Standardbreds as jumpers?

I think it depends on the specific horse and their tendencies and exposure to gaited trots. A friend of mine jumped a Standardbred and her one complaint was because of his high head carriage he would sometimes bop her in the face when popping over a jump. Another friend of mine had a Standardbred as her jumping horse and he was just spooky and had uneven knees or stretch over the jump but he was a decent jumper.

Just sold our Standy Pacer Gelding. He had springs in his feet! He was high and tight and brave. I jumped him 3’6 - 3’9" and he was only 15.1. He had a good canter, but sometimes would pace during jumper classes but it never caused a problem he jumped just as well from the pace as he did a canter. It often confused people at the show as he wasn’t freeze branded he had a lip tattoo bc his brand did not take. He was fast over the ground as well and could turn on a dime.

The one and only thing I would check for if you are planning on showing in rated shows is that the horse has no freeze firing done on his/her tendons or hocks etc as that is illegal in Hunter/Jumpers at rated shows.

Love my Standardbreds, I have my Pacing stallion doing dressage now and he is coming along brilliantly!

The original post is from 2012, but I take any opportunity to say the Standardbred is a versatile, talented breed. My guy jumped well and had the heart and mind to be the perfect amateur owners horse. I’d take a million like him.

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never heard that before and known horses with pretty marked up legs that competed (but I am in Canada and haven’t been involved in sanctioned h/j for quite a few years) - is that a new rule?

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What? I’ve never heard of this. Is this for classes that require a jog? So no OTTB’s with old, healed pinfires can be in those classes?

This doesn’t seem right to me. I’ve never shown in classes that require a jog but I don’t see how they could even prove it unless they inspected the horses close up?

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Eh GAWD I hate that part of horse shopping. It’s like, ā€œHi, I have this pile of money I’m thinking about giving to you. All I need you to do is answer a question, or take a couple of confirmation shots, or ANSWER A G-D EMAIL!ā€ If you didn’t want to sell the horse, why did you write an add??

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A good read: http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/tbt-bionic-woman-no-canter-big-jump

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I know those two! Laura is a good friend; I boarded my horse at her place for a while when I first started grad school. Sadly, the mare had to be euthanized recently due to complications of her advanced age. :frowning:

Small world.

It is quite possible rules have changed, But a good friend of mine had an OTTB with pin firing and she was told by her trainer as well that she couldn’t show any rated shows, so she only showed him jumpers at unrated shows.

I definitely could be wrong - happens all the time :rolleyes: but from what I know it is not allowed…

I think I will head over to USEF website and ask…

And sorry for bumping up the post I didn’t realize it was from 2012

LOL, it’s OK, it happens all the time :wink:

But yea, if you find out about that rule, give us an update! I’m curious.

That is a great video. Beautiful mare and Susie is as tight as a tick, what a great leg that woman had.

I’ve known a few, and have made a judgement that works for me.

Most are sound, sane, and tough horses and can be quite attractive. But they have been specifically bred NOT for their canter quality. Some CAN canter adequately, but not great. Some CAN jump, and some can have decent style when jumping. BUT, as the jumps get bigger, and the strain goes on that requires an outstanding quality of canter, things start to go wrong for a Standardbred. Because the quality of canter just isn’t there. So they can be OK for low level jumping competition, up to 3’ or so, if you get a good one. But when things get bigger, wider, and in combination, they do not excel.

Many decades ago, I had a friend who rode a half Standardbred in the jumpers. In some bigger classes too, 4’6" courses. And she could jump, no doubt. But that horse ā€œcartwheeledā€ twice, two separate times over jumps, near death experiences for both horse and rider each time. In both cases, when the horse had to jump one BIG jump, take one stride, and jump another BIG jump, she could not do it. And at that point, she would struggle and swim in the air, her canter was not good enough under pressure like that. That ā€œpaceā€ is bred into them, and it comes to light under pressure, and they can’t jump from a pace. Not safely, anyway. The quality of the canter is what makes a great jumper, and a safe jumper.

So as a school horse, or lower level jumping, they do have some positive aspects, if you get a good one. But as a jumper prospect for a rider hoping to actually show in some substantial jumper classes, they would not be my choice, even if they looked the part physically, and showed good form over a jump. Because that pace gait is still there, whether it shows or not most of the time.

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I have watched standies play in turnout and sometimes when they are cantering there is still something pacey about the canter. It’s a different kind of irregularity than the 4 beat Western pleasure canter error.hard to explain but on one side both legs are moving a bit too much in unison. I think the outside not the leading side. Subtle but there.

I admit I haven’t had a chance to work with STBs, but I really think they need somebody that understands good flatwork and knows how to train a horse to use themselves. In racing they train and race very straight and their backs are stiff so retraining requires the ability to completely change their muscles and how they use themselves.

I have seen a few that were retrained and were very nice, but even more than a TB, they need time and correct riding to get there.