Horses that overjump - good or bad?!

S

SummerStorm

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 January 2006
Messages
4,172
Visit site
The post below got me thinking...

Now, I'm not talking about a horse that occasionally takes a stride out or spooks at a filler and clears the fence by about a foot - just the horses that will consistently jump 3'6" over a 1'6" fence or take off half a mile from the fence over and over again for no real reason.

So... is it a good thing or a bad thing for a horse to overjump? Pictures of horses taking off a mile from the fence in adverts seems to be getting to be a common occurance now and I have seen a good many photos of horses almost unseating the rider by jumping stupidly high when there's no need. Am I alone in prefering to see a horse jumping the right height for the fence and taking off about the right place? Is there something I'm missing when I look at the photos and see feet of sky between the horse and the fence and, far from saying, 'Wow - isn't that horse amazing!', just look a bit miffed why someone would want a horse that looks so overbold it's verging on dangerous?
confused.gif
crazy.gif


Pointless ponderings really - I'm just delaying having to wrap up christmas pressies!
blush.gif
grin.gif
 
I agree - I'd much rather have a horse that jumped sensibly, looked where he was going and had some form of self preservation than one who was so bold he could be dangerous. Having hunted lots of the first type and one of the second I know what I'm talking about here!!

Not only can it be dangerous with a horse that overjumps but also they use up far more energy with their extravegance than they need.
 
firstly, I think standing off and jumping a lot higher than required are very different things - standing off is some times novicey but in older horses is more of a bold thing..IMO.

It's normally younger horses that jump high over things - my horse used to jump stupidly big over things when he was young, he has a huge jump and I think he just lacked confidence and judgment and thought it would be better too jump too high than not high enough!
tongue.gif


He's scaled it down a lot now, but still tends to give fences a bit of room - I like it!! My mums horse just does enough and I find him more boring.
smile.gif
 
its a bad thing - good if you get into trouble (for instance, on a short stride) and they really pull out all the stops to get you over the fence, but if it was a regular occurrence then it is not good.

for a start they use up too much energy doing that, and in jump offs etc it would take them longer to get round. plus its dangerous
 
Hmm well I personally prefer them - maybe I'm just a bit weird!

I had a 5 year old Irish gelding who everyone said would have jumped the moon for me - I pointed him at something and he took the biggest leap to clear it. He never, ever refused and never put a foot wrong in a jump off. It definitely wasn't a lack of confidence, in fact my instructor used to say he was the bravest horse she'd ever seen jumping.

Sadly he's no longer with us and I now have a welsh cob who is the same - and he's almost 17! Usually he'll jump at a sensible *height* for the fence but as for the width, I have often seen myself coming into a fence on a very bad stride and thinking "oh my god he's going to refuse / land on top of it" and he never has. He jumps it from 3 strides away and lands about 6 feet away on the other side. And we won every class we entered last summer, bar none, and all double clears against horses way bigger and more althletic looking than us (Major's only 15hh).

Sorry guys but I love having horses like that. I could never trust a horse who liked to get in too close or who didn't have the confidence to just take a leap for it and hope for the best! I've ridden plenty like that and it just doesn't feel right.

That's my tuppence worth anyway
wink.gif
 
Well I like a horse that has the confidence to take a flyer if you come in a bit wrong - something that has the scope and enjoyment of the job to do that sort of thing. However there is a difference between a confident scopey horses and one who is downright dangerous and I wouldn't want something foolhardy or something that would jump massive over everything.

I do like a horse to give a fence a few inches though, it gives a nice feeling to boing over a fence like that rather than just barely scrape over.
 
I'd rather a horse that stood off than got too close but when a horse is jumping over the top of the wings when the actual fence is only 2ft is when it's a bit dangerous!

Saying that, Rocky once jumped a placing pole and a 3ft 9 spread in one, 15 ft wide!
 
It's pretty common for talented, careful ("allergic to wood") young horses to overjump = that's what they're for.
wink.gif
And auction shots really emphasise it for effect. It's advertising.

Training and experience often makes the horse more economical. If anxiety is making the horse overjump care has to be taken not to frighten it, as then it's easy to make a stopper. Contrary to popular belief horses with enormous natural jumps don't make good mounts for nervous or inexperienced riders.

Horses that take off long . . . well, it can happen, especially in certain circumstances but I feel if it's happening often it's a training issue. You should be able to ride the horse to whatever distance you need and shouldn't be constantly taking more out of the horse than required, not to mention even the bravest, scopiest horse can miss and then you have a big wreck. Some bold horses with flat form actually use this as an evasion - it's easier to stand off than go to the base and jump properly - although I'd still wonder why the horse felt it had to do it.

Bold horses, especially cross country, do occasionally get over excited and take a flyer. Some are good enough to do it when they're put to a bad distance and kicked off the ground - none of us is perfect. But I don't think I'd go looking for that distance consistently - it's the sort of risk that's bound to catch up with you!
 
I think there's a big difference between jumping big (as in upwards) and big (as in standing off)
tongue.gif
Personally don't mind a horse that gives the fences a bit of air...but wouldn't want one that stood off a mile. The former can make good GP horses as they often have great scope...although they can also scare easily as they clearly don't like to touch a pole and when the fnce is already huge it requires a massive effort to still give them plenty
crazy.gif
Anyone remember Arko in the Athens Olympics...where he jumped the centre stand (wing) of the triple bar instead of the pole itself
blush.gif


I found this video of one of Will Funnell's young stallions jumping a BN or maybe a Disco...Pippa is riding it...but it clearly demonstrates that not all big jumpers are bad
smirk.gif


http://thebillystud.co.uk/index.php?m=content&c=gallery&section=video
 
I think it shows courage and a bold horse, I don't mind my horse taking a few flyers out hunting- rather that then crashing through things. I don't think they should be encouraged to overjump and stand off though, which is why Lou and I have spent all summer teaching my coloured one the value of a decent stride and even getting in a little deep. I bought my horse after he stood off a parallel of rails and cleared them by a mile, it showed scope and ability, but doing that at every fence is a waste of energy. I think on the bigger fences horses need to have that attacking attitude...
DSCF0076.jpg

oshkatheangel22.jpg
 
i wouldnt know really, it can go either way

a) the horse could be dangerous and end up unseating a rider or jumping onto a fence

b) can show how brave and bold a horse is.

my loan horse rodney jumps too far out of a jump and often catapults me and his owner, although when the jumps get bigger he just gets worse!

XC he seems to be able to judge his stride better, although when jumping steps down he jumps up and then down lol as if there was a fence before the jump! then again he is a very bold and honets horse, and being only 4 i guess its acceptable.
 
The Funnel's horse is awesome!! Getting in deep is actually preferable for a SJer, as means they will make a "shape" over their fences so will generally have a bit more scope. Agree though, they can have fragile confidence and I wish I had known this earlier....however, to have a horse that overjumps all the time isnt necessarily good as it uts more strain on joints and as previously said can waste time....
 
IMO if it's an experienced horse that overjumps (like mine) then there's not much of a problem as long as the rider has a secure enough seat. I find that with my pony that as it gets bigger, the less he over jumps e.g. he'll jump much too big over a 2'6 course but raise it to 3'6 and he'll leave enough room but not over jump.
 
bad for a speed horse, but good generally- i wouldn't want a horse that gives the jump the bare minimum of space with no scope at all...lol but for a speed horse wateva as long as it clears the jump cxxxxxxxxxxx
 
To be honest I think its a dangerous thing , I once rode a 16.1 TB x 7 year old that always jumped way too far out from the fence , did it one night in a lesson and landed fair smack in the middle of the fence , fell onto his knees ...sending me flying and in the process I slipped a disc in my back , that was about 10 years ago ... My back has never been right since .
 
[ QUOTE ]
Billy Congo is lovely. I wouldn't say he hugely overjumps, ha just has an extra special back end, a bit like our Fleetwater Opposition mare.

[/ QUOTE ]

He jumps just like Axel does, he really brings his back end up like that, shame he's a dressage horse and not a showjumper!
 
Not, bad as such, just a bit unecessary. It wouldn't put me off a horse really, unless it was ridiculously overjumping was was continually unseating rider - just not nice if its a big fence anyway and you end up hovering two feet above the saddle mid jump!! My cob doesn't overjump, but clear anything I ask of her without much trouble - she jumps how high it's necessary in order not to hit the pole, and job done!
 
I am a mega wimp and my boy has killed what little confidence I had by overjumping even the smallest cross pole. Apparantly he looks very impressive but it totally puts the sh*ts up me when he insists on taking off miles away and staring at the jump even when he's on top of it.

Luckily my riding goals only involve lots of lovely fast canters out hacking rather than Hickstead!
 
Fly jumps massive and really doesn't want to touch a fence. He will give a pole a good 6 - 9 inches of air! His timing and take off is exellent and I really trust him. He is quick too and makes his time up by his turns and will instinctively get on the correct leg even if I mess up (which is most of the time). He has had one pole down this year and that was my fault as I turned him too early over a jump.
 
I dont think its too much of an issue although could be a bit of a problem once jumping courses as it'll muck up striding in related distances. I think all horses overjump initially but its something they generally grow out of. It can also be a bit annoying XC if a horse is too careful! One of mine hates touching anything which includes brushes so they can end up pretty huge...! He doesnt realise he can actually go through those a little.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top