Oh, yes. Even if I sound like I’m wild, “hold my beer” type, I don’t jump if I’m the only person on the property.
Beck in the pre-cell phone era, I didn’t even get on a horse if I were alone somewhere like the trail, without telling someone where I was going. I did the old, “I’m getting on now and going to X and back.” If you don’t hear from me in 3 hours, send someone to scrape me up off the ground, and then I’d call them back.
At my barn, if you’re under 18, you can’t jump without a trainer.
As a trainer, I did not allow it at the stable I managed if the rider was under 18 or a beginner. IF they owned their own horse and were a competent rider I did not mind.
In some ways, experience is the best teacher and there is SO much you learn on your own. I credit my confidence over fences to practicing in the woods over logs. That’s how I learned how to find distances and gain confidence. I had YEARS of training with fancy hunter trainers and did not ‘get it’. For me, it was all about mileage (it took me years) and the right horse to learn on.
If your an adult rider that can ride your horse at all three gaits without stirrups and can navigate a Crossrail, I think you should be allowed to. Kids and teens tend to not realize or care as much if they practice too much, whereas an adults tend to be more aware of this.
I used to encourage my adult riders to practice finding their distances and jumping by have a very small raised pole in different spots on the rail and cantering up to it. Very minimal effort for most horses to jump, the rider gained confidence and could practice their two-point. They loved the exercise.
I think many riders are so completely dependant on trainers today. No human on earth makes all of the right and perfect decision riding.
It’s definitely not something unusual. A lot of quality programs have this rule, especially for minors. If it isn’t something you can live with (I wouldn’t board somewhere where I couldn’t jump outside of a lesson), I suggest finding another barn. Good luck OP.
Nowadays I use Road ID. GREAT app and very easy to remember to turn on and off each ride so that hubby gets an alert when I get on and when I get off.
Admittedly that Apple watch crash awareness and story with the guy that fell off the bike HAS to be the gold standard, but this works pretty well for me.
A friend of mine’s spouse fell and broke their leg and was riding without a phone and waited 4 hours for someone to find them and take to hospital for surgery. That to me is beyond terrifying.
Em
When I was a kid ie under 18, we couldnt jump without an adult present, usually my trainer or parent. However not being able to jump period unless it is in a lesson seems harsh to me. Boarding is paying for facility use, unless you are moving jumps and messing up lines and stride distances as long as you are not interupting others rides and have an essentially “grown up” over 18 around to call 911 should you need it. Yes you may be a great rider but accidents happen. I am 34 and still have a scar on my elbow from a random freak out w my bomb proof mare when I was 10. To each their own and their barn their rules, but maybe talk to them about having an adult present but not only in lessons, sounds more like a money grab to my inexperienced ears 
@Xctrygirl I have a GPS with an emergency transponder built in. The subscription is a little pricey, but it’s great peace of mind since I’m in areas with literally no cell service for miles so often. I’ve never had to use it myself, but my spouse met someone who slipped a couple of disks on the PCT and used hers, and they had a helicopter out to her location in no time at all. It also has satellite texting and weather, and you can upload your waypoints to a website so friends and family can check in on you.
Unfortunately it’s kind of a crappy GPS, so we either use Gaia as a backup, or bring a dedicated second unit, depending on the circumstances. 
Very common rule. One that I don’t agree with, as it is MY horse (hence, why I have them at home & haul in for lessons - but I am lucky & not everyone has that option).
I do however follow & very much support no jumping if someone else isn’t on the property.
The BO may have insurance that requires any jumping to be in a lesson format, but regardless of if she does or not, her property, her rules. May be different at a different barn, may also be different when you are no longer a minor. Or not.
It is a very common rule. While it may be YOUR horse, this is THEIR farm. So whatever rules they choose, you have to follow. If it’s not something you can live with, perhaps finding another barn would best suit you. Especially as a junior (yes, I know you are only a year or less away from being an adult), that may be hard to find however. Many insurances require this rule. It limits the BO and trainer’s liability.
So, while I agree with the rule, as I grew up with these rules, I can understand some people want to. I keep mine at home, generally only jump when I have a lesson but I trailer out a lot.
My only suggestion is find a barn that has rules you can live with. Weigh the pros and cons- turnout, hay, footing etc. And of course the jumping if it is important.
Our PC barn lets anyone jump whenever- which surprises me. A 9 year old leasing can just jump on her horse. I do not agree with this, it shocks me, when one of my schoolmasters was there they were not allowed to do that with him. I know it was enforced as much as possible because one of the mom’s messaged me upset. He was useful enough the BM was willing to work with me on it but I did not “expect” that and if they had not attempted I would have brought him home.
Is Gaia that app that can locate the device anywhere on Earth within about a meter? I don’t know if this is the app, but I do remember hearing about one that did this, and with this level of precision. Remarkable!
THIS! I owned and rode all kinds of horses growing up, including a few really nice made horses, and had some good trainers, but for the most part only ever jumped in lessons throughout my junior years. There were things that just never really seemed to click. I remember having lesson after lesson on learning how to properly ride a track, and ride my corners and how if I did that, the distance would be there 3-4 strides out. Well, that just never clicked.
Then, I started working at a barn in college riding greenies, and part of that included jumping. Granted most if not all were green, so it was hardly ever perfect, but I learned a lot riding on my own then and figuring things out. Mainly, I gained courage to jump without a trainer standing there and telling me what to do, and I learned how to think on my own. (horse did xyz, so I need to do xyz next go round).
I then took a few years off and recently started half leasing an older really made horse. I don’t take lessons (I don’t have the budget for it), and we only jump 2’3 (or less, usually using those plastic cavalettis) but dang if I never miss a distance. Stuff finally CLICKS just being able to ride and practice on my own. I have figured out how to ride the heck out of my corners and legitimately see a distance 3-4-5 strides out. WHAT?! That never happened as a junior. Sure, sometimes three strides out I’d see something, but half the time it was just me kicking to a long spot or whoaing to a short distance. Anyways, I think riders having the ability to ride on their own, and just practice without pressure, is extremely important to developing skills and actually allowing the coaching to sink in. All these years later and it’s incredible now how I have those light bulb moments “oh thatsssssss what they meant”.
That’s all well and good but you still can’t force the issue with your barn owner and trainer. If that their policy, that’s their policy. It is a very important question to ask and believe answer you get. It’s a common policy, even in just boarding barns. Right or wrong in your opinion. After 50 years boarding out, afraid that would be my policy if I ever went mad and bought a boarding barn, Thats based on my experience. Others have different experiences that may form a different opinion,
I think it’s more common than not at barns with lesson programs. The only time it was a deal breaker for me was when I couldn’t even use cavaletti because they were considered jumps by the BO. The barn I’m currently at has no such rules but it also doesn’t have an in house trainer.
Yes! It’s not as powerful as a standalone GPS, and I don’t rely on it for navigation alone unless I’m in a familiar area, but if you’re constantly going back to places to save waypoints, or if you’re in a spot where you can pair it with a Guthook guide, it can be quite powerful for reference.
This is a rule where I board. As other posters have said, it could have to do with insurance, but I think for my trainer its a safety issue as well.
When I was a teenager, the barn where I boarded allowed jumping without a trainer. That immediately ceased the day that a boarder injured her horse jumping without a trainer. The injury was not bad, but it did require some stitches and the BO immediately implemented the rule.
We can jump outside of lessons so long as we have permission from trainer and we are given a max height. However it’s not like the kids are actually measuring or have any concept of safety so I really wish we had a no jumping rule!
I would imagine trainer leaves the property from time to time. Even trainers need groceries. ðŸ˜
How to get kicked out of your barn:
“I would imagine trainer leaves the property from time to time. Even trainers need groceries. 😔
One barn I was at had a new rule sheet posted and I didn’t see it until after I rode and jumped my horse. I felt like a jerk. When I saw the BO I told her about it and she just laughed and said that rule was for one person :lol:
The juniors at the barn never jumped without instruction but the adults could do what we wanted. Well, except one.
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