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Preferred jumping breed?

4K views 22 replies 15 participants last post by  sarahver 
#1 ·
Well I've decided I want to learn English and jumping (I've always done western barrels and poles) so I was wondering, which breeds do you like best when it comes to jumping?

Two of my good friends(they're sisters) actually jump arabians. I think I read somewhere that they aren't usually "desired" in jumping, but I can't remember. But they aren't the stereotypical arabian, they're spirited, but never too over the top and pretty much amazing horses. :)


One of hers actually jumped over 3'

but yeah what do you guys think? haha
 
#2 ·
Any breed of horse can do low level stuff :) My best-friends old horse who was a ArabxQh did level hunters and did pretty well. I have another friend that had an Egyptian arab and she did eventing and hunters with her as well. :)
 
#4 ·
If you are just starting out with jumping, I wouldn't necessarily recommend a TB or WB. They make fantastic jumpers but there is no need to limit your choice to only these breeds. I am a big fan of a nice QH X Arab - nice looking and fairly even temperament (of course each horse is different!). On the whole they are a well rounded cross and could excell in any dicipline, especially for the lower levels.

Pure Arabians are capable of amazing things, providing you find the right one. They are intelligent and athletic but not always a great choice for starting out in a new dicipline.

Bottom line: Something with a nice even temperament, good conformation, excellent flatwork training and between the ages of 8 and 12 I think would be the best bet!
 
#5 ·
I showed an arabian x welsh and it was very hard to place on her, even with good rounds. It's always the judge's type at that particular show and she was never it. I love warmbloods, thoroubreds and appendixs. I also believe some quarter horses with proper builds would be capable of winning as well. Welsh ponies are also very popular :). What type of horse are you riding at the moment?
 
#6 ·
Depends on what you're doing, really. If you're doing hunters, like others have mentioned TBs, WBs, or horses with a similar build to those two are preferred, but for jumpers it really makes no difference as long as the horse is adjustable (stride-wise), agile, quick but balanced, and has jumping talent. Honestly, I don't care what breed the horse as long as I know it will stay sound and jump the height I'm interested in competing in.
 
#9 ·
The best horse for you is the one that can do its job well: teach you how to jump in a way that is SAFE and CORRECT. Whether it's a WB, a QH, or some crazy mixture of who knows what. I honestly could care less about breed as long as it can do the job that I want. Granted, there is more of a chance that the horse that goes/acts/performs in the way that I want is most likely a WB, TB, or QH (I ride hunters and jumpers) and probably not an arab or something gaited but I usually won't hold a horse's breed against them if they can do what I want them to do. Keep in mind there are no absolutes when it comes to breeds. I know crazy QHs and calm QHs. Crazy TBs and calm TBs. While some may be more likely to be a certain way, you have to look at the individual horse.
 
#10 ·
all depends on what level your doing. if u want to start out, anything safe.
i personally like TB's or cross breeds.
my showjumping instructor explained it all to me.
if the horse is skitzo then it's a showjumper
if the horse is level headed it's an eventer

i don't know what's involved in hunters or other jumping sports in other countries though. i was told that QH are better for stock work thn high level jumping because they are down hill??
just what i've heard :)

so go get urself and nice quiet horse that's currently jumping honestly then u can look at breeds :)
 
#12 ·
Why in the world would your showjumping instructor say that?? I know PLENTY of showjumpers that are definitely not skitzo! The ones I ride are not. Are there a lot of high strung showjumpers? Absolutely. But there are a HECK of a lot of high strung eventers as well! Anything that has been bred to have power, endurance, courage, and drive is likely to be exciteable.

QH's are good for stockwork b/c they're smaller and agile and often have the instinct to work a cow, not b/c they're downhill. They're bred for the job so they tend to be good at it. But there are plenty of QHs who are 16-17 hands, great jumpers, decent dressage horses, etc.

Like I said, look at the individual horse. There are exceptions to every breed.
 
#11 ·
Warmbloods (of most varieties) are purposely bred for performance is dressage and showjumping. They generally have the height, conformation and breeding to have the best chance to excel in these disciplines.

Although most horses have the potential to do well in at least low level jumping. You don't need a perfect jumper. If you decide to focus on jumping your first jumper isn't going to be the one to take you all the way.

I believe most horses can successfully jump course of 1m - possibly bigger. I've seen stock horses jump, quarter horses jump, ponies jump, TBs jump, Arabians jump etc. I'd look for a horse that is reliable, athletic and with a good temperament. I wouldn't recommend a pure arabian, they are not built for jumping but a nice cross breed would do nice. I have seen Anglo Arabs, QH/TB and draft horse/TB crosses all be successful in jumping.

I personally think Warmbloods aren't great beginner horses. They are generally big, strong and discipline specific. Its just my experience though. For English I'd look at maybe a cross breed of some variety, perhaps half TB? Half TB with almost anything seems to turn out reasonably well.
 
#13 ·
If a horse is level headed then it is an eventer? If it is skitzo it is a SJ? Huh? Broad generalisations are usually erroneous. I have seen plenty of calm SJ's and if you think all eventers are level headed, go check them out in the XC start box and see how level headed many of them are in there. That is a very interesting statement coming from a professional.

Some horses level headed no matter what dicipline they are trained for and others will always be slightly more hot. So it is best to look for the calmer ones when you are starting out, irrespective of breed or specific dicipline.
 
#14 ·
Woah, Woah, Woah - lets not generalize breeds here and horses who do particular sports. I've seen jut as many level headed competative mounts in compareson to just as many "skitzo" mounts too...if that's the word you want to use *rolls eyes*

Actually, I dislike that term "Skitzo". Lets not point fingers at Eventers here guys. And I greatly disagree that Jumper are "Skitzo" too. If the mounts are in either discipline - I'd point my fingers at the riders, not the horses for the cause.

~~~~

Back to the OP's question - any horse that can do the job, regardless of breed, will make a suitable mount for the sport.

I used to Event a Mule for pete's sake! If you get along with the horse, if the horse is conformationally sound, and if the horse has the heart and the soul and the want to do it - then that's your perfect mount.

I've seen horses come out of the Kill Pen, do phenominally well. I've seen bald appaloosa's do phenominally well and I've seen well bred TB's do horribly. I've seen your "ooh la la" warmbloods to horribly as well, and I've seen then do great.

It doesn't matter the breed! What matters is the heart, the soul and the conformation.
 
#15 · (Edited)
^^I wasn't trying to say ALL eventers are hot, just illustrating that not all level headed horses are eventers and all SJ's are hot (or skitzo?!) which was the original statement.

I would never say bad things about eventers!!! The horses I evented were well behaved in the start box as are many others. I just wanted to dispell the myth that horses of certain diciplines have the same temperament.
 
#17 ·
My favourite X breed is TB x irish draught....they make fantastic jumpers...a combination of substance and calmness to combat the finely bred TB's hot blood and lack of substance....The combination is a fantastic scopey jumper with a level head...This used to be a very popular choice for show jumpers but has almost been replaced by our warmbloods...
But as already said...breed isnt a key factor, most horses will take you round decent sized courses comfortably....

Saskia...warmbloods do tend to be big strong and not novice rides...My mare is 17hh and can at times pull like a train...other times though she is so soft...x
 
#20 ·
wow! it was just an opinion of a showjumping instructor.
i don't necessarily agree with it and it's not "all" horses are in a catagory.
just like tb's are not all in a catagory. i've had the skitzo horse, she was a tb and all i could get her to concentrate on was showjumping, my level headed eventer is a tb and people give me weird looks coz the horse i wear spurs onbut he needs a stronger bit for xc.
the QH one i was told they were down hill, i wasn't sure of that. i very rarely see QH's doing anything but western riding were i'm from, i see plenty of X breeds.
i'm sorry i stirred up some hot blood and i'll just keep my opinions and my instructor at home.

sorry
 
#23 ·
If you didn't agree with it, perhaps you could have mentioned that you didn't agree when you were writing it? If you post on a thread that is asking for opinions and you state an opinion, even if it isn't your own, people will assume that you agree with it, otherwise why would you bother writing it?
Sweeping generalisations often draw criticism as they are frequently inaccurate and many of us will contradict them, particularly if the OP is asking for advice in an area they are not familiar with as they may not know that such generalisations are not true all the time.

Sorry that you took it personally, wasn't meant to be offensive although I guess may seem to you like we all jumped down your throat!
 
#21 ·
I had a friend with a quarter horse who was open jumper caliber and that's what she did with him. An amazing horse with big huge haunches that launched him like a rocket. He loved what he did, and in timed events he could wheel around like he was a barrel racer. Don't count them out. :)
 
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