How fit to jump?

Irishcobs

Irishcobs

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How fit does a horse have to jump a small course, about 5 fences at 2ft3?

I want to start jumping Gyp again, he hasn't jumped for 4-5 months.
Today I took him into the canter field, he hasn't been in there for months so was a little on edge. Its about a mile hack to the field. We trotted 5 times around the field, its about the size of 3 20x40 arenas. We then cantered round twice on each rein. He finds canter quite hard work as he tends to go up and down rather than forwards.
After this he was quite tired, I was really having to push him on so I called it a day and walked the mile home. He had stopped puffing about 6-7mins after we stopped cantering.
I'm not sure if he is fit enough to jump yet, if he is puffing after a couple of canter laps. Do you think once he can easily do this without me having to kick him on, he will be fit enough to jump? He is a cob btw.
 
I would try him over a couple out of trot and see how he goes. My RI recommended that I tried jumping D out of trot because its much better than her canter and it sounds like he's similar. How fit does he feel in trot? D can trot for hours without puffing so I don't think twice about jumping her occasionally
 
I wouldn't say Gyp is that unfit to be honest. That's quite a bit of fast work, four laps at canter after doing five laps at trot. I'd expect Patches to be blowing after that and I'd say she's pretty fit at the moment.

A more sedate session in a school with a good warm up and plenty of walk breaks, and I'm sure he'd be more than up to jumping some fences. I've done a session in the field before where I've jumped the same three fences from different directions/order about 8 - 10 times in succession without a break. Patches was more than up to that, but would soon blow after a gallop in the field.
 
Thanks guys. He could trot all day without getting tired, it is just canter that wears him out.
I can try jumping out of trot, he gets so keen that he tries to get there as fast as he can.
 
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