when do you start jumping?

With the show season well under way I've gotten a chance to really watch a lot of kids from other barns ride and lately been more then a little suprised by the way some people do things. (I shouldn't be as I've been in the business a while but still) This weekend I saw a trainer who was working with a very small child (maybe 6?) who could barely post and steer. And before I knew it, she set up crossbars for her to start jumping! Thankfully she was on an ancient school horse worth his weight in gold who packed her around... but really? jumping?

At our barn, you stay in private lessons until you can post and steer. You begin cantering when you can do a full lap of a solid posting trot without stirrups. And you start jumping when you can canter and steer without stirrups.

We tend to err on the side of conservative. So I'm just wondering, how does your barn work? At what point is a person ready to move up or start jumping?

Ugh. A child should have basics down pat before you even let them go over a cross-rail.
Too bad trainers and parents push children so hard...

No kidding!! I mean, what's the rush? If a kid's going to be bored getting the basics down they aren't really into the sport anyways. If the parent is so pushy that they feel like they should compromise a kid's safety just so they can say they're jumping, we don't want them in the barn! A trainer who who lets a kid do things that are way past their ability is just flat out irresponsible. I'd rather not have that over my conscious!

Sigh. End rant.

It's rediculous... what's the hurry? Oh right... you know, because riding is just like gymnastics where you reach your peak at 20 just kidding. I don't get it..

I know what your talking about but sadly it happens alot. I started riding when I was four and I didn't start jumping until I was eleven. Simply because I needed to have a steadier position. I didn't do any serious (not just poles)jumping until I got good at bare back. (so I had good balance). There is a five year old at my barn that has been riding at that barn for three years and she isn't even cantering yet if she does it's on a lead line. so I do think it's better to wait.

i started jumping in my 7th lesson which i think, in most cases, is WAY too early!! i was 11 so it's not like i was tiny, and i could post and steer for the most part but nothing was solid yet. kind of dangerous? i now ride at another barn in addition to the old crazy one, and it's the complete opposite. some of the girls there have been riding for 8-9 years and are still doing cross-rails. kids don't start cantering until about 2-3 years of lessons. so in a way i'm sort of glad i didn't start out there!

so i think neither extreme is good!!! i wish i rode somewhere that had things right in the middle...

Wow, that's really early to start jumping. That's a bit rushing, don't 'ya think?

yes it was wayyy too early!

At my barn you have to be able to trot, positng and sitting, and canter. You also have to be able to steer and be able to keep the horse off the rail for at least 1 lap. You also have to be able to 2 point 5 laps around without taking a break. Then you go into at least one group lesson to make sure you can ride with others then you can start jumping. I know it sounds like this would take forever but with some kids it doesn't take them more than a few months where it takes longer for other kids who can't get the rythm down as quickly.

Oh god. Some pple need to grow a brain