The Irish Draft 2022
Well-Known Member
I jump twice a week my horse is a Irish Draught.
How often should you jump a horse
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Birker2020
Well-Known Member
I used to do grid work on my WB once a week and a SJ competition once a week.
But I used to do grid work on my own so I never had help to raise each separate fence. So I would spend 30 mins building a full grid with all the jumps up to 2ft 9/3ft and then jump them probably twice in both directions and that would be that. I never over jumped.
TheMule
Well-Known Member
A good trainer told me a horse will have a finite number of jumps in its life so you should use them wisely.
I don’t like to jump more often than once a week max unless trying to achieve something specific or timing of clinics etc that I know will benefit us. I do work over raised poles once a week too as they do need to be well conditioned for it
I don’t like to jump more often than once a week max unless trying to achieve something specific or timing of clinics etc that I know will benefit us. I do work over raised poles once a week too as they do need to be well conditioned for it
Squeak
Well-Known Member
This has always been very much my thinking but there are a lot of people that seem to jump once a week at home and then compete at the weekend and so I sometimes doubt myself because extra practice certainly wouldn't do me any harm!
TheMule
Well-Known Member
Thats where cavaeltti are useful- practice but without so much strain
AntiPuck
Well-Known Member
I'm no expert but once a week feels like plenty to me, so no more than that on a regular basis.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
I depends on how much you do.
I don't think four trips down a grid line is really asking too much of a horse.
If you were having a 30 minute jump lesson then jumping competetively once a week I'd maybe question that, week after week.
Squeak
Well-Known Member
A grid of five/ six fences would still work out at 20/ 24 fences in one session jumping it four times - that would still be the equivalent of two show jumping rounds.
I don't think that necessarily means it was too much - horses for courses and all that but grids can be deceptive as you rack up the number of jumps very quickly.
flying_high
Well-Known Member
I think if you are fairly new to jumping / horse is and need practise, jumping once a week at home, and competing twice a month as well doesn’t seem reasonable, if the horse is fit, and surfaces are good.
As you build experience you can cut back on the practise.
You could also look at it as an average of once a week, so some weeks you jump twice, and some weeks you don’t jump?
I don’t jump but do groundwork raised poles about 3 times a week, and ridden raised poles about twice a month.
As you build experience you can cut back on the practise.
You could also look at it as an average of once a week, so some weeks you jump twice, and some weeks you don’t jump?
I don’t jump but do groundwork raised poles about 3 times a week, and ridden raised poles about twice a month.
Birker2020
Well-Known Member
Yes I guess your right.
AShetlandBitMeOnce
Well-Known Member
I think a lot of people underestimate how much you can work on jumping through flatwork exercises with poles. Like 'x' amount of canter strides between two poles, lengthening and shortening. Working on setting up a stride for a canter pole, hitting poles at different angles, setting up the hexagon shaped poles or V poles and working on leg awareness in the horse (can't remember the fancy word for it) etc etc etc
Tracking_up
Well-Known Member
Proprioception
littleshetland
Well-Known Member
I worked at a pro showjumping yard many decades ago now. The advanced horses only ever jumped at competitions, the rest of the time was flatwork and the occasional jump. The babys did pole work, grids and baby jumping maybe twice a week.... hacking, flatwork and time off the rest of the time.
dorsetladette
Well-Known Member
It really depends on the horse.
A local pro has 4 comp horses at home currently. 1 only ever jumps at comps as it blows her mind if jumped at home. 1 is jumping a couple of cross poles 2 or 3 times a week and the others do a couple of bigger jumps or a course once a week or so plus comps.
Lets face it the actual bit of going over the jump is a really small part of showjumping - the important part granted but not the part you usually need to work on most.
A local pro has 4 comp horses at home currently. 1 only ever jumps at comps as it blows her mind if jumped at home. 1 is jumping a couple of cross poles 2 or 3 times a week and the others do a couple of bigger jumps or a course once a week or so plus comps.
Lets face it the actual bit of going over the jump is a really small part of showjumping - the important part granted but not the part you usually need to work on most.
MagicMelon
Well-Known Member
Depends on the horse but usually not very often. If they're young then obviously I do but not very much and Id rather take them out to jump training away from home so they get the experience away too. Ive had some horses who I never used to jump between competitions as they'd always jump great at competitions that way, I much prefer they are kept fresh and dont get bored to death of it and *touch wood* Ive very rarely had any issue with a horse who refuses etc. I do do polework regularly though.
Jango
Well-Known Member
I probably jump around 4/5 times per month. A mix of grid/course lessons, farm/fun rides and competing. I have weds pm off work so sometimes I will have a jump lesson weds pm then compete/farm ride at the weekend, then some weeks I won't jump at all. I only have one horse I can jump, she's very straight forward and doesn't need to jump regularly but I need to to keep my eye in!