My heart and soul, and passion is in Eventing - Horse Trials, but I focus mainly on dressage.
TOO MANY JUMP TOO MUCH!!!! They think jumping is the be all and end all, and jump, jump, jump, jump without realizing how much wear and tear they are putting on their horses joints.
A horse only has so much jump in them - why waste it on daily jumping? Did you know GP jumpers will only jump once a week, or even in the warm up ring just before a comp - because they know how valuable these horses are.
They spend most of their time focusing on flat work, flat work, flat work.
Why don't people get it? Poor horses
To boot - they over jump their horses, with no care to their legs and joints aftarwards.
I hack mostly. Lots of trail riding, hill work. Walk, trot, canter intervals. I also focus allot on flat work in the arena at home.
My horses legs are too valuable to waste on fences at home - I save them for schooling.
I do an hour lesson once a week, 1/2 flat, 1/2 jumping. That's it.
I know my horse can jump. I know I can jump - so why waste my best friend on that crud at home, when he can use it at comps.
A horse has only so much jump in them.
I save my horses jump for comps.