It seems like there is growing interest in Pony Jumpers here and abroad. Are there any breeders breeding specifically for Pony Jumpers, or are most of these ponies that turn out to be better suited to Jumpers than Hunters?
Thanks.
Not sure what you’re saying here: " …or are most of these ponies that turn out to be better suited to Jumpers than Hunters?"??
Pony jumpers isn’t very popular, at least at the big shows. Maybe in Ohio? Most of the ponies I’ve seen doing jumpers were not suited for the pony hunter division, so the owner tried to put them in the slot called “jumpers”.
Pony jumpers are a big deal in Europe. Kids are jumping carded ponies at 1.2 m and up. You don’t see that here!
We breed Connemaras, and just imported three youngsters from top jumping lines. I hope that we will see more interest here in the US, but it seems to me, that most kids here stick to the hunter ring.
Not just kids–this is a young Purebred Connemara mare we bred now competing over in France–1.5M now (I think thats what she told me): https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200826160509286&l=0711452792
Goodpony - it looks like the owner says 1.05m (3’5"), not 1.50m (4’11"). But what a lovely pony!
Someone posted a video of a bunch of kids doing a 1.40m finals class on their ponies in Europe not too long ago. Assuming it was Mike Matson?
I don’t think our pony jumper circuit is anything close to what they have in Europe. I suspect that most of our pony jumpers here are ones who happened to be less well suited to the hunter ring. And I believe our pony jumpers max out at 1.10m/1.15m, so there’s nothing bigger to breed them for. I will be curious, though, to see if anyone here in the states chimes in. I would love to find my daughter a scopey pony bred to jump big jumps at some point in the next 4 or 5 years.
hmmm, in my experience you can’t even give a pony jumper away, much less sell one. I know of several with good records that no one has even so much as given a nibble on.
Oh that makes more since! LOL-the pony is six and only just started competing this year! I think she started her at 1M (or something close to that). Her pasture mate from that year is nearly 16HH and jumping the same size as the pony! He is only just now coursing 3.6". I have her half sister who is another really talented jumper (not for sale) but she is sized out of ponies at 15HH. I can remember looking it up at one point-- but there are only 2 FEI recognized Pony Jumper Competitions in the entire country–one on the east coast and one on the west coast. I do believe there is a bit more of a market for pony jumpers in Canada as Ive had a few inquiries from up that way.
My ten year old daughter just got a new pony–at one point in his life he went to the national pony jumper finals–he is 20 now but he sure can jump!
As an adult who shows Jumpers with a large pony (winning AA at .95m, schooling at 1.20m), I’ve actually had more accidental luck finding amazing jumper ponies - some were hunter rejects, others could play in both rings.
Of course I’d love to own a super well bred jumper pony like the one posted above :swoon:, but in my current case after tracking down 4 previous owners, it looks like my girl is an appendix quarter horse. Couldn’t be happier with her though 
We won the level 1 jumpers at Hits Culpeper this morning and was champion in level 1 with 2 firsts at the last Culpeper show in April.
I wish more adults would ride the large ponies/ honies, I think they’d definitely enjoy the ride.
[QUOTE=mroades;7059787]
hmmm, in my experience you can’t even give a pony jumper away, much less sell one. I know of several with good records that no one has even so much as given a nibble on.[/QUOTE]
This. There was growing interest for like a year when Pony Jumpers started. Now I would say interest appears to be waning if anything. Most Pony Jumpers don’t fill, if A shows even bother having them at all.
Such a poop here - it seems to me that pony jumpers develops some kids who like to tool around a course hell bent for election, with not enough attention to
correct basics, form or training - just gallop and go. Hunters develops the younger ones with attention to style and they can go on to jumpers when the skills develop. Therefore, I’d look to breed for an athletic, correct pony that can do anything from event/jump/hunters/dressage. A look at British jumper ponies in H&H shows some interesting styles.
We actually have a lot of jump in our breeding program–its one of the things I dont necessarily strive to produce–but tends to come with the package. What I do breed for is size and scope (length of stride and the ability to expand and compress). There are loads of ponies that can jump a house but are more pony strided than what I specifically strive to produce. As far as versatility–I ride the above ponies half brother at 2nd Level and another sibling is just starting out toward an eventing career. The latest model appears to have just the type of scope I was aiming for. With respect to eventing its not enough to simply jump around clean anymore–you really need a more horse-like way of going to be competitive in the dressage.
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Originally Posted by mroades [IMG]http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/images/buttons/viewpost-right.png)
hmmm, in my experience you can’t even give a pony jumper away, much less sell one. I know of several with good records that no one has even so much as given a nibble on.
This. There was growing interest for like a year when Pony Jumpers started. Now I would say interest appears to be waning if anything. Most Pony Jumpers don’t fill, if A shows even bother having them at all.
I agree. I have an absolutely incredible pony mare - just a fraction of a hair under 14.2h. She has fox hunted, evented at novice level (doesn’t even blink at ditches and water), done dressage and she has jumped 4’6" in the jumper chute. She passed her Mare Perfornace Test with the highest scores for rideability and jumping and I can’t get a bite on her. If someone up to 5’10" and slim (size of her former event rider) or smaller wanted her she could easily win back her purchase price in the jumper speed classes. She doesn’t rush her fences, but she’s small and incredibly handy and athletic and a blast to ride. Remember, the great pony Stroller - although I think he was 14.3h was one of the top jumpers in the world, and Teddy was one of the top eventers. And no one will even look at mine.
I just sold a 13.2hh yearling pony jumper stallion prospect…well she took him home. A few days later, windy, he got out, ran down the road, trotted back, walked up to the 5 foot panel pen he had been housed in and JUMPED in from a walk!!! He is now in an 8 foot enclosure. This pony CAN JUMP!!! He is in Grants Pass Or and by my stallion Dynamic. I have frozen semen. The pony colt should mature around 14hh or bit more. Watch for him at the 70 days stallion test in OK in 2015 out jumping some horse stallions we suspect.
^^^THIS^^^
[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;7063584]
Such a poop here - it seems to me that pony jumpers develops some kids who like to tool around a course hell bent for election, with not enough attention to
correct basics, form or training - just gallop and go. Hunters develops the younger ones with attention to style and they can go on to jumpers when the skills develop. Therefore, I’d look to breed for an athletic, correct pony that can do anything from event/jump/hunters/dressage. A look at British jumper ponies in H&H shows some interesting styles.[/QUOTE]
How do the Europeans avoid that for developing their kids?
There’s no question that we have ponies and breeding stock with the talent to be very capable jumpers - we just have nothing for them to do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AI2PtUB7DP0 as a pony jumper champion
In the UK we are blessed with fantastic ponies - they are not bred as jumpers but most can anyway. The children enjoy the jumping, classes are huge. In terms of training, things are improving because international competition in Europe has opened eyes about the importance of basic training and the youngsters are no longer ‘gallop and go’ but are developing solid skills.
Look to the European child riders too. They are taught from a very young age how to collect and rate ponies, that skill is totally lacking here.
Just seen your video Willesdon, super round, congratulations to James he reminds me of a young Harvey Smith.
[QUOTE=poltroon;7065877]
How do the Europeans avoid that for developing their kids?[/QUOTE]
They don’t have the hunters there like we do here. They also teach the kids solid basics and rateability early on. Very little of that occurs in NA.
(not to say they don’t have crappy kid riders… lol but not quite as many)
