types of jump

[greeneyes13]

whats the difference between cross poles and parallel bars at the same height as the cross? parallels look much more exciting but they always make us jump cross bars when we practice?

[Bay Mare]

Cross poles make it easier to jump in the middle of the jump (where the cross is) as it gives you somewhere to aim :)

Uprights can be better for younger/green horses as there's more 'space' for them to jump.

[greeneyes13]

well i guess that makes sense then because my aim is rubbish! I sort of point my horse at the jump and bless him he always does his best in aiming for the middle! whats the hardest type of jumps?

[lynz+ollie]

totally depends, i find uprights hardest as they aren't a nice shape for the horse to jump so are easy to knockdown. where was a cross is quite inviting, and so is a sread as it suits the shape of the horses jump.

[greeneyes13]

sigh. the temptation i have is to try and "see" how high i can jump. its almost irresistable but i know its a bad idea cos id prob fall off or frighten the horse. i also know its not about how high etc etc. but i still want to know!!!

[kedwards]

Crossrails are easier in the sense that they invite the horse to jump in the center. However, horses often give them more clearance, so they may actually jump it bigger than they would a vertical that was the same height as the lowest part of the x-rail.

[Sophie_Bailey]

i agree with everyone else. A cross is more inviting for horse and rider as the rider knows it isn't that big but to the horse it looks bigger than a straight so will build their confidence.

[cvb]

whats the difference between cross poles and parallel bars at the same height as the cross? parallels look much more exciting but they always make us jump cross bars when we practice?


No one seems to have commented on the "parallel" bit of the question ?

I'm assuming you DO mean a parallel bar, not just an upright ?

When a horse jumps, they make an arc in the air. The jump needs to fit inside that arc of they knock it down.

With a cross-pole, the most "efficient" place to make that arc is at the cross (in the centre) as it is the lowest part of the jump. So the cross tends to help the horse jump to the centre. It also helps the horse stay straight in themselves, as both front and back end need to go through the X. Horses can twist or skew over a jump - which can make it more likely to knock a pole.

With a parallel bar, both bars need to fit inside the arc. If it is a true parallel, it is harder for both horse and rider to judge the back bar, as it is "hidden" by the front bar. Also as the bars are horizontal, there is no guide to help the horse jump in the centre, or straight. So a parallel is more of a test for both rider and horse.

In general a spread fence encourages the horse to stretch more over the jump (than an upright).

[booboo]

what is a spread fence though?like a corss then a straight bar? and is a parrell bar when both poles are the same height on the same jump?

[kedwards]

A spread is any jump that requires the horse to jump across, not just over. A ditch is a spread without height and a vertical is a jump with height but not spread. Oxers and many XC jumps involve both height and spread.

If an oxer (a jump consisting of both front and back rails set a distance from one another) is set with the nearer part of the obstacle smaller than the farther part (an ascending jump), it's very inviting to the horse and fairly easy to judge and jump. If the jump is "square," in that the back rail or dimension is the same height as the front, then it requires more precision for horse and rider.

I think, in the original question, Greeneyes simply meant that the rail was set parallel to the ground rather than being crossed.

[booboo]

okk thanks i get what a spread is now!