When do you start free jumping?

[Live2Jump]

I've seen a few sites out there with pics of some pretty young looking horses/foals free jumping on them. That surprised me. I'm sure that since every horse matures differently this will vary, but in general, when is it ok to start free-jumping?

[caevent]

The breeding farm where I worked would send the weanlings (in pairs, so they had a buddy) through the chute. First just a pole on the ground, then maybe a 1 foot vertical. They practiced this maybe once or twice before being sent away to the winter pastures. The yearlings would do the same thing, one horse at a time, but going to a 2ft vertical. 2 yr. olds would be jumped maybe 4 or 5 times before winter, the better horses going up to 3' or 3'6". The good 3 yr. olds would be asked to jump quite big (over 4') at the stallion competitions. All in all, I think asking the babies to do these things is no more stressful than the crazy things they do in turnout already. I think it's a great way to slowly teach them how to handle an obstacle, so that they don't think it's a big deal when there's a rider on their back and they're asked to jump a cross rail!:yes:

[goodpony]

The youngest we've put in the chute is our 2.5 year old....he loves to jump on his own (seriously!) so this was a bit of a controlled experiment. he had a blast....we need a bigger chute for him.

[jodyb]

I'm not big on sending youngsters through the chute but this year a potential buyer wanted to see a two year old over a fence. My feeling was, if the fences were built up slowly and low, the repetitions were few, and if the filly was comfortable, I would do it. The filly had a blast, but if she had seemed at all stressed or required too many repetitions to figure it out, I wouldn't do it. I played with another 2 year old over some poles in the chute and it was obvious she would require more reps to figure it out, so I stopped and didn't go on.

Here's a pic of the first 2 year old-

http://pets.webshots.com/photo/2529024960056782497MgunUQ

[Lesley Feakins]

Usually in the fall of their second year. We start off low and encouraging. You can usually see immediately the ones that enjoy jumping and have a real aptitude for it. Others may need some confidence building.

[Jumper Breeder]

I usually set poles out for the foals in the pasture & arena and they play with them - jumping over them and sometimes pouncing on them. I think it helps them figure out where their legs are, etc. We free jump our yearlings 3-4 times a year, usually a small x to a small (2 ft) vertical. We just build gradually each year. By two years old they know exactly what to do and they seem to really enjoy it.

[Bats79]

I've had a 4 year old who loves to free jump playing nanny to an 8 month old colt. The other day they were in the paddock with the jumping lane (open at each end) and were playing tag over the 18 - 24 inch jumps. Round and round and back and forth. Course I didn't have a camera. :)

[diva4ever]

Jasmin (by Ironman out of Miz Yenko) tried jumping her mom at 2 hours...does that count? You throw any Ironman into a place with jumps, they'll jump. We actually have to tear jumps down so they don't jump. Chutes start around 2, depending on the horse.

[busybee]

I don't think sending a baby through a chute one or twice is going to hurt them. I wouldn't do it more then a couple times a year.

[ElegantExpressionsFarm]

I don't think sending a baby through a chute one or twice is going to hurt them. I wouldn't do it more then a couple times a year.

Thats how we do it...haven't had a problem yet...infact, we have a problem stopping them from jumping everything when they are older!!

[dbaygirl]

How high would you free jump a two year old? I haven't free jumped her yet but would like to this Fall. The other day I just happened to witness her flying as light as a butterfly over a HUGE pile of branches all piled on top of each other creating a very wide jump,,,about 12 to 14 feet wide and 2 feet high. It was nothing for her...and so graceful. I was actually quite surprised. She is so graceful, yet loves to charge around and be a tomboy, thus her name, Ruffian. Also, do you just use verticals or do you include oxers? I think she might be quite good at those. :-)

[Sakura Hill Farm]

We free jumped ours as yearlings then again as 2 and 3 year olds . Our initial impessions have been very accurate as far as to attitude, technique and how it translates under saddle: Ahsia rushed a bit but was very quick and athletic . Zorri took her time but was very lofty and had lots of scope and power. Ana was clean, simple, straight forward and smart. We do this once a year unless a. buyer asks. And then again at inspection for Studbook. As for height - we consider that there is no need to go over 4 feet for the two or three year olds on our own. They tell us what we need to know at that height. We use a series of three jumps, the third turning into an oxer to indicate scope. Since we must go away to do this since our jump chute has not yet been constructed, we do our utmost to make sure that we make this a photo op with a good, preferably professional, photographer and videographer.

[okggo]

I wouldn't do it intentionally until 2. But both of my yearlings have free jumped themselves. I had them in our XC pasture at one point and used to watch them canter around the course and over the jumps. Our one yearling will jump ANYTHING, we can put her in the ring, take all the jumps down and leave a stool in there, and she will jump the stool.

Have you ever watched babies run/play? In the field they run, jump, whirl, rear - I don't think they are quite as fragile as we play them to be (suicidal may be a completely different story though ;)).