How high should a 17 year old horse jump?

Question

I am starting to loan a horse soon. She is a 16.2hh thoroughbred mare, and ahe is 17. Her owner says that she doesnt seem this old, but I was just wondering how high i should jump her. I'm not going to push her to jump bigger than she can. I have only jumped 2'6", do you think she could manage this?

Answer 1

I'm sure she could manage at least 2'6" if she doesn't have arthritis or any other foot/leg conditions. In fact i wouldn't think twice about jumping her at least 3' if she seems to enjoy it. Have fun!

Answer 2

It all depends on how confident you are with the horse, and how confident she is with you. Her age could be a issue, but 2'6'' isnt really very big for her and so you should have no trouble with this. If she starts to become stiff or refusing to jump, then it may be because you are making her jump to big. As long as she is fit, with good muscle tone, decent feet and generally sound, with no other major ailments or conformation issues you will be fine. You could also give her cod liver oil in her feed and try something like cortaflex, to help her if she gets slightly stiff etc. If you notice her starting to jump differently or playing up or knockin the poles down, then you should go back to smaller fences. A knowledgeable horse person will be able to tell you whether they think your pushing the horse to much etc. Hope this helps and good luck ...

Answer 3

yes

depend if she is stiff or not,

i jumped a 4ft by 5ft spread on my 17 year old the other day,

but he is very athletic.

depends how mobile she is, does she look stiff over smaller jumps. work it out.

Over to You was still competing at 4* eventing at 19 years.

Answer 4

First make sure you get her fit to jump if she is not already. But she should have no problem doing 2'6. We have horses that are nearing 20 that show at 3'6 and have no problem at all. Horses are really in their prime at that 15-20 yr range.

Answer 5

as high as it can da da

its not rockect science

Answer 6

ask the owner what they mostly used her for if she did hunting or cross country and only if she is fit and in good condition for u and the horses safety but if she has the all clear there is no reason dat she can jump dat or even higher

Answer 7

Yes. It all depends on the horse but she is big enough to even jump 3ft but it depends on the horse. If she is used to jumping high it will be no problem but if she is only used to jumping low verticles then you should ease up on her and just work your way up. It should be no problem for her though. Age wont really matter depending on the horse. I ride 15 yr olds and (hes a pony) and we jump 2'6" all the time and sometimes higher. So good luck. i hope you enjoy the horse. And take very good care of her. ;)

Answer 8

Showjumpers go for ages.  Many are still on the professional circuit at 18-20 years old.

My own horse was jumping 5 foot at 19 years of age!

As long as your horse is fit and has jumped before, she will be able to keep jumping.  17 is not too old to worry about.  When she hits 20, ensure you give her supplements to stave off arthritis and joint problems.

Have fun

Answer 9

Wow, lucky you!

It all depends on how fit your mare is. If you are unsure then get a vet to check her over for any signs of joint problems such as arthritis. If she gets an all clear, then start off with some gentle cross poles etc.

Remember that horses can live well into their 30s so your mare really isnt ancient, just starting to grow a bit older. Im sure that if she was an eventer she will love to jump, so you should just go ahead and have fun!

Answer 10

yes i think you should jump 2.8

Answer 11

Well my Welsh Mountain Pony; 11.3HH, is 20 and she can jump 3ft, riding her or in hand, either way

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=6b_aOLErU_...

Answer 12

If the cow jumped over the moon, surely a horse should clear saturn.

Answer 13

As long as she is fit and comfortable then you should be able to jump her as high as you want.  My 17 yr old 13.2 still happily and confidently jumps 3ft plus and we have a 24yr Gelderlander who competes up to 2'9" and thoroughly enjoys it.  As long as she is healthy and hasn't got any injuries you should be fine.  She will let you know if she thinks it is too much.

Answer 14

it depends on her if you notice she seem sore or stiff after jumping higher then dont go any higher, good long warmups are good and good cool downs if you jump higher you could put linament on her muscles and you could talk to the owner and ask her

Answer 15

it depends how fit she is, and her condition- ie are her joints stiff, or does she lack muscle tone? If she is in good condition, fit and healthy, she should be able to be ridden like a normal horse. Use veteran supplements to aid suppleness and condtion if you have any worries =) good luck x

Answer 16

I think that she'll be happy to jump a lot higher if she's used to eventing...my friend bough a 21 year old eventer about 5 years ago and he's still going strong jumping round British Eventing Intermediate height so i think as long as you keep her fit and watch out for any signs of unsoundness...she'll be fine! have fun on her :)