Why can’t we all just jump along?   A blog about horse jumping

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GETTING STARTED

If you’re a beginner, start out slow and build up to your goal. You might set a goal like being able to jump a cross-rail, or being able to jump a course of cross-rails, or even just improving your short stirrup skills so that you can ride with confidence.

Start with something small and work towards it in practice sessions until you can do it consistently before moving on to something harder!

So you want to start jumping your horse.

If you’re looking to start jumping your horse, there are a few things to consider first. First, ask yourself why you want to jump your horse. Is it for fun or are you training for a competition? If the latter is true, then there will be some additional considerations when choosing the right equipment and trainer.

You’ll need safety gear for both yourself and your horse. In addition, there are several types of jumps available so it’s important to know what kind of equipment will work best for both of you before getting started on this new journey together.

The best way to find a good trainer is by asking around within the community or by looking at websites such as HorseJumperUSA (www.horsejumperusa). To make sure that they’re qualified and experienced in helping people get started with jumping horses, ask them specific questions like “How long have been training horses?” “What is your success rate?” This way everyone feels comfortable going into this new chapter together!

What is a cross-rail?   How big can it be?

What is a cross-rail?

A cross-rail is one of the many obstacles that you will encounter in the ring. It is usually 2’6″ high and placed at an angle, with its bottom edge 1’9″ from the ground. If your horse has a long back, use caution when setting this height as you don’t want him to hit his withers on it when going over it. Cross-rails can be set at any height, but they should not be above your horse’s withers or higher than 4’7″.

How do I set up my cross-rail?

It’s easy! All you need to do is push it into place so that one end sits flush against the fence rail (the side facing outward). From there, put an A-frame ladder on top of it so that both ends are about four feet apart (or whatever distance suits your needs). Be sure not to step on either end of your ladder when placing it down; otherwise you might find yourself falling off!

THE BASICS OF JUMPING

The jumps are the focus of horse jumping; without them, there would be no sport. Jumps come in a variety of sizes and materials and can vary greatly in appearance.

The base of all jumps is made up of two or more poles (called standards) that support the rest of the structure. Some jumps have a single standard at their base with wings extending out from each side, while other jumps have several standards supporting one another at their bases. The poles may be made from metal or wood; they may also include plastic supports between them to give added stability during flight over fences.

The worlds of Endurance, Natural Horsemanship and Western Pleasure have their own language.   Now you can de-code it.

There are a lot of words used in horse jumping that you will see and hear often, but they may not make sense to you if you are new to the sport. There are some terms that only apply to specific types of jumping, like eventing or show jumping. Others refer specifically to how the horse is trained or handled, such as Natural Horsemanship or Endurance. Still others describe the type of equipment used by riders, such as saddle pads and helmets.

So what does all this mean for you? It’s time for a crash course! We’re going to break down some common terms so that when someone starts speaking your own language (horse talk), it’ll be smooth sailing from here on out!

LEARNING MORE ABOUT YOUR HORSE’S QUIRKS AND FOIBLES

Learning more about your horse’s quirks and foibles will help you understand how to deal with them when they pop up at competitions. A quirky horse is not necessarily a bad thing, but it can make things more challenging for you during training and in the show ring.

Here are some of the quirks you might encounter:

  • The “nervous nelly” that gets spooked by everything from people walking behind him to a leaf falling from a tree onto his back.
  • The “stopper” who stops dead in his tracks rather than take off or jump through an obstacle when asked.
  • The “refuser” who refuses to go over any jump no matter how many times he has done it before. (This is often due to fear.)
  • The “spooky” one whose eyes roll back into his head while going over jumps, making it look like he’s possessed!

Your horse might not have been raised as a jumper, and may need some special consideration.   Here are some ways to manage those quirky horses.

If your horse is not a jumper, or has some other issue that keeps him from jumping, you need to be aware of how to manage that.

  • My horse isn’t brave enough to jump
  • My horse is too big to jump
  • My horse is too small to jump
  • My horse is too old to jump

GETTING HELP

  • A teacher, coach, or trainer
  • A book, video, or website
  • A friend or other rider
  • Your horse

Sometimes we all need help to learn something new.  Ask for help when you need it!

Horse jumping is not an easy sport. It requires years of training and dedication, but the payoff is worth it. When you’re learning something new, sometimes you need help from an expert or someone with more experience than you have. Asking for assistance isn’t a sign of weakness or failure; instead, asking for help shows that you are taking responsibility for your learning process and acknowledging that there are people who know more than you do in certain fields (or at least some things).

Remember: when in doubt, just ask! Your instructor will probably be happy to explain things further if they aren’t clear enough during lessons—and if they don’t know the answer themselves, there are plenty of resources out there too!

Here are things to think about when you want to start jumping your horse

When you are thinking about jumping your horse for the first time, there are a few things to consider. First, what kind of horse do you have? Is he/she going to be able to jump without getting hurt? If your horse is young and they haven’t learned how to jump yet, it might not be a good idea since they will get hurt if they fall off the fence.

Second, what kind of rider are you? Are you an advanced rider who wants to do cross country or show jumping with their horse? Or maybe just a beginner that wants something easy like flat work? This will help determine what type of fences or obstacles would be best for them so that they know how high or low they need to go depending on their skill level.

Third also think about where exactly do plan on riding most often as well as any other activities such as trail riding which may affect where certain trails may lay within proximity from one another; this way when choosing where one trail goes over another without having too many conflicts between them all together!

Lastly but not least important thing is finding out whether or not investing into equipment such as jumps would really be worth it in terms of money spent versus potential returns given by said investments – because let’s face it folks: nobody wants wasted time & money spent on things like these!

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