Questions about Jumping????

[Luv 2 Trot]

Hi evry1!!

First i just wanna say that evry1 of u who are jumping, that is awesome and i wish i were in your boots. Anyway, I'm currently riding western, but when i first started, i was doing english and i had a fall and u know how that goes...
But anywho, I really wanna do jumping, but im not sure. My instructor liks my western riding and i do too, but its become boring because we always do the same thing evry time i go out for my lesson. I've also been showing western and have done quite well. When i go out to ride aside from my lessons, i do english to see if i really wanna switch. I am having trouble making a decision. Any advice on how to decide?
The reason i am so into going bac to english is because at one of the 4-h shows i went to, there was a girl i knew who was so scared in the fall of cantering that i thought she was gonna quit. But I saw her at that show, and she did the walk,trot,canter classes and the youth jumping class. I was so amazed and i thought, " Maybe if i rode lik a 14hh horse or 15hh horse instead of a 16hh horse, i would be able to ride english and be more comfortable?"
But i was soooo lik amazed that i couldnt stop thinking about it. Now, i got myself into a pickle about which i would rather do. O im so confused. :( . Please help me get out of this pickle that i got myself into!!!!!


Thanx in advance!!!!

[horse_crazy4eva]

I'm not sure if they have these kind of shows where you are but I've entered in a cupple equitation classes where you do walk jog and lope in both directions in weasten wear and tack, then the anouncer will say change and every one goes to the center of the arena and changes their tack and cloths into english in 5 min! its really fun to do and watch especially the change because some people dont know how to tack up using english suff.

I do show jumping and hunters and now I actually want to try cutting or reigning. I've had a alot of nasty falls, I guess you just really need to love it so much you want to do it again. i know what you mean about being worried though, last year I fell off and broke my ankle, I had my leg in a cast for 6 weeks :P bleck. but as soon as I got it off I went back to riding... just as long as it wasnt the same horse lol. just give it a shot and take it slow thats my advice

[charlotte+jill!]

ive only ever rode english (i wanna try westen!! :) ) but my falls have made me think bout my position and work on it wit my jumpin and now my position has improved lots so i dont fall off really. lessons in english will help. i LOVE jumpin :D cldnt imagin not!!

[RachelEvent]

Nobody says you have to pick and choose! You could do both, and enjoy both. I have no practical experience of western riding, and I realise that there are significant differences, but a horse is a horse, and why not carry on doing both until you KNOW what you want to do. When you know for sure, that's when to make the decision :)

Just my two cents..

Rachel xx

[Luv 2 Trot]

Thanx Guys!!!

Great advice. I am actually going to start dabbling in the English arena after show season is over. I'm not totally going to give up western because i want to show both. I have been playing around with the english stuff for a couple days and its bringing bac memories. I would luv to jump someday and that is why i am thinking about switching bac. Riding western helped me to build my confidence after my fall, so now i am ready to give it another shot. Thanx again for all your advice

[Nikita88]

my mare is 15hh and we do lots of jumping, every jumping show i go to...there are horses in the 16hh-17hh range. one horse was 17.3 hh at one show, he was an AMAZING! jumper. Then there was me on my 15hh mare, she looked like a pony compared to these horses. my and my friend (her horse is 14 somthing) were the two smallest ones there. You could tell people thought it was kind of weird (horses around here are HUGE) hannah won 1st place with her pony in the first class, i won 1st place in the 2nd class...we really showed them what little horses can do :) i just shared this to show you an example that size does not matter (cuz you said you wanted one in 14-15hh range) If you find one that is 14hh that you really like-go for it! if there is one that is 17hh that you like-go for it! Dont be intimitaded by the size!!! and, why dont you take a couple english lessons for about a month and see how you like it. If you dont like it, like you thought you would, go back to western. or....Whoever said you cant do both?? Im sure your instructor will understand if you do happen to choose english.

Best of luck!!
*Jen*

[kedwards]

If you are getting bored of your lessons then, by all means, mix it up! There are a number of different things you can try in Western (e.g., barrel racing, reining, Western pleasure), but it English sounds like fun to you, then give it a try! You aren't locked into anything just by trying it for awhile. It's all about having fun.

[Luv 2 Trot]

Thanx to u guys too!!

Im showing in the wetern pleasure classes already and my horse isnt really barrel racing type.
I kno size doesnt matter, but sometimes i feel comfortable on a smaller horse and sometimes i feel better on my horse. There is a horse at the barn though that i could probly ride english. Her name is Tess and she is probly about 14.7 or 15hh. I've ridden her western once because my horse had a sprained ankle. She was kinda good, not reallt cut out for lik western pleasure and stuff because she was a barrel racing horse. I'm gonna take a few english lessons in the fall when show season is over and ill ask my instructor if i can hav a few on the lunge so i can refind my balance in the english saddle, believe me, i've lost it! LOL. Thanx again for your advice, I will probly wind up in english as long as i can show both, which im sure i can, but thanx again for your advice!!!!!

[blueequestrian]

people are like horses in saying that they need change, bye all means ride both for a while, even if it takes a couple of years to figure out, take your time and find out which one you truly love the most, and if you can't, ride both!!!!!!! Good luck, enjoy your riding.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

do both!

i do both, i show 4H and now that autumn is fit enough i am entering both english AND western classes with him :)