How many times at a height before moving up? UA show jumping

[J_sarahd]

Basically, I am entering a show jumping competition on 4th and I'm not sure which classes to do - 55cm & 65cm or 65cm & 75cm. Pony is still inexperienced and green, but I've taken him to a couple of jumping competitions at 50/55cm (one being the ODE at Eland) and he's gone clear and felt very confident (especially the last time). And I've jumped one 65cm and he went clear and, again felt very confident.

So do I step him up or do I stay at that height a bit longer? He's more than capable of the height (we jump about 80-85cm courses at home), it's just obviously at 75cm is when you start getting the fillers under the jumps and not to the side and that's where I've found he's a bit greener.

Would you bite the bullet and do the 65 & 75cm or would you just do a few more at 55cm? Am I just being too competitive? Is there ever a right time (when the jumps are this small and it's unaffiliated) to step up or do you just have to do it?

 

[Roxylola]

Personally, I'd say you wont get better at it without doing it. If hes confident at the lower height then by all means try one up. Equally if you're happy at the lower ones then you arent obliged to move up. There is no fixed path

 

[DressageCob]

If it were me, I wouldn't move up to 75cm yet. I would get him established at 65cm first because, as you say, 75cm is where they start putting the fillers underneath. I would want him very confident and established at 65cm before taking that step, so a few more rounds. Then maybe schooling away from home over a 75cm course with fillers in, before adding the competition nerves into the mix.

I would skip the 50cm class and just go and do the 65cm. Then you haven't got the "warm up" over the dinky height as a safety net and it will give a better view as to his confidence at that level, when he doesn't know where he's doing or what each fence looks like in advance.

 

[J_sarahd]

Personally, I'd say you wont get better at it without doing it. If hes confident at the lower height then by all means try one up. Equally if you're happy at the lower ones then you arent obliged to move up. There is no fixed path

See, show jumping is my personal favourite and I was hoping we'd be jumping bigger at competitions by now, but covid obviously stopped play. I am itching to go up the heights (and will obviously do so slowly and sensibly and not throw him in at the deep end! Hence the thread - even though 75cm isn't the deep end) and I think I'm more leaning towards the same notion of you can't progress without making that first step - even if he does stop and get us eliminated...

 

[ihatework]

I’d enter the 65 & 75.
If he jumps confidently in 65 then do 75. If he has a wobble ask to switch your 75 into a second 65 (HC) round

 

[J_sarahd]

If it were me, I wouldn't move up to 75cm yet. I would get him established at 65cm first because, as you say, 75cm is where they start putting the fillers underneath. I would want him very confident and established at 65cm before taking that step, so a few more rounds. Then maybe schooling away from home over a 75cm course with fillers in, before adding the competition nerves into the mix.

I would skip the 50cm class and just go and do the 65cm. Then you haven't got the "warm up" over the dinky height as a safety net and it will give a better view as to his confidence at that level, when he doesn't know where he's doing or what each fence looks like in advance.

I've schooled over courses away from home at probably around 80cm with fillers and he's been okay - a few stops. But he seems to be more confident at a show, weirdly. But obviously I don't want to lean on that, as he might not be if I step it up. I could just go for the 65cm, I just personally don't really like going to a show and doing one class, unless it's just around the corner - it's just annoying that I can't enter the 75cm on the day if the course was nice and all was going well!

 

[J_sarahd]

I’d enter the 65 & 75.
If he jumps confidently in 65 then do 75. If he has a wobble ask to switch your 75 into a second 65 (HC) round

This is a good idea, thank you

 

[Roxylola]

If it goes wrong, you know you're not quite ready. I dont like to totally overface horses, and I like to keep outings as good confidence building for them, but if you never ask a question you'll never know if they can answer it.
If it's a case of the fillers etc you either need to find somewhere else with smaller fillers, or have a go. You're training should mean you're confident at the height so that's one less worry

 

[J_sarahd]

If it goes wrong, you know you're not quite ready. I dont like to totally overface horses, and I like to keep outings as good confidence building for them, but if you never ask a question you'll never know if they can answer it.
If it's a case of the fillers etc you either need to find somewhere else with smaller fillers, or have a go. You're training should mean you're confident at the height so that's one less worry

Yeah, I'd never overface him in terms of throwing him into a height class he's not ready for. Like even though we school at 80-85cm, I wouldn't enter him in that class just yet!! And that's why it's all been super small. He's schooled over fillers before - it's not like he's never, ever seen them. And, having looked on facebook at the venues photos, the fillers do look small. There was only one, maybe two, that I was a bit like hmm about (and these jumps were set at 90cm+)

 

[Squeak]

I’d enter the 65 & 75.
If he jumps confidently in 65 then do 75. If he has a wobble ask to switch your 75 into a second 65 (HC) round

I'd do this as you're jumping higher at home and have done arena hires with a higher course.

 

[SmallSteps]

I'd do 65 & 75. It's still small enough that you can have a wobble and trot/step over if you need to and the sense of progression will build your confidence. As IHW says jump the 65, if it's not a good day and your confidence wobbles you can go round 65 again (HC). Often the 75 is just going round the same course again with everything up two holes and even if you get faults you'll go home beaming If it feels too much, drop back down next time

Honestly two holes feels a lot to us as the riders but I swear most green horses haven't yet worked out what height you're jumping and just can't tell the difference, other than in rider tension, and the only way to avoid rider tension is to agree it's not a big deal, don't need a big build up, give it a go and if it doesn't go well that's ok too, you've got lots and lots of time to consolidate....

 

[IrishMilo]

I'd do the 75 twice - if you balls it up the first time ask to go in HC the second time. If you're jumping 85 at home 55 seems like a big step down. I agree with Roxy that you can't get better until you start practicing. And the beauty of UA is that it doesn't matter.

 

[J_sarahd]

I'd do 65 & 75. It's still small enough that you can have a wobble and trot/step over if you need to and the sense of progression will build your confidence. As IHW says jump the 65, if it's not a good day and your confidence wobbles you can go round 65 again (HC). Often the 75 is just going round the same course again with everything up two holes and even if you get faults you'll go home beaming If it feels too much, drop back down next time

Honestly two holes feels a lot to us as the riders but I swear most green horses haven't yet worked out what height you're jumping and just can't tell the difference, other than in rider tension, and the only way to avoid rider tension is to agree it's not a big deal, don't need a big build up, give it a go and if it doesn't go well that's ok too, you've got lots and lots of time to consolidate....

Weirdly, the heights not an issue at all. It’s the fillers!! I’ve trotted into a 90cm xc jump so I’ll definitely drop a gear if I need to - would rather a confident round than a speedy one!

 

[J_sarahd]

I'd do the 75 twice - if you balls it up the first time ask to go in HC the second time. If you're jumping 85 at home 55 seems like a big step down. I agree with Roxy that you can't get better until you start practicing. And the beauty of UA is that it doesn't matter.

That’s what I thought. I stepped down to 55cm to give confidence out and about as he’d never been to a show before I got him. Like I said, the worst thing that can happen is we get eliminated but what’s that but a bit of dignity out the window!

 

[greenbean10]

I think no matter how many times you compete at 55 and 65cm (without the fillers), your horse will still have the same reaction when the fillers go in - so you may as well just crack on!

If he's already confident with no fillers there then there's not much more you can do to prepare him for fillers - other than jumping fillers!

 

[J_sarahd]

I think no matter how many times you compete at 55 and 65cm (without the fillers), your horse will still have the same reaction when the fillers go in - so you may as well just crack on!

If he's already confident with no fillers there then there's not much more you can do to prepare him for fillers - other than jumping fillers!

That's very true. I guess because it's not the height that's the issue, I've just got to crack on and do it. Or I'll be in this funk of "is it too soon for him?" for ages! Whereas if I do it, I'll at least know whether we need more practise or whether we can compete at that height now with hopes of moving up again next year.

 

[paddi22]

for young horses who are getting used to fillers, I tend to go schooling at the venues the shows are on at beforehand, and school over all the filler. so for their first show with fillers, they'd already know them and have jumped them before.

 

[AFB]

Where are you going? If you're local to Eland I might be able to comment on the venue...

 

[J_sarahd]

Where are you going? If you're local to Eland I might be able to comment on the venue...

It's Pickering Grange, so not very local to Eland!

 

[AFB]

It's Pickering Grange, so not very local to Eland!

Ah no problem, not on my radar! Whatever you choose, have a great time

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

My mare is very green competing so I’ve been doing 40, 50 and 55cm rounds at local venues. Our worst rounds were 40cm and a tiny tiny cross pole class. I think sometimes a bit of height perks them up a bit ? And gives them less time to find something to be spooky about. I would do 65 and 75. You need to push the boundaries a bit to grow!

 

[J_sarahd]

I entered the 75! Didn’t realise until I put my entry in that it was two phase, so second half is 80cm!

Had a lesson tonight though at an arena hire and he was a very good boy and only one fence was causing issues, but that was more down to the fence before and the line to the fence. Turns out, if you sit up and put your leg on, you’re more likely to go over and not around the jump. Who knew?!

 

[BunnyDog]

Turns out, if you sit up and put your leg on, you’re more likely to go over and not around the jump. Who knew?!

I wish I had a dollar for everytime that I have 'learned' this in my life. LOL. I always laugh when everything works as it should.
Very much a V-8 moment!!!

That's a US reference (I think) so here's the video that explains it.

Em

 

[J_sarahd]

I wish I had a dollar for everytime that I have 'learned' this in my life. LOL. I always laugh when everything works as it should.
Very much a V-8 moment!!!

That's a US reference (I think) so here's the video that explains it.

Em

Definitely a V-8 moment. That advert really made me laugh!

 

[Abi90]

It's Pickering Grange, so not very local to Eland!

Is Pickering Grange a nice venue? It’s about an hour and a bit from me so have been reticent about going that far without knowing

 

[J_sarahd]

Is Pickering Grange a nice venue? It’s about an hour and a bit from me so have been reticent about going that far without knowing

Ive not actually been! Our lesson yesterday was at Field Farm. A few people at the yard have been for arena hire and say it’s lovely but I’ve found arena hire and competing at a specific place can be very different. I know how you feel though - we are lucky that there’s so many nice venues near us, but the furthest I’ll go is Eland or Field House and they’ve got a very good reputation. I’ll let you know what it’s like on Sunday evening!

 

[QueenT]

I’d enter the 65 & 75.
If he jumps confidently in 65 then do 75. If he has a wobble ask to switch your 75 into a second 65 (HC) round

Also depends on the age of the horse, if younger I’d stay at lower levels longer. You don’t want to be in a position where you have start over because he lost his confidence

 

[Jango]

As others have said I would do the 65 and 75. If fillers are an issue don't worry about competing for a bit and get him jumping creative jumps at home, e.g. shavings bales, cones etc under a fence, jacket on the fence if you don't have fillers and take him out for arena hires with fillers and recreate the competition course environment. Jumping him round tiny fences isn't really teaching him anything at this point if he's relaxed about being at a show and happy over much bigger fences.

 

[ohmissbrittany]

Generally speaking, when rounds go "to plan" and smoothly more often than not... that is move up time.

I'd go 65 / 75. If the major change is the fillers.... the worst that happens is he poops his pants in the 75 and you have homework to work on before the next one. 10cm is less than a subway sandwich in terms of height, most horses can comfortably trot up to 85cm if you get desperate.

 

[Abi90]

I discovered on Sunday that they can also comfortably jump 90cm from a walk so no need to worry!