Training For Jumpers?

How often do you actually jump your ponies that you ride competitively as jumpers?

I ride Kai about 5 or 6 times a week and out of those rides we jump about about 3 or 4 times a week. (Also depending on the weather and my work schedule) Do you think this is too much jumping or not enough? He is 19 in October and the heightest we train is 1.05m, but most of the jumps we do are 75/85cm. We compete at no higher than 85cm so far. I am worried about the poor little guys legs and the stress on them from a course any higher! He hardly ever refuses anything, usually only when it is a new looking jump that I have set up at 1.05m he might refuse or crazy filler boards with black and red diamonds (grrr, ) But I always get him over.

So tell me how often you train, why and a little background on your ponies as well if you like.

Ive only just started jumping competitively with possum and have nly been working towards it for about 3 months. I jump her about 3 times a week but I don't jump our max height every jump. Our max height at the moment is 75cm although we did jump 80cm at a show on the weekend but it was only one jump and im not pushing that at the moment (was on a course that gradually got higher. It was 80cm by the final jump.)

I have a small course set up with 8 jumps. Only two of those are 75cm and the others are anywhere from 40cm up with a mixture of jumps, oxers etc she still gets the experience jumping that height but doesnt have the strain of doing it every time especially while she is getting used to the higher jumps.

Hope that helps in some way ;)

I don't think he's being overjumped at all. But I would suggest getting some really supportive boots for him. Something like Eksadron's, SMB's or my personal favorites Equi-Fit T-Boots. I just got them for Gracie and I loveee them! I got the T-Boot Originals and I got the open fronts and ankle boots. They absorb 97% of shock on the legs. =D And that way if he hit a fence [which I know he rarely does. Haha] he'll feel it but still be protected. =] But overall I really don't think he's being over jumped and if you had soem nice supportive boots but I don't think he'd have any problem going a bit higher. I know a mare who's 25 and still jumping 3'6-3'9 easily. =] I hope this helps. =D

Thanks for the replies.

So how exactly do open front boots absorb shock from landing or is it only from impact on a pole? I have a pair but they are mainly to prevent himself from clipping his front feet with his back feet when he lands. Hmmm, I will have to look into them, thanks!

I want to start by saying I don't think your over jumping your horse but I only school over jumps at the most twice a week. I think more of your focus should be on flat schooling, fitness then your gymnastic jumping as well as a burn around a course.
Normally my week will consist of fitness, hacking, flat schooling, then gymnastic jumping & maybe a course but that often.

Thanks for the replies. Today is a break day so we are going on a trail! Yay.

I always worry about my old guy but I worry about riding him too much or not enough! I want him to be fit enough to handle the course! He always seems like he has endless energy though!

I used to do showjumping, and a bit of everything, and I had this really, really good teacher who had been quite high up in competing in eventing and most other areas too. Basically, the rule she told me was 3 hours of flatwork for everyone hour of jumping. So if I wanted to do jumping one day I would have to do flatwork for three, and that wasn't counting competitions. I found that worked really well for me, because I have known people who jumped there horses often, and although it didn't effect them badly physically they can get sloppy, lazy and start resenting jumping, although it really depends on the horse.

Then again at the riding school next door the owner was an international level showjumper, although he mostly does training now, anyway pretty much everyone there was a jumper and their theory was more, if you want a horse to be able to jump you have to jump him. So they would jump usually at least every second day. He had good and fast results, but I did not like the conditions the horses were kept in (no paddocks ever and tiny icky stables), and also I saw a few of the horses there end up lame and having to be put out for a while. They were so young too.

Anyway, my advice is practice jumping, but don't always go for height, as the higher the jump the more strain. Small grids for balance, striding practice all those kind of things.

Andi