jumping higher

I just bought a new horse, after my long search for a horse that would easily be able to do about 2 ft and work up to 3'9. So I've had him and I've been told he can jump pretty big from the amount of energy he has but I just talked to his previous owners (he was a lesson horse at a nearby barn) and I was told he can do about 2'6 easily but he's never really done anything higher than that. Im kind of freaking out right now because I was expecting to go higher with him. I would suppose he could go higher since he's a TB with enough energy to jump grand prix jumps but he's really green and has trouble staying staright to jumps and then gets crazy while jumping a course. Any advice

Hi,
Some times too much energy is dangerous. Fair enough he might have the ability, but if he scares you that's no good. What do you mean when you say he goes cyco/crazy?

What do yo mean by him beeing green? Is he a very young horse or just no experience in jumping?
How experienced are you?

If he hasn't jumped much, I would concentrate on him focusing on the jump, approaching straight and getting the right distance first, before I'd move the bars up.

Have you ever free jumped him? That might give you an idea of his capability...

Keep us posted!

Sounds like he was pushed. You need to take him back to basics and work him over small fences until he is relaxed and confident. A horse that rushes is lacking confidence. Also, being a TB (and I myself having only really really hot horses) I would suggest you work your horse more. He probably needs exercise 5/6 times a week. The more you do, the happier he'll become. Mix it up; trail, jumping, flat work, round pen, and turn him out before you work him.

I am sure he can jump higher, just take your time and build him up. This way you'll avoid injuries. He'll be a great horse, he just needs more to do.

We just bought a horse for my daughter after looking for a long time as well. The way her trainer explained it is that you buy the horse she needs now and when she moves up, if the horse can't move up with her, then you sell him and buy another one. The trainer said we can't expect to buy one horse to carry her through the stages of her hunter/jumper "career". I was shocked at first. I always pictured buying one horse and her having that horse for years. Apparently it doesn't work that way.

When you're green and learning, you buy a horse that has been there, done that. By the time you get a little experience under your belt, that horse will be ready to teach the next novice and you will be ready for a more advanced horse.

A 2' horse and a 3'9" horse are not the same horse.

Sorry... hope I didn't burst your bubble. But this horse could be exactly what you need right now. You just might have to trade him in for a different model later. :(