How to Teach Your Horse to Jump

Unless it has a physical impairment, any horse can jump; you have probably seen them do it running and playing in a pasture. Just like human athletes, however, other factors come into play, such as conformation suited for jumping, natural talent, mental toughness and a desire to jump. If your horse likes jumping but will never be a high-level jumping athlete, you can still have fun recreationally or even at local hunter and jumper shows.

Things You'll Need

  • Wood or PVC ground poles or cavalettis
  • Jump standards and poles
  • Lungeline
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Teach your horse to free jump. Create a chute in your arena by using the rail, and then use jump standards and poles or a portable fence to create a rail on the other side. Start with at least two or three poles or cavalettis, and trot your horse in-hand through the chute so it gets the idea. Raise a cavaletti and when your horse is comfortable, raise the last two or three jumps so the final jump is the highest. You can do this periodically through its training with a bigger and wider fence set as the last jump.

    • 2
      Trotting over ground poles is a can be a prelude to jumping.

      Ride your horse over ground poles. If it is not yet started under saddle, then lunge it over the ground poles. Start at the walk and then progress to the trot and canter until your horse is confident going over them. You can then set ground poles around the arena and ask it to trot and then canter over them. This also encourages your horse to pick up its feet, helps its balance and builds up its hindquarters -- all important for jumping.

    • 3

      Set up three to five ground poles on the long side of the arena about 5 feet apart so your horse can trot comfortably through them. Use a loose, relaxed rein. Then put up one side of the last pole on a block or jump standard. Ask your horse to trot or jump over this, and then halt immediately after. When your horse starts trotting over this relaxed and straight, you can ask it to canter out, and then halt.

    • 4

      Set up a jumping grid. This is like your free-jumping chute except now your horse has a rider to balance. Young horses in particular do not have the balance necessary to canter through long jumping lines, so gridwork is beneficial for their strength and balance. Set a trot pole 9 feet before a 2-foot crossrail, and a slightly higher fence about 30 feet after that. When you and your horse comfortably ride this, make the last jump wider.

    • 5
      Your horse will soon be progressing to crossrails and small jumps.

      Set up a course around the arena of ground poles, small crossrails and small fences. You can have lines plus one or two along the diagonal. Let your horse trot these jumps on a relaxed or loose rein. Post over the poles and stay in your two point over the jumps. You can halt over each jump and then trot on to the next one. If you canter out, bring your horse back to the trot and proceed to the next jump. Do this until your horse is comfortable. Then you can begin cantering a small course.