You only do flatwork once/week during the school year?
[QUOTE=Eatprayride;7094703]
Don’t worry I always ride with my trainer (who was voted into the top ten trainers on the East Coast) and, yes, I do consider myself a good rider.[/QUOTE]
I want to know what the voting process is for the top ten trainers on the East coast. :lol:
There really aren’t many 11 year olds jumping 5 ft. I’m not sure where you get that notion. At your age, having ridden for seven years with a top pro, I would expect you to eitger be riding a large pony in the rateds or be doing childrens hunters and be ready to step up to the juniors… of course, this assumes that you have the right horse and can afford lesspns and ttaining to support that… OTOH, you said you had a bad accident, so you might have confidence issurs that hold you back. There is no shame in that.
I have a very extended vocabulary for my age.
[QUOTE=SillyHorse;7094825]
Anyon else not quite convinced our poster is 12 years old?[/QUOTE]
FYI, I’m a genius 12 year old with an IQ of 152. I just happen to also ride horses. I have a very extended vocabulary for my age.
It was in a magazine
[QUOTE=Tha Ridge;7094998]
I want to know what the voting process is for the top ten trainers on the East coast. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I think it was in Practical horseman, the people at the company must have chosen
[QUOTE=Eatprayride;7095191]
FYI, I’m a genius 12 year old with an IQ of 152. I just happen to also ride horses. I have a very extended vocabulary for my age.[/QUOTE]
Only 8 more points and you’re on par with Stephen Hawking. 
[QUOTE=Eatprayride;7095191]
FYI, I’m a genius 12 year old with an IQ of 152. I just happen to also ride horses. I have a very extended vocabulary for my age.[/QUOTE]
I think this is also telling as well. Sometimes people who overachieve in one area of life get flustered when they don’t overachieve in other areas. I get it- I was an academically overachieving kid as a child/teen too, and it’s humbling when you don’t “overachieve” in other areas as well. I know it’s hard, but try to be happy with where you are, but always push to be better. Ask your trainer’s advice about where you stand and how you can improve. But don’t let anyone else’s measure of success dictate your own path. Measure success for YOU, not in comparison with others. No matter what we do in life, there’s usually someone - or a load of people - better, bigger, smarter, faster, more athletic, with more resources, better horses, better-looking boyfriends, you name it. That’s just how it goes. But it doesn’t mean we can’t be happy with where we are in our own lives and what we have. Know what I mean? Took me many years to learn that lesson.
OP, don’t let anybody knock you for writing well. Good for you for caring enough to do so. It’s important.
Your trainer is your best guide for how high you should be jumping. There are more factors involved than any of us here can consider from what we read on COTH.
Regardless of any skepticism about the OP’s age and of these wonder-11-year-olds who jump higher than Tori Colvin or Reed did at that age…
OP, are you happy with where you are in your riding? Think about it not in regards to your friends, but as compared to where you were, say, a year or two ago. Have you gotten better? Are you pleased with your improvement? If you aren’t, you and a parent should sit down with your trainer and discuss your goals and how to reach them. Be realistic about them.
Honestly, I don’t think many 11-year-olds have the muscle to be able to stay with a horse over a very big jump… nor do they have the technical training to be able to do so correctly. Jumping out of a gymnastic, maybe.
But again, don’t compare yourself to other people, it’s not productive. It breeds bitterness but does not make you better. You can watch someone and think “how can I improve myself so I can do [something] like him/her?” and be productive. Asking how high you should be jumping isn’t the same, though. One of the great things about riding is that it doesn’t end when you age out of the juniors. A lot of current juniors don’t focus on that… and you never know what your circumstances will lead to, especially if you focus on being realistic.
For example, when I was your age (which was not THAT long ago, although it was longer than I care to think about!), I was showing a green-as-grass pony in the green pony hunters. My lofty goal with him was to get a ribbon at Pony Finals. The realistic one: to qualify and go. Accomplished the second, not the first, still have good memories. I did my first Grand Prix at 18 - on my former junior hunter - which was completely unexpected. So you never know.
Be happy with what you’ve done thus far and love your horse, who sounds like a good egg, and don’t worry about what other people are doing.
Just a quick note to the OP…I’m a neuropsychologist, and an IQ of 152 is not the number you want to be telling people–go with 130-135 instead. Not trying o be snarky–just trying to save you from embarrassment at parties
[QUOTE=Tha Ridge;7094998]
I want to know what the voting process is for the top ten trainers on the East coast. :lol:[/QUOTE]
I want to know the results and where they were published.
The answer to the question “how high should I be jumping” has (as others have said) way more to do with how good your seat is (legs on, weight in heels always, not jumping ahead or getting left behind?), how good your hands are, and how good your eye is, then with how old you are. If you can’t ride your horse around a course at a lower height at an appropriate pace, nailing all the distances, with good form on the ground and in the air, you’re not ready to move up.
Trust your trainer. If you’re wondering why others have moved up and you haven’t, ask them - but ask politely and humbly (“what do I need to do to get from where I am to where I want to be?”) not whinily. There are most likely things you still need to work on.
Hang in there! Work on the things your trainer tells you, and don’t get frustrated - this is a lifelong sport, after all.
I’d rather see a young rider, riding as “perfectly” as possible and cleaning house in the Children’s divisions than flailing around a 5’ jumper course. You’ve got lots of time to get “there”, but “getting there” should be a lot of fun and give you satisfaction along the way!! Good luck!! ps - you didn’t mention how “well” your friends were doing over 5’ courses!!!
[QUOTE=Snugglerug;7095217]
OP, don’t let anybody knock you for writing well. Good for you for caring enough to do so. It’s important.[/QUOTE]Of course writing well is important, and I would never “knock” anyone for doing so. I just found it odd to describe a horse as an “adequate mount” – for anyone, really, much less a 12-year-old. Carry on.
[QUOTE=SillyHorse;7095426]
Of course writing well is important, and I would never “knock” anyone for doing so. I just found it odd to describe a horse as an “adequate mount” – for anyone, really, much less a 12-year-old. Carry on.[/QUOTE]
I am finding myself scratching my head on a few of these posts lately. Not trying to be snarky, just things aren’t adding up for me…
Agree, carry on and maybe it will end up making sense at some point.
You shouldn’t worry about everyone else, just worry about yourself. If they are jumping 5’ at 11 that’s almost unheard but I guess possible that a barn has a lot of them. I do wonder though in one thread I read earlier today you said you have surpassed all the riders at your barn but now you say they are jumping higher than you and are you jumping to low. Little confusing. Do what is safe for you and your horse. Your trainer will know what’s best.
OP, I think it’s also important to remember that, as with any other sport, there are setbacks in riding. When I was 15, I was planning on competing at Junior Hunter Finals (and hoping for Indoors) and was having some success in the small juniors. I ended up spending the summer rehabbing my horse from colic surgery and riding a [very cute] medium pony in the greens. I still learned a ton that summer, probably more about horsemanship and care than I did in any other year. Was it frustrating and disappointing? You bet, but it taught me a lot and I still found ways to have fun with it (plus now I can describe, down to the fibers of the blade, Nikki’s favorite grass from all the hand-grazing we did :lol:).
It’s not all about the jumps, it’s about the love for the animal.
[QUOTE=supershorty628;7095603]
OP, I think it’s also important to remember that, as with any other sport, there are setbacks in riding. When I was 15, I was planning on competing at Junior Hunter Finals (and hoping for Indoors) and was having some success in the small juniors. I ended up spending the summer rehabbing my horse from colic surgery and riding a [very cute] medium pony in the greens. I still learned a ton that summer, probably more about horsemanship and care than I did in any other year. Was it frustrating and disappointing? You bet, but it taught me a lot and I still found ways to have fun with it (plus now I can describe, down to the fibers of the blade, Nikki’s favorite grass from all the hand-grazing we did :lol:).
It’s not all about the jumps, it’s about the love for the animal.[/QUOTE]
AMEN to that last sentence! I’m 18, I’ve ridden for 12 years and I haven’t even jumped 3’ yet… and then I look and I see amazing riders like Reed Kessler and I wonder what they did that I didn’t, especially when I watch pony show jumping like the British Home Pony and realize these kids are more than 5 years younger than I- however my family is not massively a) wealthy or b) into horses so as much as I’d like to be riding 3’+ I don’t think that’s going to happen for a while for me when I’m only taking lessons 1x/week during the school year and 3x/week during the summer.
It might be hard to come to the conclusion that you’re not jumping the height that other well known riders your age are, but most of the time they were just super lucky and were born into the right family.
It’s better to have an amazing seat and be able to ride the height you’re jumping at super well and slowly move up than to be sloppily ride one height even if you make it over the jumps and move up to the next and so on.
11 y.o over 5ft?? Why??
All suggestions given are great.
Just wanted to add that FEI Childrens’ category is limited to a height of 1.20m (Childrens’ category are for those who turn twelve to the year they turn 13). Considering this, why would anyone have an 11y.o. jump consistently 5ft if they are at least four years from competing at that level? They can only show in certain Competitions at CSI3* to CSI5* and CSIO1* to CSIO5* during the year they turn 16 and on. What’s the point of risking rider, horse, etc so ahead of time?
Unless it’s a freakishly overgrown 11y.o., I also consider it hard for a normally built youngster to hold on over a spread at that height, not to mention a combination. If the kid is talented, make him perfect over what he’s supposed to do, give him the taste of a little more height (I said little, not 5ft) and go back to your show level. In this sport, like many others, perfection is a constant search, so the munchkin should not get bored at all since there’s always room to grow.
I’ve seen tons of rising stars turn into ephemeral fireworks because they were not given adequate time to grow.
As I always put it, just hop on and enjoy the ride!
My two cents.
FEI JUMPING RULES
255.3.1 From the year in which they reach their 12th birthday until the end of the year in which they reach their 13th birthday Athletes may take part in certain Competitions at 1* to 5* Events providing the height of obstacles in the initial round does not exceed 1.20 m. (NB: A separate classification must be established for Children Athletes as prize money for Children’s Competitions is not allowed.)
[QUOTE=RileysMom;7095272]
Just a quick note to the OP…I’m a neuropsychologist, and an IQ of 152 is not the number you want to be telling people–go with 130-135 instead. Not trying o be snarky–just trying to save you from embarrassment at parties :)[/QUOTE]
Can you elaborate? Why is a high IQ embarrassing?
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