jumping heights

[fleabitten]

You know the way Ponies have their own separate showjumping 'training shows' as they are called, from Horses - they run every week throughout the year, or they are in leagues at clubs etc. ; I know this is because horses have longer stride lengths etc etc...

(This applies to horse shows and other events too, where they have separate horse and pony jumping events)

But in the pony classes you can have jumps 30cm up to about 1m say, or if you want to go higher you can register. I think this is good because you can compete and train at whatever height you are most comfortable at, no matter what height your pony is.

In the horse classes it is totally different. They generally start at 70cm and go up higher. I think this is totally the wrong thing to do because, what if there are adults that are getting back into riding and cant or wont jump 70cm, yet they want to go out and have a go?? I think horse classes should start at about 60cm. Lower than 60cm some people might not agree with but then think about the young horses that are beginning jumping?

I know you can go out and go to places where they just have classes open to horses and ponies with heights from say 50 to 80cm. But the separate horse and pony comps are far more common, are they not? Perhaps one of those more relaxed places are not convenient?

This could also apply to Working Hunter. What if people want to try Working Hunter but find the jumps for their height group too big to tackle? Can they not just have jumping height classes so say even 16hh horses could pop around 60cm courses, in a more confident manner, rather than bombing around 3ft courses, in fear?

[abi]

its not how high you jump, its the style and comfort you show

it really makes me mad how so many people think jumping is all about height. at our shows horses and ponies tend to have the same classes, from 50cm to over a metre usually.
this means you can start however small you want and build up as you get more confident, and they say "entries in class one to have won £20 or less showjumping previously" or similar, to make it fair.

x

[flash7]

All of our local show jump classes start from 1 foot 9" for beginner horses and ponies that have not won a similar class before.That's were I'll be starting!!!

[Maes Seren]

I bet theyd let you enter it tbh if you went HC but yes i agree.

[fimacg]

I started jumping all my horses in the Pony clear round, at about 50cm as it was clear round I used to get a rossette, it didn't matter that the other in the calass were about 20 years younger and on 11hh ponies. Once they had mastered that I moved to the horse clear round which was 60 -65 cm (2' - 2'3") then from there to the nursery novice which is about 65cm (2'3") and then to novice which was 2'6" in the 1st round and 2'9" in the jump off and if I was feeling really brave I has just started jumping Figaro in the Intermediate class which went to 3' (90cm) before he died.

My riding club also has an occaisional class which includes just poles on the ground laid out in a course for complete beginners to jumping

[Blonde Donkey]

i did clear round at local shows fences about six inch to 18inch and me and savvy loved it. we have jumped 2ft6 at home nd sunshine the 13.2 wonder pony has jumped 4ft from a standstill, sideways with two dodgy legs to get away from the vet
guess who's my up and coming showjumper

[maximum]

alost all shows which are having WH classes have a novice class, certainly all the ones I have judged/ridden at so you can ride over a 2foot class regardless of your horses height.

I have to say the difference between 60cm and 70cm is so small does it really make much odds?

in the dark ages when I started 2' 6" (75cm) was the smallest class you could do and if you wanted to do smaller you did it at home, not saying it was better but you certainly got more experianced riders who had done their ground work, so often you see people who really should not be out jumping until they learn how to actually jump. maybe that is a whole other thread though??