Can you teach an older horse to jump?

[Santi]

Has anyone done this? I'm a bit at a loss to know how to ...and do some horses just not have the knack?
I tried setting up a tiny pole 8inches high and asking him to trot in hand over it with me but he stops and walks over. I tried leading him over a log about 18inches high thinking he might learn to hop a bit but he climbed over it too.
I don't want to jump very high, if we could do 2 feet it would be fun. He's 15.1, 8 years old and was a trotter, i broke him to ride last year and we just hack. Any advice or stories welcome!
(if we don't manage it i don't mind!)

[Maclynky]

don't see why not. My horse is 10 yrs old and I don't believe had been rained to jump as went through jumps rather than over them. RI went from scratch with poles on the ground etc. he can now jump and is pretty good. Not saying it works with every horse but wouldn't think age is an issue, 8 isn't that old. You just need to start from scratch and build up gradually. Good luck.

[BeachRiding]

Try lungeing him over it, if he tries to stops swish your lead at him or whip. I am teaching Willie to jump and he's 21! so, its not a problem at 8!

[julesandjoy]

Has anyone done this? I'm a bit at a loss to know how to ...and do some horses just not have the knack?
I tried setting up a tiny pole 8inches high and asking him to trot in hand over it with me but he stops and walks over. I tried leading him over a log about 18inches high thinking he might learn to hop a bit but he climbed over it too.
I don't want to jump very high, if we could do 2 feet it would be fun. He's 15.1, 8 years old and was a trotter, i broke him to ride last year and we just hack. Any advice or stories welcome!
(if we don't manage it i don't mind!)


Actuall, 8 is a wonderful age to start one jumping. Only one year of experience undersaddle might be a bit soon. :) I'm sure you can work through it though. He has to understand then when you say forward you mean it.

Try laying some tarps out for him to trot over. Ask him to walk over it til he's confortable and then ask him to trot til he will willingly trot over the tarp. Then put one small timber on the ground (do not elevate it) and ask him to walk over it and then trot over it.

By the time you get him trotting over the tarp and the ground pole he should have a pretty clear idea of 'forward'. Then you can add another ground pole about 3 or 3 1/2 feet away. You can watch where his feet land and place the next pole so that it matches his stride. I'm just guessing that a 3' distance will suffice for a 15.1h horse. You'll need to make this as easy as you can get it for him to take another easy trot step over that second pole. He should approach that two-pole trotover in a willing and forward pace. It should be easy for him if you've waited for him to be comfortable w/the single pole.

After trotting over the two-pole you can go back to just one and elevate it just a few inches. Every time he clears that 2 or 3 times w/o bumping it elevate it 2 or 3 more inches til he's really having to pick his feet up to keep trotting it. If he slows down or balks just lower 4 or 6 inches and start again - waiting til he's comfortable and relaxed. Then start raising it again.

When it gets high enough that he has to give an effort he might just run into it. Make sure you're using a heavy enough pole that he knows he's hit something (ie, do not use PVC, use a landscape timber or large, round, wooden fence post). Also, it should be only resting in some jump cups or a pile of tires or a bucket or something that it easily will fall from. You don't want to hurt him, simply give him a reason to pick up his feet better next time.

Giving an encouraging 'click' or 'kiss' right at take off might help give him a bit of impulsion, too.

I've dealt w/some who were scared silly to jump and this approach really helped. Then, and I hate to tell you this, I've had some who were like your boy. They would stop and step over no matter what. It took FOREVER for them to want to actually jump anything. The MAIN thing is to get them very forward, either in hand or undersaddle, and to get them to understand that no matter what's in front of them they must go over it.

You could give them a bit of a treat a couple seconds after they land on the other side, too. That might give them a reason to find a way over the obstacle. I wouldn't treat as he landed as he might start mugging you. :) Just stand calmly a few seconds and then let him munch on a carrot or something.

Hope things go well w/your jump training. :) It is alot of fun to pop over those little 2' jumps. :) What you might run into, though, at first is he starts over jumping. He'll take a 2' vertical like it was a 4' oxer! When that starts happening you can set up a series of small jumps and just go over then and over then and over them til her realizes that it's SO much easier to just give the effort needed instead of using up all his energy going 2' higher than necessary.

One other thing I do w/an over jumper is to actually stop them as soon as they land either by backing them (if they've overrun by several step) or by pushing their front end over and away from me. I don't pull them to me 'cause that sometimes causes them to start lounging. :) I want them to think slooowwww as they come over that jump. (note - as I said this is only for one who OVER jumps or takes off after landing.)

I hope I was clear on a few points....
8 is not too old at all!
Ideally he should have a bit more time under saddle.
He should be very forward in hand and under saddle (which means that he really knows to 'go' from the leg and from halter pressure - or at least from a click)
You should go slow and build up from increments and only move forward when he's completely (and I mean completely) comfortable w/the current step.
If he shows you any trouble back up a few steps in your training. sylvia

[Santi]

Thanks for the advice! - very helpful, that sounds like a good approach for him, he is very willing but hates being confused or rushed.

I wasn't sure when i should think about teaching him about poles, i'll give him more time, we can definately work just on our transitions for another 6-8 months! He is doing so well i am very pleased with him as he is the first horse i trained from scratch, we'll carry on slowly.

[phyzelda]

Fizzy was 16 when i taught her to jump, she'd never seen a jump before in her life, and we ended up being able to play over the kids XC which was 2'- 2'6", she loved it!!

[Cheeky]

Yep .. I am teaching Missy now to jump properly. I taught my old mare to jump properly (she was taught the PC way - aim and GO GO GO).

I taught an ex-pacer (who still paces) to jump small jumps .. he's about 15? Mayb 17? lol ..

I think its good :)

[Morwenstow Stud]

I'm sorry, I don't have any advice to give specifically relating to teaching an older horse to jump.I just wanted to let you know that you most definitely can teach an older horse to jump.Last year at the grand old age of 14 one of my mars was backed and started for the first time.She took to it amazingly and when it came to jumping, we just taught her like we would teach a young horse.She turned out to absolutely adore jumping once she'd go the hang of it. Good luck