# Straight legged jumping?



## AQHA Liberty (Apr 18, 2021)

So I have a mare, 8yo quarter horse. I want to do jumping with her, but I’m not sure what she’d be suitable for. I figure her straight-ISH hind legs may affect her. If anyone with experience in this category could look at her back legs, and maybe give an estimate of a jump height, I would MUCH appreciate it!


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I am sorry, but it's just too difficult to judge her fairly from those photos. You need to take better photos, showing her from the side (with camera looking straight at her, neither pointing upward or downward), front ad from rear, 

She appears sickle hocked , but that cannot be ascertained from that photo.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

I don't think you can judge how high a horse will be able to jump from looking at their legs. You just need to start working with a coach or trainer and pop your horse over some low jumps, then build from there. Some horses have great conformation for jumping, but hate it. Others don't look like they would be great jumpers, and yet they surprise everyone. I've seen little ponies jump higher than some horses, and I've seen warmbloods knock down every rail. 

The photos aren't very useful either I'm afraid, but if you want to jump, then you just have to try. Have you jumped before? If not, you should learn to jump on an experienced jumper before asking your horse to jump. It is easy to get behind the motion if you aren't a skilled jumper, and that will affect your horse's balance, which, even if it doesn't end in one of you getting injured, might make it a bad experience for your horse. You can ask someone who is a skilled jumper to try taking your horse over some cross rails or cavalettis. But it's better to start by doing some pole work so your horse learns where to put his feet so again, find a jump coach who is willing to work with you, or a trainer willing to work with your horse. You won't know until you try.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

What are your jumping goals? Jumping higher and faster in a timed round? Nearly any horse can jump. A vet could assess your horse's conformation to give an opinion on how well she can stand up to any jumping without undue stress on joints. Some horses with certain conformation of their legs shouldn't be jumped because it would be too stressful on joints and have a high risk of injuring legs. How high a horse can jump (comfortably) can be related to angle of shoulder rather than legs. Some horses just have it in them to jump high no matter their size or conformation because they like it.

Hunter and equitation classes emphasize form rather than height of jump and speed. There are classes to compete in with very low jumps, so no matter what her maximum jumping height turns out to be, you can probably still have fun.


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## AQHA Liberty (Apr 18, 2021)

I was just using the photos that I could find, and sadly I don’t have many more. I have done jumping, and she has done small fences, I just don’t want to push the limits.


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## Whinnie (Aug 9, 2015)

I was just using the photos that I could find, and sadly I don’t have many more. I have done jumping, and she has done small fences, I just don’t want to push the limits.
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I stand by my previous advice, that maybe a vet who treats jumpers can give you an answer.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

I think that with regards to conformation of the horse affecting jumping ability, I think the angle of the upper arm bone (the humurus) is more important.. If it is 'flat', i.e. more parallel to the ground, it becomes harder for the horse to lift the leg up when jumping, and you get a hrose that jumps with the legs hanging down ,and apt to catch on the jump. Your horse may have a bit of that type of conformation But, you overcome that by not letting the horse jump lazily or not paying attention.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

So much of a answer is depending upon you and your ability to help the horse by you knowing the basics of body use, how to find and count strides for her size..
Your horse needs to know how to set herself up to lift off the ground and you need to know how to set her up, then stay out of her way as she learns...that is not anything against you nor inferring anything..
But the horse needs to learn all the steps from cavaletti to bounces, to cross-rails to straight rail, oxer, spreads, graduated heights and how to get in and get out of tighter distances before you can ever think to go high..
I've seen a small 11 - 12 hand pony clear 3' fences because the animal had a rider who worked with the pony, the pony was athletic and had heart...
I've also seen a 16 hand gorgeous hunter horse you would expect to clear everything crash and dump every fence because they did not know how to use their body correctly.

Start with basics and teach the horse before you try to go high, to go right.....
The rest is up to the horses ability we can not tell from one picture...
🐴...


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Find a reputable trainer to work with. You need eyes on the ground not far distant internet advisors that do not know you or your horse.


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