Jumping youngsters

[Allykat]

What is your opinion on youngsters jumping and what age would you personally take a youngster out to jump a c

ourse of any height??

I only ask as our yard held a clear round day today, just a bit of fun for us and local riders. One person from a nearby yard has a youngster and she brought her along for her first "outing" now I am talking a round of 7 fences at a height of around 2 foot ish. After she had done 5 rounds we then discover the mare is only 3 and has only been backed a few weeks.

Hats off to the mare as she jumped really well and only had one or 2 down.....but surely 3 is too young?? Most shows wont let you compete an under 4 am I right?

 

[KatB]

I wouldnt do any jumping under 4. IMO too much strain on young legs and not fair with lack of muscle/balance at that stage.

Most shows will put a 4yr old restriction on competing under saddle, full stop.

Good on the horses though for going round!

 

[flyingfeet]

I agree with KatB, I wouldn't jump them until they are 4.

No way she has put in enough work to have a well muscled balanced horse (impossible at 3!)

I start mine very slowly and would always take them to first show to only do a mini clear round that they could step over.

None of mine ever stop or run out, because I brought them on slowly as babies (didn't jump them properly until 5).

 

[RunToEarth]

I know very limited amounts about jumping youngsters but from what I have observed from the yards around me which I have ridden at, youngsters are not jumped as young as what you say this one was, I agree with KatB, most are 4 upwards.

 

[Faithkat]

3 is far too young to be jumping - well, if you want the horse to last more than a couple of years before you have serious leg problems anyway! The concussion of 500-600kg horse effectively landing on its middle finger nail . . . . To be honest, I wouldn't think about putting anything under the age of 5 being ridden over jumps. Loose jumping on a soft indoor surface isn't too bad but it is still concussive.
See number 5 : http://www.youngrider.com/youngrider/detail.aspx?aid=24299&cid=3921&search=

 

[xoxshelleyxox]

No I'd never take my mare to a jumping thing like that, shes only four and will happily jump out hacking but I havent even introduced her to trotting poles let alone
showjumps yet!

 

[Tia]

5 years old is the earliest I jump my guys.

 

[Allykat]

Thats what I thought....Mine was 4 when he did his first clear round, they were the height of raise trotting poles and he demolished most of them, even now aged 6 I dont feel that he is balanced enough to tackle anything over 2'9.

Had we known how old she was before she jumped we would have discouraged her from jumping but you kind of take it for granted and assume that other people would do as you do. The poor horse certainly didn't look balanced or even like she was enjoying it much.

Also is 5 rounds really necessary??

 

[frannieuk]

IMO it is asking too much of a 3yo, both physically and mentally - i wouldn't expect a horse to be going out and seeing its first CR til a 4yo and even then it would depend on the overall development. Also, i certainly wouldn't expect a youngster to do 5 rounds on its first time out. My youngster did 2 tiny CR's on her first couple of outings, and has just done her first "proper" event which I limited to 2 baby classes.

 

[BethH]

I wouldn't - would rather spend the time on their ground work and making sure they are well balanced and using themselves correctly, there is plenty of time for jumping when they are more fully grown at 6 or 7. Seems a sure way to give yourself a problem when your ned gets a bit older and therre are plenty of breeds out there that are fully mature until 8 years old.

 

[samp]

That is too much to expect a 3yo to do mentally and physically - probably wrecked a decent honest horse now. The rules for any show is all ridden horses must be aged 4 and above - surely these are set for a reason

 

[MagicMelon]

I wouldnt even back them until they turned 4. Then I introduce jumping as soon as I feel they're ready but usually quite quickly as I find they take to it easier if shown jumps early on (and are less spooky etc.). I would be happy to jump a 4yo at a competition (and currently am!) but would keep it very small and probably not jumping much bigger than 2'6 courses in their first year. Then BSJA the next year (if they're good enough!). But as 4yo's and 5yo's Id keep it simple, so no going for jump off times or anything - just aiming for a nice quiet day out.

 

[Rambo]

I wouldn't jump them until they are turned 4yo. And even then, I would jump 5 rounds in a day....in fact, I wouldn't jump 5 rounds in a day on ANY horse

 

[Chambon]

I agree with Tia. I wouldn't jump mine until 5 years at the earliest. What is the rush?

 

[juliehannah58]

I wouldn't jump a 3yr old, in fact i won't even ask a 3yr old to school! Once they are 4 then I introduce jumping. Some take quicker than others, the 4yr old I am riding at the moment is just about to start BN (3') next week but then he has been to a few low level shows this year and loves it. If you want to be competitive on young horses (i.e. contest age classes etc) then it's more to do with structured training rather than 'get on them as early as poss'! This horse of mine was only backed in May, but he wasn't backed until he was a full grown 4 yr old so I know he is mentally and physically mature enough to handle the work.

I have a 2.5yr old filly at home and she won't even be sat on until shes 3.5yrs old and even then it will be 1 or 2 hacks down the lanes a week until she is at least 4.

Plus, as Rambo said, I wouldn't even do 5 ROUNDS on a horse in one day, let alone 5 classes! Utter madness! What a brave little horse though....

 

[Rambo]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus, as Rambo said, I wouldn't even do 5 ROUNDS on a horse in one day, let alone 5 classes! Utter madness! What a brave little horse though....

[/ QUOTE ]

Hehe....Just read my post back....and of course I meant i WOULDN'T jump 5 rounds in a day