Working with horses when you don't jump?

[Equi]

I think you might struggle to find a ridden job or one you may need to ride occasioanlly. I missed out on a yard hand job because i did not want to jump, and the job required NO jumping at all. I'm slowly slowly getting back into jumping as i like yourself have always hated it...but im loving it now cause i have the perfect horse. Sometimes i think riding school horses are too lazy and too eager to find ways out of things to really take someone whos a little too nervous over a jump. You need one that is 100% honest and has a bit of spark in the tank.

 

[HashRouge]

Can anyone give me some advice on what sort of career I can have with horses that dosent involve having to jump? I learnt to jump as a teen and hated it so much, somehow managed to fall off majority of the times so I refused to jump for 6 years. Now I've decided I want a career with horses but majority of yard jobs ask for stage 2 which means I'd have to jump and I really don't want too. Everyone pushes me to jump when I know I'm not ready but now it's a case of I genuinely hate doing it 😓

I even tried to be brave last night and do canter poles in jumping position (to be fair it was a complicated ask as I had to go on the opposite rein after so misunderstanding between me & the horse) and somehow managed to fall off and got caught in the stirrups but thankfully kicked myself free so it's just reaffirmed it's not for me.

I feel like no-one in the horse world would ever take me seriously if I can't jump but I don't want it to stop me having a career.
Most groom jobs ask that you can atleast school a horse which includes jumping. I'd like to work in a riding school but a-lot ask for stage 2.

Any ideas?? I was so confident up until last night and planned to do an apprenticeship at a riding school but I don't want to be pushed to jump.

If you work as a groom for a pro rider you are unlikely to need to jump or even school the horses. I worked as an SJ groom for two years and I'm by no means the best rider in the world, and certainly can't jump, and it didn't stop me working for top class riders. I rode a lot, but mainly hacking. It depends what you want to do really.

 

[teapot]

There have been rumours for years regarding the BHS offering a non-jumping route for their exams system. As fair as I know it's never materialised but in her last/latest H&H column Pammy Hutton alluded to a new exams system coming in this summer.

 

[Equi]

There have been rumours for years regarding the BHS offering a non-jumping route for their exams system. As fair as I know it's never materialised but in her last/latest H&H column Pammy Hutton alluded to a new exams system coming in this summer.

Would it really be useful though? I dunno if im a little old school now, but i think jumping is a great skill as you never know when a horse is going to decide to go the wrong way and might "jump" a pole in the arena or something in the road like a shadow...cause horses are silly like that. If someone has higher ridden qualifications i would really want them to be able to do all aspects of riding bar the elite things like puissance, grand prix and some of the death defying leaps from the lipizzaners. On the other hand, i struggle jumping and freely admit its from nerves, but as i am i would not dream of doing BHS1 or 2 because i don't feel im worthy.

 

[teapot]

Would it really be useful though? I dunno if im a little old school now, but i think jumping is a great skill as you never know when a horse is going to decide to go the wrong way and might "jump" a pole in the arena or something in the road like a shadow...cause horses are silly like that. If someone has higher ridden qualifications i would really want them to be able to do all aspects of riding bar the elite things like puissance, grand prix and some of the death defying leaps from the lipizzaners. On the other hand, i struggle jumping and freely admit its from nerves, but as i am i would not dream of doing BHS1 or 2 because i don't feel im worthy.

If you flip it around, the answer to that question is what someone wants from an instructor/coach/trainer (see other thread from last week). Depends on the clients you're teaching, where you're teaching, what you're teaching on etc imho.

Stage 1 doesn't involve any jumping, only trotting poles. It's a flatwork exam. I'm back to being a rs rider after a 11 years of no lessons, and haven't jumped in years either, but I sat a proper pissing off, bucking, pissing off session the other week... Swings and roundabouts I guess.

 

[Olderrider73]

As an employer as long as you could convince me you could hack out a very fit horse safely it would not trouble me at all .
I need people prepared to do the do yard work well .
I can jump my own horses I don't need others doing that .
In fact I am shy of employing people who want to train and work horses .

I like the yard work best I’d love to work at a yard and be the general digs body I just love horses and being around them

 

[Orangehorse]

Dressage, endurance, polo, showing, western, driving, stud work - no need to jump. But in general I would say get as much experience as possible in as many different disciplines as possible.

 

[Polos]

I also agree that you do not need BHS qualifications to have a successful career in the equine industry. I have been based with a professional showjumping rider for 6 years now and none of the grooms have had BHS qualifications but all have had enjoyable careers. Most professionals will have an exercise rider who will school the horses on the flat and sometimes over fences if that is what the professional wants, and some I know of take the young horses jumping at day shows. But most of the time they make it clear in the job description whether they want someone who can jump or just school on the flat.

then there is the grooms who take over the day to day care of the horses so ideally you will need to be able to lunge, clip, have knowledge of feeding, basic first aid (be able to recognise when something can be managed at home or will need the vet) and be knowledgeable in horse management. Home grooms will be the ones that stay at home when the team are away competing but if you like the idea of travelling round to both national and international shows then a show groom could be the career for you. Have a look on facebook as theres a few groups on there where jobs are advertised.

 

[lme]

I'm going to echo what Polo and others have said. One of my daughters has spent a few years show grooming at a high level. She has no BHS exams and but does have a truck licence, massive attention to detail and the ability to survive on very little sleep. She has often needed to ride the horses on the flat but wouldn't be expected to jump them.

 

[ester]

Zombie thread just so people know