What would you look for in a horses loose jump?

M

MeganMarie

Active Member
Joined
4 January 2015
Messages
34
Visit site
Hey,

As title really. I’m curious to know what your opinion is on what you look for in watching a horse loose jumping? Especially a young one 3/4 who hasn’t been backed, so you don’t know what they’re like undersaddle. (I know a lot of people don’t agree with loose jumping and that’s fine) :)

I would say, I look for alertness & eagerness into the fence with the ability to stay balanced and figure out their own striding and being able to get themselves out of trouble if needed etc. I don’t think they need to be jumping like 4ft higher than the actual fence itself, a horse that makes a nice shape, seems relaxed but wants to leave the fence up is good. What do you think?

I know some horse can loose jump amazingly yet can’t jump undersaddle for crap, yet some horses loose jump not very good, but thrive jumping undersaddle etc. :)
 
Economical and showing a natural bascule. It always amuses me when people are agog at videos of horses jumping miles higher than they need to. All I can think is how much time will be lost in a jump off...

Saying that they do tend to jump a bit higher without the weight of a rider on, so I wouldn’t want anything only just scraping itself over.
 
I watched a really interesting talk (was about grading mares) and they analysed exactly what they look for when loose jumping youngsters. They set up a few canter poles to two jumps and the then ran a series of exercises changing it slightly each time the horse went down. So for example, They let the horse go down twice at a small height, just to get a gradual idea of technique and stuff. then when the horse had done it a few times they moved a pole - they said this tested how quickly the horse would readjust it stride to cope with an expected change. Another thing they did was to suddenly whack the last jump up a lot higher, so the horse was suddenly faced with a huge jump it wasn't expected. They said they can gauge a horses braveness from its reaction to the larger jump. Some horses refused, some struggled to get the extra height and then others jumped as if it wasn't there.

It was really fascinated that you could tell so much about a horse from its reaction to the change in the grid.
 
MeganMarie said:
Hey,

As title really. I’m curious to know what your opinion is on what you look for in watching a horse loose jumping? Especially a young one 3/4 who hasn’t been backed, so you don’t know what they’re like undersaddle. (I know a lot of people don’t agree with loose jumping and that’s fine) :)

I would say, I look for alertness & eagerness into the fence with the ability to stay balanced and figure out their own striding and being able to get themselves out of trouble if needed etc. I don’t think they need to be jumping like 4ft higher than the actual fence itself, a horse that makes a nice shape, seems relaxed but wants to leave the fence up is good. What do you think?

I know some horse can loose jump amazingly yet can’t jump undersaddle for crap, yet some horses loose jump not very good, but thrive jumping undersaddle etc. :)
Click to expand...

Well the main list I would be looking for

1. good confirmation
2. Bold when coming into the jump
3. not backing away
4. coming in balanced as much as poss depending on age
5. tucking his feet up well
6. Bascule's nicely over the jump
7. forward going and eager to jump
8. recovers well if a mistake is made while jumping to to immature horse
9. Seeing if likely to overreach while jumping or brushes
10. if he naturally alters his stride when approaching an obstacle
 
Last edited:
Comes in confidently and forward
Drops head 1 - 2 strides out to size the jump
Jumps off both hind legs
Bascule correct & using back
Nose lower than the withers
Knees up and level
Forearm parallel to the ground
Lands on one foreleg
Away from the jump in canter, even if approach is in trot
 
Biggest thing I don't like to see is a horse land consistantly disunited or trotting away.
Also steer clear of the cheap imports shown massively over-jumping; that isn't natural
 
it's weird because the first two horses I owned were really impressive loose jumping when young, and both went on to be bad/average jumpers. The last two I got were disasters loose jumping, but they were cheap projects so I didn't mind. One of them you wouldn't look twice at loose jumping (weird technique, bad conformation, runs out) - but he is an absolute superstar with someone on him over a course or doing xc, pops 1 30 in his sleep. And its purely down to his heart and brain, which override all his other shortcomings. He LOVES jumping with a rider on board, has no time for it otherwise.

Also I've another one who you wouldn't even get down a loose jumping grid - she refuses, goes under fences, kicks wings over - I thought she was going to be a disaster but she has a super pop with a rider on her. So thats made me completely lose my faith in loose jumping for future performance
 
I used to judge loose jumpers, and I can say with some certainty that being a fantastic, flashy loose jumper guarantees only one thing: high prices at the 3yr old sales. Likewise all the horses which jump out of their fields: no, this does not mean you have the next Big Star...
 
TheMule said:
My 2 best eventers would not loose jump. Keen as mustard to a fence with a rider on board though
Click to expand...

yeah same here, my best one is awful loose jumping and hates but turns into an absolute machine who loves jumping with a rider on board ! I always wondered about it. Its the same in the field, theres a tiny ditch he wont jump over, yet if someone was on board he would do one 5 times the width. I always wondered why that was?! You'd think if they enjoy jumping they would almost enjoy it more with no rider on board!?
 
I like them to be basically neat with their limbs over a fence and not be thrown by the striding being out.

Other than that, their brain and attitude is the most important thing.

But then most of us aren't looking for a grand prix jumper.

There's a lot of horses that physically can jump a high level amateur's height of 1.30m, but far fewer who will.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top