Teaching 5 year old to jump

L

Lozturner

Active Member
Joined
15 April 2017
Messages
35
Visit site
So I've had a horse dropped off for a trial week.
He's a 5 year old and I've been told he's a good jumper with potential.
On the flat he's lovely, just what I'm looking for. We've had a go over some little (60/70cm) jumps and its hit and miss whether he clears or goes through it.
What would you suggest I do for training with him? I have a plan I just maybe want some fresh ideas to consider.
I really want this to work and for him to be what I want in a jumper. Ideally he'd get round a 90/1m course and around 1.25 single fences.
I also looked at his feet and it looks as though he hasn't been shod in a long time. Hooves are overgrown and only 1 shoe on with about 1/2 inch growth each side. So this won't be helping him.
Thanks.
 
If you only have a week then I would introduce the concept of a basic grid. Work him through it quietly with just poles and small crosses today, repeat tomorrow. Hack/ day off, grids again the next day but build it up a little more, hack/day off and then increase the height/ width or an oxer at the end of the grid the next day to see what he does.
That should be enough time to educate him to the idea without tiring his muscles and give you a fair way of assessing his ability/ potential by the end of the week.
 
how much jumping has he done beforehand?

i never believe the 'potential' line from any seller unless theres a proven record or the the horses parents have proven records at the discipline you want. Did they give you a history of what it has done so far? Personally I would have alarm bells ringing at any horse going through a small jump, even a baby. Any of the young horses i've seen be good natural jumpers, their automatic reaction has always been to leap over jumps (even if its ungraceful, with legs everywhere) instead of going through them. The best ones just have an instinct that they don't want to touch poles.

Can you get a bit longer than a weeks trial? even the horse getting new shoes on could make him a bit different than he normally is. Most horses can happily pop 90/1ms courses but if you want to go higher you might need a bit longer to see what the horse is like. Some horses completely change into more confident jumpers once they click with a rider, but it can take a bit longer than a week.
 
If the horse has been dropped of and you were told he is a good jumper, then from you write it is not as described so I would send him straight back. If a horse was dropped of for a weeks trial with feet as you have described I would have told them to take it away then and there.
If the horse is injured due to jumping with its feet in the condition you describe then are you stuck with it as you jumped it when it was not fit to do so?
 
twiggy2 said:
If the horse has been dropped of and you were told he is a good jumper, then from you write it is not as described so I would send him straight back. If a horse was dropped of for a weeks trial with feet as you have described I would have told them to take it away then and there.
If the horse is injured due to jumping with its feet in the condition you describe then are you stuck with it as you jumped it when it was not fit to do so?
Click to expand...

Once again I am amazed that a seller will present a horse for sale with feet that are neglected, it cannot be vetted in that state and should not really be ridden until they are done, if you want to continue with the trial get it extended so you do have a full week after getting the feet done, if not send it back before it does go lame and you get the blame.

I would then do as suggested by The Mule, a little polework building up each day until you find out whether or not he will do the job, at the moment he has reason to be knocking through them so give him a chance if you think he is worthwhile.
 
Last edited:
Lozturner said:
So I've had a horse dropped off for a trial week.
He's a 5 year old and I've been told he's a good jumper with potential.
On the flat he's lovely, just what I'm looking for. We've had a go over some little (60/70cm) jumps and its hit and miss whether he clears or goes through it.
What would you suggest I do for training with him? I have a plan I just maybe want some fresh ideas to consider.
I really want this to work and for him to be what I want in a jumper. Ideally he'd get round a 90/1m course and around 1.25 single fences.
I also looked at his feet and it looks as though he hasn't been shod in a long time. Hooves are overgrown and only 1 shoe on with about 1/2 inch growth each side. So this won't be helping him.
Thanks.
Click to expand...

seriously the horse was delivered to you for a weeks trial with one shoe on! I wouldn't believe a word the owner is telling you and if it were me it would have gone back on the horse box, send the horse back it sounds like a total disaster.
 
I agree a week of trial is not any good with a horse with 1 shoe on!

Also agree that even babies that are good jumpers don't go through small fences. They may go through one, but then hold tight for the next jumps as they would jump very high to ensure clearing it.

Personally I would want the trial extended as I would not work a horse with overgrown feet, and would want at least a week after shoeing to present for the vet.
 
Send it back - NOW!

End of.

What was the horse like when you tried it?

Post the videos you have been shown of it loose jumping and/or under saddle with the owner.
What is your jumping experience and experience of young horses?

What type of horse is this...breeding wise?

This probably sounds a bit harsh, but this screams 'rip off' to me.....as in someone taking advantage of you. Sorry if I've got this wrong but limited info to work with.
 
Last edited:
You are braver than me, I would not aim at a line of cross poles on an unknown horse with 3 shoes missing and the other stuck in its sole. I would not even have accepted it on the yard in that state.

If the vendor sends it out like that you can be sure there has been little to no care prior to you having it. What a shame for the poor horse. I sent an unbroken 4 year old out today, he was well handled but last week I trimmed him up, brought his farrier appointment forward by a week to ensure his feet were perfect, gave him some travel and load experience and did some groundwork with his manners. I was still a little ashamed this morning because he is still woolly and covered in baby cat hair.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top