Drafts Jumping?

I was originally going to look at a horse for a friend of mine yesterday, and I ended up loving him. He's full belgian and I was wondering what yall thought of drafts jumping. He's done through novice and thought that he could go at least training... Any thoughts? I jumped him 2'3-2'9

They can jump a little, even if they really don't are build to do it.




If you don't want to jump very high, it can be very funny!

Yeah, he's not as tall as most drafts, he's only 15.3, but do you think it's safe to jump him 3'3ish?

Go to the jumping percheron blogspot just google it. She does eventing on her full perch and actually rides for the military. She's done very well winning many competitions. You can also find videos on youtube just type in the jumping percheron. I know she was eventing training level. Her mare is talented and athletic.

Like BennysLace said, Stacy is jumping her full percheron mare at 3'9" currently, and was getting dressage scares in the 30's and 40's... She always brings home ribbons in both jumping and dressage, I think she mostly does 3 day eventing. Here's the link to her blog.

www.jumping-percheron.blogspot.com

As long as you keep your horse IN SHAPE, meaning conditioning for speed and endurance as well as keeping them limber and lightweight, with proper hoofcare, diet and chiropractor work, a draft can do anything.

I suddenly have the urge to go out and buy a percheron...

Maybe you should heres another "percheron eventer" The Eventing Percheron I'm sure they said he was a perch. Either way it's a draft.

Honestly, it depends on how much you want to jump and how high. A majority of the drafts and draft crosses I know who jump are a lot of work to keep fit, and even at their fittest can't keep up with an unfit quarter horse. Their jumping ability I find is not great and they tend to hand their legs. Draft horses simply arent built to jump, which is fine if you only want to do little stuff, but if you want to jump higher or compete I would go with a cross or a lighter breed.

'good' draft horse jumpers/eventers tend to be the exception, not the rule.

I wouldn't expect my draft to be my primary show horse. I've seen draft crosses do well and there is a lady in our area who shows 3erd level dressage with her Percheron.

Are they ideal jumpers for the bigger stuff? Nope, not at all. However I am going to be looking for a big ol steady eddy that I can use for adult beginners, that my fiance can ride and take out in the woods to play with and something for me to just have fun on the lower stuff and will be used for my students to lease and take to lower level stuff.

I am in the process of breeding for a foal that I have high hopes for.

But I just LOVE draft horses. They are the gentle giants with huge hearts. And I think it is safe to say there are a lot of them out there that do jump, do higher level stuff and do it well. Obviously not every draft out there is going to be higher level material. But there are enough out there that are higher level to say they have a good chance. There was a man here that used to event his draft(I want to say he was a perch) prelim and he had no trouble making the time allowed.

Full drafts at higher levels of eventing ? I don't know any. I hardly know any 1/2 drafts. I used to ride a 1/2 perch who when intermediate and believe me it was way more work than a tb and I didnt trust his ability to make it over some bigger fences.

I honestly don't like drafts as riding horses in general, but that's just me...i also don't like arabs so im not just a draft hater lol.

I would just say to anyone who wants a draft, especially a FULL draft. Don't be expecting a horse who can 'do anything' when it comes to jumping. Or jump high and athletically. You will be disappointed. If you want to play around with lower stuff, that's fine.