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Jumping too young?

3K views 12 replies 11 participants last post by  eventerdrew 
#1 ·
:shock: It never really hit me until now BUT...
when I bought my gelding (16 hh Appy, don't know if the breed makes any difference but whatever) he was 5 years old and jumping up to 3'9... I have no idea how long he was jumping beforehand but what do you guys think, was he started on it too young? Jumping to high too young? All I know is that I, personally, wouldn't start a horse until they were in their older 3's or even 4 years old and if he was doing so much at 5... I have to wonder!
What do you guys think?
 
#3 ·
^ The issue isn't the horses not wanting to do it, the issue is having your horse break down way too early.

If your horse is only 4, it's still too early to tell what long term effects riding and jumping so early will have. If I have to guess, it's not going to be pretty.

To the OP: Perhaps a little bit too much too young, but there's nothing you can do about it now. Just look after him, and that's all you can do.
 
#8 ·
I started my horse over small cross rails a few months before he turned 4. He has now just turned 5 and is jumping 2'6" courses and I have jumped him over an OCCASIONAL 2'9". He is 16.2hh so it wasn't a big deal for him. My trainer thinks he should be doing more but I want to take it slow with him. I think I have brought him along at a good pace and in my opinion jumping over 3' as a 5 year old is wayyy too much. but then again the young horse eventing series for 4 and 5 year old horses jump around 3'
 
#9 ·
I personaly don't start course work until about 5 1/2 or 6yrs od age. My friend poped her 5yr old over jumps here and there but never course work. He just turned 4 and she's doing I believe 2' or 2'3" courses now.
 
#10 ·
He may have also just been really good at it, it may not be that he was jumping really young, but that the height didn't matter, so they let him jump bigger. 5 is about the age young jumpers with mucho talent can start to jump bigger, I think, but it's true that you should wait till they are about 4 before going above cross rails and that's on the young side. I wouldn't school over 3 ft often, but I can't hurt to have some fun once in a while, as long as both of you are enjoying it. Bigger than 3'6 at 5 is dangerous IMO.
 
#13 ·
I don't start jumping horses until they are 4... and even then... sometimes they aren't ready physically or mentally. My 3/4 TB 1/4 Shire mare wasn't mentally ready until she was 6, nor did she stop growing until then (topped out at nearly 17hh). I have seen a lot of very successful young horses jumping... and then five years later they break down. I just wouldn't push it.

There's my two cents :)
 
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