Jumping young (pony)

[Silvermiyazawa]

I have been browsing the for sales (again) and found a rather nice Welshie. He is rising 4 but the ad talks about him jumping, with pics to prove it.

Too much too soon?

 

[Dry Rot]

I have been browsing the for sales (again) and found a rather nice Welshie. He is rising 4 but the ad talks about him jumping, with pics to prove it.

Too much too soon?

Another "it all depends" question.

Foals will jump to follow their mothers from a very early age and we encourage natural free jumping here. I see nothing wrong in the occasional small jump for a rising four year old personally but others won't agree.

A lot will depend on the weight of the rider, the height of the jump, the frequency of the jumping, the maturity of the pony, and a host of other things that I haven't even thought of. I suppose that's what puts the art into training rather than making it a simple mechanical process dictated by the calendar. It might be alright for one but spell disaster for another.

Another rising four year old. This one really loves to jump.

 

[ameeyal]

Yes I think its to young { I have a friend who has just bought a 3 year old that was out hunting and jumping mmmm}

But if you are interested you don't have to jump it, so no harm done.

 

[Megibo]

Regular hunting at 3/4 years old-no.

The odd pop over a jump now and then, no prob IMO.

 

[splashnutti1]

When i brought my cob he was advertised and had pics of him jumping/ hunting. Was advertised as a 5 year old but turned out he was only 3 and a half.

I brought him took him back to basics. he is now rising 5 and we have just started doing some low pole work.

I wouldnt jump them so young but hasnt done my lad any harm as i took him back a step when i got him.

 

[Wheels]

well I personally decided not to jump my 4 year old this year as he just wasn't mature enough mentally or physically but as others have said, it depends on the horse and to some extent the rider / handler and what sort of experience they can bring to the horse.

It wouldn't necessarily put me off buying a 4 yo if it had jumped but I would want to work out whether it had been overfaced or not.