Just Starting

OK. I'd never thought i'd be posting here or even looking at anything English. But.... I put up two center blocks and put a pole in the holes and started taking my horse over then. (I wasn't riding just on foot.) Anyway my step dads like "OK, now put the pole on top of the center blocks. The center blocks I think a foot high and he clear it likes been trained to do it. (But he hasn't) So i'm thinking he's natural and am thinking about jumping him more. I don't have an English saddle and plan (For right know) to use my western saddle. This summer i'll see if I can scrap together enough to get one. But i'm barrel racing and hope to win. Anyway I'm very new to jumping and English. I've only rode western or bareback. I don't plan to get a trainer if I do start jumping. I taught my self to ride horses, to ride bareback, to barrel race so I think i'll just stick with teaching my self. I will though see if I can get pictures to put up here so I can get some advise. Anyway if you do have advise for me now let me know.

If you do decide to jump get an english saddle first and I strongly suggest a trainer. Your horse may turn out to be a natural jumper but any horse can jump a foot and if you don't know how to jump yourself or teach a horse to jump the results can be very bad. I just watched a girl yesterday decide that she was going to jump for the first time and enlisted the help of another girl at my farm, she didn't listen when the girl told her not to go to the jump, didn't know how to handle the horse on the approach and fell off (the jump was only a cross rail and the horse didn't even make it over the fence) you can easily teach your horse bad behavior if you don't know what your doing. If you are determined to do this yourself get an english saddle and ride in it until you are used to it completely. Practice your 2 point until you can comfortably w/t/c while holding it. Read up and watch clinics, videos anything you can that's going to help you. Start with trotting and cantering ppoles and when you do try your first jump have a few (3 or 4) trotting poles leading up the first jump (a cross rail). Make sure you sit up and grab some mane as you will not be used to the motion of a horse jumping and you do not want to get left behind and catch him in his mouth. Still though if you can get a trainer it will be verrry beneficial to both you and your horse, I NEVER suggest that anyone teach a horse to jump when they don't know how themselves.
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completly agree I use to barrel race also and I don't want to sound like an awful person but someyone can teach themsleve how to barrel race but jumping its a different story there is more involed. And don't try to jump with a western saddle its to heavy for a horse. Also one tip when you jump look up cause if you look at the ground that where you will end up ;)

Good luck and have fun :P

I'm not sure what kind of blocks you mean, but it sounds as though the pole was actually sitting inside the blocks? Always place the pole on top of blocks so it can easily fall away if your horse knocks the rail. I don't recommend teaching yourself or your horse how to jump, but, if you can't get a trainer and you absolitely insist on teaching yourself to jump, I'd strongly recommend some beginner jumping books to help you out. Just remember to READ first!! And please, please, please don't practice jumping without having an adult there, just in case.

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