Individual Jumping

[Madeline]

Can’t believe that there isn’t a thread going, but what a wonderful way to spend the day. There are certainly a ton of nice horses and competent riders out there! No spoilers so those of you who have subscribed can watch and be surprised.

120 horses, one elimination for stops, no falls. Wow.

Presley Boy was impressive ridden by a Saudi. I thought I saw some coverage somewhere that Ascarraga( sp?) would never sell him, etc., etc. I guess if the money is right comes a point where you have to sell.
Now, showing a complete lack of class and a surfeit of curiosity, does anyone know where that point was?
Remember, you don’t have to believe it to repeat it…

A few observations:
There seems to be a stunning variety of bitting options, more than I’ve ever noticed before.

The top level jumpers seem to be a bit lighter and less carthorsey than they were a decade ago. More agile. Less in need of “The Biggest Loser”

(Tune me out) At this level, the women with long hair sem to have gotten the message not to put all that hair inside their helmets. Yay for good sense!

[SueL]

[QUOTE=Madeline;5137803]
Can’t believe that there isn’t a thread going, but what a wonderful way to spend the day. There are certainly a ton of nice horses and competent riders out there! No spoilers so those of you who have subscribed can watch and be surprised.

120 horses, one elimination for stops, no falls. Wow.

Presley Boy was impressive ridden by a Saudi. I thought I saw some coverage somewhere that Ascarraga( sp?) would never sell him, etc., etc. I guess if the money is right comes a point where you have to sell.
Now, showing a complete lack of class and a surfeit of curiosity, does anyone know where that point was?
Remember, you don’t have to believe it to repeat it…

A few observations:
There seems to be a stunning variety of bitting options, more than I’ve ever noticed before.

The top level jumpers seem to be a bit lighter and less carthorsey than they were a decade ago. More agile. Less in need of “The Biggest Loser”

(Tune me out) At this level, the women with long hair sem to have gotten the message not to put all that hair inside their helmets. Yay for good sense![/QUOTE]

Jumpers today need “blood” for quickness and agility. Carthorses haven’t done well for at least a decade. Sorry you aren’t up on the real world. (Of course, you probably think our Irish horse who is at at least 3/4th blood a clunker compared to your OTTBs. Whatever, at least he is not limited to 1.0 meters.)

Re: helmets and hair - cut your hair short and there’s no need to put hair up inside the helmet and no ponytail either. Why deal with long hair at all? Chop it off every six weeks. Much, much easier than dealing with a “mane” Geesh.

Sue, very cynical…

[Roxy_SM]

I thought Conrad’s course was brilliant and can’t wait to see what he builds for tomorrow! It wasn’t so hard that overfaced any of the less experienced horses/riders, but it wasn’t easy and caught quite a few of the top riders and horses. There wasn’t just one bogey spot, but rather the rails came down everywhere. Very impressive.

[FalseImpression]

Nice not to post spoilers for the ones who CAN watch, but the ones who CANNOT would love to have updates!!!

[War_Admiral]

Ah, but Madeline, you surely should have been enjoying the fact that quite a lot of these horses came unglued at what was - in your day and mine - a very straightforward hunter-style “in and out”. I know I was! :lol:

Conrad’s course was awesome! And I loved the Saudi guy!

[Madeline]

@SueL;5138015

Jumpers today need “blood” for quickness and agility. Carthorses haven’t done well for at least a decade. Sorry you aren’t up on the real world. (Of course, you probably think our Irish horse who is at at least 3/4th blood a clunker compared to your OTTBs. Whatever, at least he is not limited to 1.0 meters.)

Re: helmets and hair - cut your hair short and there’s no need to put hair up inside the helmet and no ponytail either. Why deal with long hair at all? Chop it off every six weeks. Much, much easier than dealing with a “mane” Geesh.

Sue, very cynical…

Man, where did that come from?

A decade ago, Cruiser would have been on the refined, “more blood” part of the continuum for high level jumpers. Now his body type is about what I’ve come to expect.

Why the slam against TB’s? Where do you think that “blood” comes from anyhow? I realize that they are out of fashion now, but the reason that the jumpers are getting quicker and more agile is not that breeders are introducing more draft/carthorse into their breeding programs.

Most TB’s are not limited to 1m. classes. (That’s the work of trainers.) Really, there were great TB jumpers before WarmBloods were invented.

My observation on the hair was that at least the international level competitors seem to understand that helmets work better without 'Hunter Hair." I’ll take any opportunity to point out when safety equipment is being used on a world stage as designed. OF course you can cut your hair, that’s the easy solution. But good luck telling that to a bunch of teenage girls. I would rather see ponytails than hair making helmets non-functional.

[Kinsella]

Having watched the jog, I can assure you that a fair share of them are not nearly as “light” as it seems. I think in this case the camera deducts 10lbs LOL!! Don’t get me wrong, they are getting more refined, but some of the riders make the bigger horses look small, and vice versa…

And the best jumper in this country is no where near “light”. She is a beautiful, big boned mare of substance. And damn light on her feet!

[GrayCatFarm]

My first time to watch horses of this caliber in real time. It was fantastic! I missed Mario D’s turn when nature called, and inside it sounded like the stadium was coming down with all the feet pounding the steel grandstand. I made sure I did not miss Sapphire - she was f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. and just strutted out of the ring when she was done. What I really liked was that as any indivdiual finished the course and cantered out, regardless of what nation they were representing, they were soundly applauded on their way out of the course on the far side. Quite a classy group, we spectators. Back for more tomorrow.

[Madeline]

@Kinsella;5138180

Having watched the jog, I can assure you that a fair share of them are not nearly as “light” as it seems. I think in this case the camera deducts 10lbs LOL!! Don’t get me wrong, they are getting more refined, but some of the riders make the bigger horses look small, and vice versa…

And the best jumper in this country is no where near “light”. She is a beautiful, big boned mare of substance. And damn light on her feet!

I guess I didn’t expalin very well. Let’s try this: A decade ago, Sapphire would have been just what the top level jumpers looked like. Now she looks to me to be on the heavier side. And I don’t think it’s just because she is maturing.
I love her, but she’s lighter on her feet than her appearance would lead you to expect.

madeline
(Liking the concept of a beautiful big boned mare ofsubstance)

[SueL]

[QUOTE=Madeline;5138102]
Man, where did that come from?

A decade ago, Cruiser would have been on the refined, “more blood” part of the continuum for high level jumpers. Now his body type is about what I’ve come to expect.

Why the slam against TB’s? Where do you think that “blood” comes from anyhow? I realize that they are out of fashion now, but the reason that the jumpers are getting quicker and more agile is not that breeders are introducing more draft/carthorse into their breeding programs. </QUOTE>

It comes from Arab too you know. Not all blood from Tbs. And in some cases the type is so fixed you don’t need to introduce Tb…

I love Tbs. I happen to think you get great jumping ability from
Selle Francais and Holsteiner. The Tb jump is flatter. It is what it is.

<QUOTE> Most TB’s are not limited to 1m. classes. (That’s the work of trainers.) Really, there were great TB jumpers before WarmBloods were invented.</QUOTE>

Yeah, I know. I saw a lot of them. Courses are different these days, not as galloping, ask for more compression. It’s different. Most OTTBs are of
sprinting type in the US (there are classic stayers but they are few
and far between these days and Tbs bred purposely for sport even
fewer) are no good for sport. I like to see Tb in a sport horse, but
most modern US Tbs are miserable for sport. MHO.

<QUOTE> My observation on the hair was that at least the international level competitors seem to understand that helmets work better without 'Hunter Hair." I’ll take any opportunity to point out when safety equipment is being used on a world stage as designed. OF course you can cut your hair, that’s the easy solution. But good luck telling that to a bunch of teenage girls. I would rather see ponytails than hair making helmets non-functional.[/QUOTE]

If you don’t adjust the harness properly, your hairstyle doesn’t make
much difference…

Sue

[SueL]

[QUOTE=Madeline;5138221]
I guess I didn’t expalin very well. Let’s try this: A decade ago, Sapphire would have been just what the top level jumpers looked like. Now she looks to me to be on the heavier side. And I don’t think it’s just because she is maturing.
I love her, but she’s lighter on her feet than her appearance would lead you to expect.

madeline
(Liking the concept of a beautiful big boned mare ofsubstance)[/QUOTE]

Exactly what in the past decade have you competed above 1 meter
(Level 2) and please tell me its bloodlines…

Sue

[DMK]

Honestly Sue… Madeline can irritate me too, but you seem to be looking really hard to find a fight where I don’t see much of one. Grumpy much?

I agree a decade ago the Cumano type ruled the courses, even the ones who were not so freaky talented as he is (and he can be as catlike and handy as any TB dreamed of). But we all know courses make horses and blood is back in style. I’m still a Sapphire fan through and through, but she isn’t the most delicate flower out there. It’s OK to admit it, you are among friends…

[SueL]

[QUOTE=DMK;5138290]
Honestly Sue… Madeline can irritate me too, but you seem to be looking really hard to find a fight where I don’t see much of one. Grumpy much?

I agree a decade ago the Cumano type ruled the courses, even the ones who were not so freaky talented as he is (and he can be as catlike and handy as any TB dreamed of). But we all know courses make horses and blood is back in style. I’m still a Sapphire fan through and through, but she isn’t the most delicate flower out there. It’s OK to admit it, you are among friends…[/QUOTE]

Very grumpy, I really hate this time of year when the evening lengthens.

Blood is indeed back in style - but not necessarily through the straight Tb lines. Gawd, I sound like Bayhawk (Reece) Whatever…

Madeline comes form the perspective, if it ain’t the 60s it ain’t real. JMHO.

As for the helmet debate - I have no issue with hunter hair (but make
sure your helmet fits and please do your chinstrap right) and if you
don’t want to fuss. Cut it.

Sue

[Madeline]

As you know, Sue, I’m not in the business of showing high level jumpers. What I see now is what I see at the Vt. Summer Festival and on TV. Schooling at home on my free TB with a roach back and a club foot, I am in no way current and showing upper level. I confess to showing L 1 & 2 every few years.

My reply to the slam on TB’s not being able to show above 1 meter is that I saw several last week at the WEG. They were eventers and had already done dressage and 6000+m. of cross country. I can’t find the specs for 4* jump heights, but advanced horse trials go at 1.25m. So that’s a large group of TB’s showing at that level.

Who knew I could get slapped around just for observing that the jumpers were more refined than a decade ago.

Now I’m going to settle in and watch the Teams from WEG.

[SueL]

[QUOTE=Madeline;5139000]
As you know, Sue, I’m not in the business of showing high level jumpers. What I see now is what I see at the Vt. Summer Festival and on TV. Schooling at home on my free TB with a roach back and a club foot, I am in no way current and showing upper level. I confess to showing L 1 & 2 every few years.

My reply to the slam on TB’s not being able to show above 1 meter is that I saw several last week at the WEG. They were eventers and had already done dressage and 6000+m. of cross country. I can’t find the specs for 4* jump heights, but advanced horse trials go at 1.25m. So that’s a large group of TB’s showing at that level.

Who knew I could get slapped around just for observing that the jumpers were more refined than a decade ago.

Now I’m going to settle in and watch the Teams from WEG.[/QUOTE]

Gawdhepme, i am a conformation bitch, but even Sally Sexton remarked on our homebreds’ correct legs… And pretty faces. Her opinion was, if you have to get up at 5 am and feed them, I don’t need a feedsack looking over the stallguard.

I am well aware of the importance of “blood” in the modern show jumper. To be honest, I would like Cruiser with a little more blood. If I was rich, I’d import a sister and breed her to A Fine Romance (my ideal type of TB sporthorse) and get a monstrously talented foal with lots of blood and strength.

Decades ago, there were good horses coming off the track. Sadly, nowadays they race them into the ground, sprinters excel. Not my cup of tea. Sorry if this offends you…