Oh gotcha. I would also like to point of that i’d never jump him 6 ft+, even if he still could. Thats just a bit much for me lol. The highest i’ve gotten on him was maybe? a few centimeters under 5 ft, and this was when I first tried him a year ago. He did 6ft ages ago in Germany, so I think those days might be behind him.
Thank you for the knowledge!
Aww thank you, but he has jumped 6 ft in his previous life overseas. I might need to go back and see if I worded incorrectly, as I do that a lot. I need to clarify that I would personally never jump/ even think about showing him that height, that was just to show his experience and what he once was. Honestly, I would just be happy going around a consistent 4’6 class, I don’t need to go higher 
^Which might hinder my plans to qualify for anything big, but thats an L i’m happy to take!
I’m not sure where this came from (probably my horrible spelling and wording) but I am very inexperienced and don’t know the levels/heights of anything in the show jumping world, just the Eventing world. I’d never show or jump him 6ft, I just included that to show his past experience and talent
I would defiantly not expect to go all ‘FEI Superstar’, I was just curious and had no knowledge on the heights haha
Yeah, it’s a perfect time to get into better shape and a better mindset, but horrible for the actual execution of wanting to show/progress. Wish times were different, but that’s just life!
Is the horse an experience Sjer or eventer? Jumping into water and jumping open water are very, very different. Most eventers would need significant training to learn to jump open water opposed to jump into it.
Do you have any videos to share? Might give us a better idea of how realistic this goal is.
Why can’t you talk to one of the many trainers you have about this? They would know best.
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I think people are getting hung up on this hypothetical 6’ thing, and while I think the skepticism is warranted, OP really doesn’t strike me as the typical teenager posting with black stallion syndrome. They seem very open to our suggestions and comments about other goals, rather than getting argumentative, and I think it’s commendable.
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I will be talking with my trainers, I was just trying to see what others who have no connection or bias to me would see/ think about my goals.
He is experienced in both, but i’ve only done liverpools so the big ‘issue’ here is kinda me. He’s a out of practice jumping open water, but we go cross country schooling every two weeks, so while I will have my trainer work with him with open water again, i’m not sure if I will need to as i’m not really looking towards any FEI events within the current year.
I will try and find some videos of him over in Germany, and put a few of myself and him up!
Thank you for the advice
Thank you for helping me, but looking back I think I may be the issue. When I mentioned him jumping 6’ in Europe, I meant that he has that experience/talent/scope, and his breeders over there were jumping him that height. I think everyone got confused, myself included, that he was showing that height. To my knowledge, he didn’t (and apparently there are no classes that height) he’s just been jumped at home courses that height in his younger years
I should have been clearer and more specific, my bad!
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I am not understanding how XC schooling and jumping open water go together, if anything XC schooling water will hurt jumping the open water. I would refrain from XC schooling water if you plan on doing the big jumpers.
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@kitequestrian may I ask what prompted such a sudden change of heart? It is a very large leap from having no competitive drive/desire to wanting to win at the very highest level. Are you a competitive person in other aspects of your life?
Realistically, you will not win right away against the people who have been showing 20 weeks a year since they were 8. Being a talented rider is not enough to be successful. There are many challenges unique to show environment that take a long time to master. Things like how to manage your horse without turnout? What warm up routine/prep does he need? How many courses can he jump in a week? Can you remember your courses under pressure? Just to name a few…
I have no doubt you can learn these things, but it will take time and experience. I would suggest that you just go to a few shows (when it is safe to do so…) with no expectations. Get an idea of where you are starting from, and adjust your goals from there.
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this girl has dreams and was asking for advice, not to be put down and told it’s basically impossible. how about a little encouragement?
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I agree with others who say if you want to do show jumping stay away from Cross Country schooling for water.
If you want to aim for the show ring starting with schooling shows this coming winter, now is the time to discuss with your trainers and arrange training and schooling sessions that force you to ride competition rounds. It is a mindset that needs to be practiced.
Course is set up, you walk with ( or without) trainer and learn how to evaluate a course. You get on, warm up away from the " show ring" and off you go. No do overs, cold turkey. This progresses to riding a course then immediately riding the jump off round, if you qualify. Coach is silent, no calling directions and corrections. Course is a piece of paper with lines and track nailed to a board or post.
This may take some doing on the barns part and I wonder if it could turn in to a fun activity involving the other riders at the barn. It should be easy enough to follow social distancing in most of this activity. I would expect to pay a bit more for this situation.
But start with one on one training of the competitive round experience.
and as far as dressage is concerned, it is the foundation of all you do. While you are now riding an old-timer, proper flat work will be vital for any young horse you have in the future, More success in the jumper ring will be gained by proper flat work ; athletic conditioning, balance responsiveness, and efficiency of movement. Drilling fences is not the route to successful , long term partnership.
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Tangentially related to the OP’s original question so thought I’d mention it. @kitequestrian , something else to keep in mind is how you’re going to prepare your horse to be fit enough to do what you’re asking. Having showed a senior citizen in the bigger classes, I can tell you that as they get older, it takes longer to get that fitness back and it’s easier for them to lose it than a younger horse. It just means that you have to take that into account when we’re able to start thinking about horse shows again, and come up with a fitness plan for your horse (and you!) so that you both have the stamina you’ll need. If you have access to hills, they’re a great way to do this - first with walking them, then doing some trotting, and eventually cantering/galloping up them. If you don’t, you can do intervals in the ring or something similar. Eventers certainly need to have their horses fit, so I’m sure your trainer would be able to help out with coming up with a plan for your horse.
Similarly, with the older guys, being in a 10x10 stall 23 hours a day at a show can be really tough on them. When you’re at that point, I’d plan on getting him out and handwalked/grazed a lot to keep him loose and happy. This is true regardless of what height you’re jumping.
You’re welcome to PM me if you want. I showed my mare in the 1.40m-1.50m classes until she was 20 I did NOT go to Young Riders - the year I qualified and was going to go, she developed a hoof abscess and that was the end of that goal since it was my last year of eligibility, but I had a lot of fun even without that experience.
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because like you said she asked for advice. That means honesty.
There is time for blind encouragement and there is time for reality. Right now we need more info to determine what is realistic here.
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IMHO, OP has gotten amazing advice, that was kind and realistic and honest. Sometimes the responses you get here aren’t what you wanted to hear, but I think if you listen carefully, what there is, is information that will help OP ask the right questions of herself, her professionals, and her parents that would better help her to reach her goal, a goal that is challenging enough that she won’t have much time for missteps.
If she resurveys her situation and decides that this isn’t the right goal for her, better to learn that now while she still has her resources to aim at different goals, rather than to start down a path that is not what she expected. If this information helps her get to the championships, then that is amazing too. There is a lot shared here that I don’t think is obvious, even the parts about managing an older horse for a long term seasonal showing goal.
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To clarify on the open water thing OP, open water is basically a longer liverpool (without a large fence over it, hence the “open”) that you’re expected to jump all the way over and not touch. Other posters are correct in saying that it’s very difficult for eventers to learn how to jump them, as they’re taught all their life to jump into water.
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Out of curiosity, when you qualify for NAYC, do you compete on a team or individually? Can you chose or if you want to compete with a team, do you qualify with a team?
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Each Region/Area sends a team, which is composed of the top qualifiers from designated competitions.
If a Region/Area doesn’t field enough qualified riders to make up a team, riders from different Regions/Areas can be put together as a combined team.
NAYC is primarily a team competition, but individual medals are also awarded.
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For OP, who says she comes from a Racing family, try thinking of it this way keeping in mind the way to advance to YR in either SJ or Eventing is based on actual competition results. Plus being the correct age and that clock is ticking.
What you are asking is like asking if galloping racehorses In the morning on your home track for years means its a reasonable goal to become a jockey and landing a mount in the 2021 3 year old Classics or Breeders Cup. Not an unreachable long range goal and neither is elite level SJ or Eventing,long term. In the next year, probably not.
Ambitions and dreams are fine and directing them at attainable goals is a better road to head down. Why not aim at putting your ambition and your folks money getting some competition mileage and getting started up the ladder from Children’s Jumpers learning rules, courses, jump offs and mastering the clock ( which dooms even clean rounds) ? If you catch on quick, you can possibly be ready for Junior Jumpers and small GPs by next year. Maybe you will be a star by next spring, especially if you can step up to National level competition on the Florida circuits. See where you are then and thats where you will need to be before being considered for YR.
The Big issue here is the eligibility time limit. It can be done but a 1year time limit to go from never showing to a top ranked Junior Jumper? Why not adjust your goals to something you can continue to work towards after next year?
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I see what you’re saying, and I totally agree. It would definitely be very confusing for him if I had him jumping over water one day, but then jumping into it the next. Thank you for bringing this forwards!
