So I found this horse with an amazing canter. I have been told that an amazing canter is very important for assessing a horses jumping ability. If they have the canter they can learn to use their bodies correctly over a fence. So this horse is extremely green. They just broke him and they free jumped him over just a pole with a tall vertical. His form isn’t gorgeous. So they tried the next day to jump him over some low jumps with one big one. Its his first time jumping. He sometimes brings his knees up fine and sometimes is a bit dangly. They are running him at the fences with a huge canter that is balanced but really huge.
I love the horse. And he looks like he could do big time jumping. He has so much scope and very well bred. The one big jump he jumped looked effortless for him. But I am wondering if the form can be improved with gymnastics and strengthening work. He is just barely broke. But his canter is very naturally balanced, huge and beautiful! And the price is right.
Any thoughts?
Are you looking at this horse as a Hunter or as a Jumper? I’d worry less about front end style on a Jumper, and look at how the horse was using it’s body, and it’s general athleticism and scope. For a Hunter, I might look more at how tidy it was with it’s front end, but it also depends on what you’re calling “dangly”–just a bit loose below, or hanging a leg?
I’d also take into consideration how well the grid was set the horse was going through. You also want to look at how well the horse appeared to figure out what was being asked of it. And the age of the horse–some of the big guys with big canters take a while to figure out how to balance themselves, especially when they’re in a growth phase, so I might take that into consideration too, if watching a video of a green 2YO WB versus a green 5YO OTTB.
Define ‘amazing canter’. How old is he? What is his hind end doing? I think a tall vertical is going to bring out poor form. I also don’t think free jumping isn’t a great assessment if they don’t know what they are doing. If he gets it right sometimes, then he can jump well. It’s always a crap shoot with young horses.
It definitely takes time for any horse just learning to jump to perfect their form but even more so with a horse that was just broke. He probably isn’t very fit and just doesn’t have the muscle strength for a perfect form over a jump. Also a tall vertical is a very difficult fence for a horse to jump so as midge said your not going to see great form over it.
If the price is right and the basics are there go for it. He may turn out to be that horse of a lifetime or he may not. Its always a bit of a gamble with a young horse
So he has a huge stride and really reaches with his joints. Really reaches underneath himself and he just looks so fluid. He just got broke. He is 5yo just out of the field. He is also very light off the ground. Just everything about his way of going seems light and elegant. I wanted to do hunters and equitation. But not big time hunters. I can’t afford that. Just local hunters and equitation. I could do jumpers if he didn’t work out. But hoping that he could improve in his form. He does not hang his legs. They just dangle. More like he folds but then comes loose before he drops to the ground.
the price is very right! he is a very well bred warmblood and I do think he could do big time jumpers. but of course I want to do small time hunters! LOL I have been looking and I am just not finding what I love until this guy came along and now I cant stop thinking about him.
Pictures or links? to see the horse
Its great that he’s 5 and just being broke! I think a lot of people break horses too young and start them working and jumping too young. Myself included. If I could have done it over I would have waited until 5 to start jumping. Sounds like you should go for it! It will take about a year for him to perfect his form but he’ll get there. Its important during this time to stay out of his way and let him figure it out
A picture/video of him moving and jumping would really help. It’s very hard to tell based on description alone! It’s definitely a crap shoot with a young horse, you just never know what you’re going to get. My guy was always a lovely mover and very balanced naturally from day 1 (broke to ride at 4) BUT as a youngster, nothing screamed fantastic jumper (he’d just sort of canter over jumps and through a shoot would usually knock the rails down…I figure that’s why the breeder gave him to me LOL)
BUT…he was safe, and everyone figured “maybe” I’d get a decent 3ft hunter tops out of him. Fast forward to today (he’s now 8) and after some setbacks and a lot of growing up and maturing, he’s turned into a fantastic hunter…really picks up his front end, has discovered that he can use himself properly over fences. Some of them, just don’t do the “overtry” at a young age and mature extremely well BUT sometimes they don’t!
What it really comes down to, is can you be happy and live with him if he doesn’t turn into what you’re hoping…me, I was just hoping for safe and something I could have a bit of fun on…it’s turned out better than I ever hoped!
Yes, form can be greatly improved with increasing muscle and utilizing gymnastics exercises.
Quite normal, for a young new jumper to start unfolding too soon. Nothing a good wide square oxer gymnastic(in the future) can’t help.
an update for all those who offered advice! I bought the horse!!! I had told the owner I did not want him because his form was not good enough and the owner worked with him for a week and lunged him over a 2.3ft jump with a placing pole and his form dramatically improved. he is pretty cute! what a difference in form from him just running at a jump free jumping. he really brings his knees up! the horse is very unfit though. a big gangly type horse but so far is very sweet! and seems easy peasy! excited to work with this fella!
