what age would you suggest is a suitable age to start introducing a youngster to a bit of free jumping and schooling?
Free schooling/jumping
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NELSON11
Well-Known Member
Hi, I started my youngster when he had just turned 3 as he needed to for the BEF futurity. We started off over poles on the floor and then built up over a period of 8 weeks or so introducing him to jumping lanes.I generally only actually jumped him every 10 days or so. Hope you get on ok.
pairciban
Well-Known Member
If your school is safe and the surface is good then you can do it from a few months old i.e with the mare, obviously only once in a while over poles.
I normally do it a couple of times with the mare and then a few times a year till they are 3ish. At about 3 I start putting proper jumps up, normally only poles on floor and small jumps ( up to 2'6 ish ) till that age.
Then I normally loose jump once a week and maybe an other session just on the flat with the older horses.
I normally do it a couple of times with the mare and then a few times a year till they are 3ish. At about 3 I start putting proper jumps up, normally only poles on floor and small jumps ( up to 2'6 ish ) till that age.
Then I normally loose jump once a week and maybe an other session just on the flat with the older horses.
Silverspring
Well-Known Member
My opinion is if the horse is not old enough to be ridden it is not old enough to be jumped.
By not backing a horse you are saying it is not physically mature enough to take the weight of a rider and perform basic walk trot canter on a circle.
Why then would it be mature enough to jump?
Fair enough if we are only talking poles on the ground or tiny cross poles so they get to see poles and wings etc, all this done using a lunge line to control the horses speed. But allowing a youngster free rein in a school generally results in lots of canter, hitting corners too fast and without balance, running into fences then going hollow over them etc...not sure this is something we should be teaching a horse prior to it being ridden.
By not backing a horse you are saying it is not physically mature enough to take the weight of a rider and perform basic walk trot canter on a circle.
Why then would it be mature enough to jump?
Fair enough if we are only talking poles on the ground or tiny cross poles so they get to see poles and wings etc, all this done using a lunge line to control the horses speed. But allowing a youngster free rein in a school generally results in lots of canter, hitting corners too fast and without balance, running into fences then going hollow over them etc...not sure this is something we should be teaching a horse prior to it being ridden.
NotAnotherChestnut
Well-Known Member
Hmm, that is interesting Nelson11 as that is exactly why I am thinking about it. She is nearly 2 1/2 now - did the futurity this year where she got on really well and aiming to go back next year as a 3 yo where they have to jump.
obviously I am planning on taking it slowly and at the horse's pace. She has already managed to jump out of her old field twice -
normal post and rail height so she's showing a bit of scope..!
PrincessSparkle - is it not something that could be usefully used as part of their education as a youngster without the pressure of a rider/saddle/bridle as they have the freedom of movement when used in a constructive not steaming around the school kind of way?
obviously I am planning on taking it slowly and at the horse's pace. She has already managed to jump out of her old field twice -
NELSON11
Well-Known Member
With my youngster we took him to a specialist sport horse centre once every two weeks where he could be trained in a controlled manor down the lane in an indoor school. Whilst we have a huge arena outside it worried me as he has so much scope we were concerned he would pop over the edge. Another contact who produces young horses recommends building a coral at the start and end of the lane so they are not careering around but you can stop them in a reasonable distance and with safety in mind. The professional producers at the sport horse centre we go to, believe it aids a horses jumping career if it has done some free jumping and I believe as a 3 year old, done correctly it is beneficial. Certainly the BEF futurity seem to think so as do all the European gradings as 3 year olds. Whilst they are not mature enough to be jumping with a rider I cannot see the harm in a little free jumping at this age.
NotAnotherChestnut
Well-Known Member
Thanks Nelson11 - we have a nice big indoor school at the yard which is nice and safe - I like the idea of creating some kind of coral at the end giving her the space to stop but not then go hooning around.
I agree - I wouldn't want to go into the futurity next year never having sent her down a lane. I also think that it can be very beneficial as it allows the horse to find its natural balance over fences before it has the distraction of a rider.
I agree - I wouldn't want to go into the futurity next year never having sent her down a lane. I also think that it can be very beneficial as it allows the horse to find its natural balance over fences before it has the distraction of a rider.