How to Know If Your Horse Is a Natural Jumper

Jumping is an equestrian sport that is both fun and challenging. Because horses are just like people and have different skills, not every equine is suited for the sport of jumping. Look for these three signs to see if your mounts has jumping potential.

Your Horse Is Interested in Jumps

Natural jumpers will find ways to jump. If your mount is constantly trying to jump the arena fence, you may have a jumper on your hands. A safer way to test this theory is to set up a few jumps in your arena and set your horse free to explore them. If your mount shows a lot of interest in a mobile pole caddy and tries to jump it, you may want to consider trainer your pet as a jumper.

Your Horse Responds Easily to Your Commands

Jumping is a sport that requires you to have incredible control of your horse. Not only do you have to complete the course in a specific pattern, but you also have to carefully measure the strides between jumps to get over the obstacles safely. Your horse needs to be responsive to your instructions. You can practice at home by setting up cavaletti in various patterns. Work with your mount until it is comfortable with following your commands.

Your Horse Is Unfazed By Crowds

Many horses get spooked when they are around large grounds or exposed to a lot of unexpected noise. Because jumping competitions are often crowded events, it is dangerous to enter a skittish horse into an event. There are things you can do at home to desensitize your horse to noise so you can predict how it will act in an unfamiliar environment. Start by introducing your pet to quiet noises and offering lots of praise for positive reactions. You can then gradually increase the volume of the noise until your horse is comfortable with the noise of a crowd.

Jumping is a fun sport but it can be a dangerous event for horses that aren’t properly trained or don’t have good jumping skills. Before you consider entering a jumping competition, make sure your mount has the right skills and talent for the event. In some cases, you may need to cultivate the necessary skills, and using these three tips can help. If your mount can do these three things, it is probably ready to enter a jumping competition to gain experience.