I am currently on the hunt for a new lesson horse for my program, (we just lost our older TB due to spinal compression) and I am noticing all of these 3y/o horses being sold for large amounts of money because of the fabulous careers they already have…
Usually they are jumpers. Is this a normal thing?? I mean i know racehorses start training almost right out of the womb (which is no good too) but I mean do they really jump the piss out of these horses like that? I guess, I just feel that later is better… Thoughts?
Talented horses don’t need to “jump the piss out of them” to be show ring ready. Assuming they are showing in small/young horse classes?
Not what I would do, but I wouldn’t assume these horses have done a tonne just because they are showing.
But 3 yo that are jumping, I’d pass on principle. :no:
At that age they should not have more than a few in-hand/material class under their belt.
Really effed up world, chasing the youngons out into the world as soon as they walk, but having pasture puffs that hang around until their 30s…
I don’t see why talent would override whats best for a horses development. Unless I’m grossly misinformed about when their bodies are fully developed.
[QUOTE=CHT;8227935]
Talented horses don’t need to “jump the piss out of them” to be show ring ready. Assuming they are showing in small/young horse classes?
Not what I would do, but I wouldn’t assume these horses have done a tonne just because they are showing.[/QUOTE]
For me, the issue isn’t whether or not the 3 year olds have been jumped “a ton,” the issue is that they’ve been jumped at all.
Unless those fabulous show careers have been in the cross-rails division… 
I agree that 3 is to young. At that stage, especially in a thoroughbred, they are still growing and I believe there bones have not set yet. I bought a 3 year old Arabian and didn’t start jumping 18" till he was 4 years old. We also had the vet out to approve that he was OK to jump. I would steer clear of those horses or DEFINITELY do a vet check before you pay for the horse. Sorry on your loss. Good Luck!
A three year old already an open jumper is a disaster area waiting to happen, and has been trained and ridden by an uneducated unintelligent person.
There!!! Not one one pejorative word in that sentence.
A three year old already an open jumper is a disaster area waiting to happen, and has been trained and ridden by an uneducated unintelligent person.
There!!! Not one one pejorative word in that sentence.
Hm. Perhaps it is a regional thing? I peruse the ads in my area quite frequently as I’m beginning the search for my next horse, and the only 3 year old horses under saddle in our area are western discipline ones. If a horse is jumping at 3 locally, it is perhaps sent thru a chute once or twice and that’s it. Can you link some ads so we can see what you mean??
Very hard for a jumper to have had a “fabulous career” by age three when the young jumper classes start at age five. 
Would love to see all of these ads. :rolleyes:
Yeah, I am a bit skeptical, too.
That said, I have friends with 2 year olds who are getting a lot of pressure to get them under saddle already… Why wait? seems to be the thing. I am expecting to get a little bit of this pressure with my filly, next year when she is 2.
IMHO the folks on the “why wait?” side seem to have an endless string of youngsters coming their way, so if a horse is wrecked by the time it’s 6 years old, heck there’s ten 2 year olds available cheap to take its place.
[QUOTE=shamumu14;8228278]
I agree that 3 is to young. At that stage, especially in a thoroughbred, they are still growing and I believe there bones have not set yet. I bought a 3 year old Arabian and didn’t start jumping 18" till he was 4 years old. We also had the vet out to approve that he was OK to jump. I would steer clear of those horses or DEFINITELY do a vet check before you pay for the horse. Sorry on your loss. Good Luck![/QUOTE]
shamumu14, you have the best signature line on all COTH. Did me good to see it tonight. :encouragement:
I am curious about these ads as well - and would like to see one. No ads around here for 3 yr old jumpers with lengthy resumes…
Maybe 3 years old is a bit of an exaggeration, but I’ve seen four and five years olds advertised for sale that are “starting to put together 3’ courses”. So I get what the OP is saying.
Thank you RPM! I believe my signature with all my heart <3!!!
[QUOTE=tuckawayfarm;8228619]
Very hard for a jumper to have had a “fabulous career” by age three when the young jumper classes start at age five.
Would love to see all of these ads. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
This. Jumper development classes start at 4 or 5, and the jumps are tiny. So not sure how a 3 year old could have extensive experience competing in the jumpers. I actually think that there are rules prohibiting a horse under 4 from competing if memory serves (but don’t quote me as I am not near a rule book and too lazy to look it up). I’m sure someone will correct me if I am wrong :).
There’s a world of difference between rated shows with extensive rulebooks and local shows, which are the common playground of the masses.
I feel like my 7 year old OTTB is just now mature enough to be able to help himself over the jumps. He raced HARD from 4-7, but even if I had gotten him as a 4 year old, I feel like we wouldn’t have started jumping until 6 or 7. My last project mare wasn’t jumping past crossrails until she turned 6. I feel like slow and steady is just the best formula…their minds aren’t rushed, their bodies aren’t rushed, they have several years of flat work under their belt to be able to better carry themselves first.
[QUOTE=merrygoround;8228334]
A three year old already an open jumper is a disaster area waiting to happen, and has been trained and ridden by an uneducated unintelligent person.
There!!! Not one one pejorative word in that sentence.:D[/QUOTE]
This^!!! I “rescued” my big guy at 4 from a large H/J barn that had overjumped him so much that he cracked his splint bones and shut down.
Lots of vet treatments, rehab & a few years later he is lovely and sound.
Why do people do this? Ans: $$, then when the $$ aren’t there they throw the horse on the scrap heap…
[QUOTE=NoSuchPerson;8229181]
There’s a world of difference between rated shows with extensive rulebooks and local shows, which are the common playground of the masses.[/QUOTE]
Perhaps, but I wouldn’t associate local shows with “large amounts of money” and “fabulous careers” as described in the OP.
