Should I jump?

[qwerty]

I was asked by my instructor to choose an area to specialise in. I could choose from things like dressage and show jumping. I have done some dressage and would like to try jumping as I have never done it. Could anyone give me any information or advice reguarding show jumping? :p

[belle]

I dont think that it is a good idea to specialise too early. I have fun doing dressage and jumping, although I didnt like jumping until I learned to be really in balance with the horse. Ask if there is any chance that you could keep going in both things, then you get the best of both worlds!

[horselover]

I can see where your instructor whould ask you to pick and area to do- it's hard to have a lesson a week if you don't have some sort of goal. But don't get stuck in one thing for a long time. How long have you been taking lessons? If it hasn't been a while, don't pick something yet.

Jumping is awesome!!! I love it, and there is nothing I would rather do. But I also ride western, have done some barrel racing and western pleasure. I am going to do some dressage this winter.

So start some jumping- i think it is good for every English rider to at least know the basics of jumping. But keep your options open for awhile yet even as you pick an area to "specialize" in for the time.

[JumperGirl]

How long have you been riding? Why couldnt you focus on two things? Like what if you decide to do eventing, you would have to do dressage too, and dressage takes a lot of work and so does jumping. You could maybe try jumping for a little while, but still do some dressage, and if you like it a lot, then you could do more, but if you dont, you wouldnt have totally lost a lot of dressage work.

Just what I think.

[qwerty]

i have a half hour private lesson a week. I have been riding for 6 months after a long break so I have ridden before! I doubt that helps wih you questions! I can walk trot canter with + without stirrups, turns on the forehand, leg yielding etc.

If I did try jumping, would I need a body protector?

[horselover]

Body protectors are nice, yeah, but people do, I think ,give them too much credit. Look at Christopher Reeves- he was wearing a body protector and it didn't help him one bit. But there are cases where it has helped people. I, personally, don't have one and probably never will, but I also ride in a non-approved helmet and use it only when jumping. So maybe my opinion isn't really that great. There have been many times I probably would have benefited from one, but, well...

If you or your parents will spring for one, great and go ahead. It would probably help. maybe someone will have some better info for you.

[Wally]

Riding every discipline is like building a house, if the foundations are not there and sound whatever goes on top will topple and fall. There is not one sport with horses which can do away with a sound base in dressage.

You cannot hope to specialise after 6 months, keep going and do a bit of everything, jumping helps balance, which helps dressage, which helps jumping and so on.

[Mossy]

I'm seconding Wally. keep a broad base. i am teaching Moss to jump at the moment which he loves. He'll jump anything solid on the moor but poles and constructed fences he has total distain for and rushes or ignores. We do ground work, trotting poles and when he is balanced, Having said that leaving the ground occassionally gives variety to his schooling flat work. Before you think about jumping you have got to be fully confident that you can place the horse on the flat. The bends come where you want them, exactly etc. Sorry to be a dampener.

[StevieLake]

Qwerty, (hey! I just realized where you got your screen name! lol :rolleyes: ) Number one - congrats on achieving control at the walk, trot, and canter at only 6 months. It took me much longer. Anyway, my instructor also asked me one I'd ridden w/t/c what I wante to do. Been there.

I picked jumping (hunter right now, not show jumping)because I think I'd always read about jumping and would love to do it. However, I want to try many disciplines as I can. That may include western reining, english dressage, saddle seat, maybe even vaulting someday!!

Anyway, my point is, go ahead and try jumping- what's the worst that could happen? Trying something new is always brave and something you shouldn't regret.

Hey, if ya kinda like jumping, keep going; .... if you really love jumping, look into advancing in jumping; .... and if you can't stand it, try something new! (Hey, btw, if you do like show jumping, look into eventing. Maybe it's your calling!)

The horse world is huge, ya know. So don't be afraid to explore. ;)

~Stevie

[qwerty]

When my instructor asked me the big Q, I said it would depend on what was best for me and the horse...She wasn't impressed! I was told to think carefuly about it so I have 'till wednesday morning to make a descision. I would love to try everything! :D

[floppy]

i think its a little wrong for someone to make you choose where you want to specialise when you havent even tried everything.
You may turn up and say you want to specialise in jumping and then have a jumpng lessoan dn decide this really isnt for you...
i think you shoud tell your isntructor you are not rady to specialise anywhere until you have had a taster of everything!
i think its wrong to have to choose too!you shoud lbe able to do what you want...

[Mazpup]

Couldn't you just tell your instuctor youd like to do both or alternitively just ask if you could "specialize" in eventing?

This post is pointless cos u posted the question so long ag - but could u tell me *** u said to ** instructor cos i wanna no!!!!!

[qwerty]

She has never mensioned it again and I aint gonna bring it up cos my instructor is scary! We R doing loads of dressage stuff at the mo.
At the end of last weeks lesson I got an extra 10 mins to keep the horse moving...I practised a load of perfect shoulder inns, turn of forhands etc and the instructor didn't see any of it. I even attemptet some other things I haven't been taught! :D I found it was a great learning experience because I understood more about the horse! I was sooo pleased with myself but mad the Nina saw none of it! What luck!:rolleyes: