# What do you think of this foal's jumping ability?



## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Wow...that foal can jump. She looks really nice going over them


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## ShutUpJoe (Nov 10, 2009)

She's a really good mover.


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## victorialicious7 (Jan 22, 2011)

I'm not the one to critique foals but I can tell that she has a natural ability to jump for sure, even though most foals can. But there is just something about her form and everything and she seems like she might have a bright future!


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

Excellent mover, great form for such a youngster!


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## twogeldings (Aug 11, 2008)

Looks like you got a jumper on your hands 

Of course, you'll want to be careful about jumping before five at the least :wink: Don't want to wear down those joints before their finished growing!


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I think it's really a shame that people ask foals to jump. Yes, they run around like maniacs at times, and yes they find ways to hurt themselves, even if we were to bubblewrap them... but why on Earth would somone jump a 4 month old foal? It's strain on their limbs that they don't need. They don't know how to judge distance, not in the least - they're still in a gangly stage, learning where their feet are and how their legs work. They still get tangled up on their own feet. Why on Earth would anyone put them through even a semblance of a chute? 
I can understand 2 and 3 year olds chute jumped once in a blue moon... they are more coordinated, and some sellers look at the movement and shape of the jump... but you CANNOT look at a 4 month old foal over a jump and judge ANYTHING. Of course they're going to overjump, but you cannot tell a single thing about form that young. 
Beyond that, I wouldn't touch a foal jumped that young with a ten foot pole.


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## horseloverd2 (Jan 23, 2009)

I have to say I agree with JustDressageIt. You can't really tell how a horse is going to jump when they're so young. She looks great now, yeah, but that could change in a few years. 

And, I don't know much about foals since I never raised one, but I don't think her legs are going to get much longer anyway. They will get more muscle, maybe slightly longer/taller, but not in comparison to the rest of her body. She has so little to lift now. Though I know you didn't make your horse jump this high, check out this video:






With their long legs and tiny bodies, I can imagine most foals are great jumpers.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

That video makes me cringe. Why put a foal's legs through that?! It disgusts me. There is a reason children aren't subjected to rigorous exercise... growth plate damage. One would think humans could see the potential for damage for a foal.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Jumping a few small jumps a couple times isn't going to hurt the foal.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

Why risk the damage? And why do it in general, other than to say "look at my little foal jumping!!" You can't discern a horse's jumping ability over a jump that small regardless, and putting a foal over anything of respectable size is, quite frankly, stupid. So it begs the question: why bother? Why risk tendon, ligament and growth plate damage for a video? 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

If you don't want to risk damage. Then might as well keep the foal in a stall for it's whole life and never let it do anything. 

I don't think anything is wrong with letting a foal jump a little. People do it a lot. It's really common, every foal that free jumps doesn't have damage.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

I said in my original post that a foal has the potential to injure itself practically on air - any horse does. My point is it's one thing to walk through a thunderstorm, it's another thing entirely to walk through a thunderstorm waving a metal golf club above your head. 
Why on Earth would anyone risk a foal's legs UNNECESSARILY for a video? Why risk it? There are so many reasons NOT to do it.... I can't think of a single reason a person could argue that it's a good practice. The excuse "everyone does it" isn't a good argument - before I started parousong YouTube, I had never heard of anyone free jumping a young foal. Not everyone does it. Just because some do, doesn't make it okay.
A lot of people do a lot of stupid, abusive things to their animals every day - does that make it right? 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Ok calm down. You think it's wrong. I don't. It's not the end of the world. But saying it's abuse, to me, it's a stretch.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## horseloverd2 (Jan 23, 2009)

I don't really see the harm that could be done to the first foal (by the original poster). A few small jumps probably wouldn't hurt, but too much sure could. I mostly agree that you can't see how she is going to jump by her form now. She's so young.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

I'm sorry, I'm with JDI on this one. 

Since there is absolutely nothing to be gained from this practice, other than posted a YouTube video, and the potential for harm, why do it?

Do I think the OP harmed the foal in the first video? No, I doubt it. But I think it shows questionable judgement to attempt it, and again WHY? There is no upside and there is potential for harm. 

The second video made be cringe as well. The potential for that baby to have joint problems later in life because of damage to the growth plates is VERY real.


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## lilkitty90 (Nov 11, 2009)

i don't see such wrong with it. not if she was jumpign the foal 2 times a week like this... then yeah soemthing would definitely be wrong.. but foals jump around more then that out in the pasture on their own. THAT puts wear and tear on the legs and joints jsut as much. but i fyou wanna get into that whole debate, then no one would ride horses until they are 6-8 because thats when their back joints fuse!


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## HowClever (Feb 16, 2010)

Also agree with JDI and Maura. Seems pointless and reckless to me.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

There is a difference between foals romping in a paddock on their own and forced exercise. This is forced exercise. There are reasons most responsible vets do not recommend any forced exercise, including lunging, before two years of age and it has to do with the growth plates in the ankle and knee being soft and highly suspectible to damage. 

The reason TBs trained for the track have such a high incidence of bone chips and related joint problems is exactly that - forced exercise before the growth plates close. 

And again, there is absolutely no good reason for anyone to jump a foal - none - other than to post what they think is a cute video. The risk/benefit equation just doesn't work for me on this one. 

For those of you who believe this is not that bad or potentially dangerous, please find a vet or other experienced medical professional to back up that opinion.


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## apachiedragon (Apr 19, 2008)

And also, how do you know it isn't something they do with the foal to excess? You have no way of knowing if this was a one time thing, or if they do it every other day. 

There is no point to risking something just because it's cute, or because someone else does it. All it takes is one tumble, one bad spill, or one awkward landing and you'd regret it forever more. Is that really worth the chance to make a cute video? I don't think it is. Foals are cute enough being foals. Save the work for when they are old enough to handle it properly.


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## JustDressageIt (Oct 4, 2007)

maura said:


> There is a difference between foals romping in a paddock on their own and forced exercise. This is forced exercise. There are reasons most responsible vets do not recommend any forced exercise, including lunging, before two years of age and it has to do with the growth plates in the ankle and knee being soft and highly suspectible to damage.
> 
> The reason TBs trained for the track have such a high incidence of bone chips and related joint problems is exactly that - forced exercise before the growth plates close.
> 
> ...


Great post. Agreed.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## kassyrose (Oct 3, 2010)

The majority of foals will jump over whatever their Mum does and not understand the damage they could cause themselves. I agree (however not in such an extreme manner) with JustDressageIt. She's nothing special, yet!


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## Marlea Warlea (Apr 27, 2010)

your foal definatly has a bright future in jumping!!!


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

ErikaLynn said:


> If you don't want to risk damage. Then might as well keep the foal in a stall for it's whole life and never let it do anything.
> 
> I don't think anything is wrong with letting a foal jump a little. *People do it a lot. It's really common,* every foal that free jumps doesn't have damage.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Just because it is common and people do it a lot does not make it good or right. A lot of people text while driving or speed... and (at least where I live) neither is good. 

I used to say to my Mom when I wanted to do something, "but MOOoooommmmmm, EVERYONE is doing it." Her curt reply was, "YOU are NOT everyone." 

How a foal moves and looks may give some indication of what the foal will move like and look like as an adult, but nothing is written in stone. I have seem the lovliest baby horse turn into something much less desirable. Jumping a foal.. or any horse under the age of 4.. is, IMO, trouble. 

Not good for joints. Not good for bones. Not good if the foal mis-steps and has a wreck as it puts in that little sponge like mind that jumping can = getting or being hurt. 

WHY, for heaven's sake, do it? A little more time trimming the weeds in that paddock and sprucing up the fences would be far more beneficial than making a Video of a baby jumping. 



Marlea Warlea said:


> your foal definatly has a bright future in jumping!!!


Not if she keeps jumping him as a foal! And really.. foals change hugely.. so maybe NOT. 

Back in the dinosaur days of training when NO one did Dressage.. when it was considered "boring" I was doing dressage. I liked it. And while I did dressage I saw a LOT of horses being jumped as 2 and 3 year olds.. who were lamed and useless by the age of 10. Everything was "jump jump jump" and I would say.. "but most of the time on course the horse is on the flat! Don't you want to get that part right first?" I was just a 15 year old kid so I was dismissed. 

I think today there is more interest in preserving a horse's soundness (mental and physical) and a lot more interest in getting a horse balanced and ready to jump before jumping him.

I saw the title of this post and I was somewhat taken aback. I never heard of anyone jumping a foal intentionally.


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## sarahver (Apr 9, 2010)

Elana said:


> I saw the title of this post and I was somewhat taken aback. I never heard of anyone jumping a foal intentionally.


Agreed.

I don't want to go into the dangers as I think that others have covered those points accurately and comprehensively.

Just one other thing to consider: How well a foal jumps is no indication of how it will jump as a fully grown and matured horse. I would venture to say that many foals have deer-like jumping abilities for the very simple fact that they are all leg, have very little body mass and their bones are lighter and not as dense. This all comes with maturity.

Big long legs and small body mass make for an animal with jumping capability. Foals do not stay this way for long.


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## ErikaLynn (Aug 3, 2010)

Elana said:


> Just because it is common and people do it a lot does not make it good or right. A lot of people text while driving or speed... and (at least where I live) neither is good.
> 
> I used to say to my Mom when I wanted to do something, "but MOOoooommmmmm, EVERYONE is doing it." Her curt reply was, "YOU are NOT everyone."
> 
> ...



Relax, If you think it's wrong, then fine, don't do it. In the OP it asked for the foals jumping ability. Not if you thought it was right or wrong. 

If you don't feel like jumping a foal over a small cross rail is OK...then leave the thread and move on to something else. 

I think everyone gets it now...some people think its wrong/abuse, or whatever...others don't. If you want to preach, or rant about how it will hurt the foal, then start your own thread about it.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Erika, 



> If you want to preach, or rant about how it will hurt the foal, then start your own thread about it.


Posting photos and videos on a public will always invite both positive and negative comments. If the OP was not prepared for that, she should not have posted on a public BB, particularly in the Critique section. 

Also, I am a moderator on this forum. If you feel so strongly about how the board should be managed, please start a thread in the "Talk to the Team" section. Otherwise, please refrain from telling other members how and where to post.


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## justjump (Jan 18, 2011)

Holy crap! That's going to be a nice jumper some day!


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I have to agree with others that it is not a good idea. Heck I have a horse which raced, and I am only just starting to jump him this year at age 6.

It's just not worth the risk of injury.


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## nrhareiner (Jan 11, 2009)

That video is not going to tell you how well that foal will jump as a grown horse. If I was looking for a prospect and say this I would run the other way. I would not take the risk.


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## Spastic_Dove (Oct 4, 2007)

nrhareiner said:


> That video is not going to tell you how well that foal will jump as a grown horse. If I was looking for a prospect and say this I would run the other way. I would not take the risk.


Could not have said it better myself. 

Maybe the foal would make a good jumper one day, you can't tell anything from this video. But if I was looking for a foal for a jumping prospect later on, I would pass this one over after seeing the video.


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## DunOverIt (Dec 14, 2010)

JustDressageIt said:


> I said in my original post that a foal has the potential to injure itself practically on air - any horse does. My point is it's one thing to walk through a thunderstorm, it's another thing entirely to walk through a thunderstorm waving a metal golf club above your head.
> Why on Earth would anyone risk a foal's legs UNNECESSARILY for a video? Why risk it? There are so many reasons NOT to do it.... I can't think of a single reason a person could argue that it's a good practice. The excuse "everyone does it" isn't a good argument - before I started parousong YouTube, I had never heard of anyone free jumping a young foal. Not everyone does it. Just because some do, doesn't make it okay.
> A lot of people do a lot of stupid, abusive things to their animals every day - does that make it right?
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I agree. We lost a weanling last year who was remarkably quiet and sure footed. He fell while playing with his (weanling) pasture mate, when she slid stopped into him he flipped forward and broke his neck on impact.. 8 months old. Died faster than we could grab a cell phone. Freak accident, but I'll never get over it. I'd never ask the babies to do more than they choose to do on their own (aside from handling etc of course). 

As for the OP - I really won't judge you because I have a feeling that it was a one time, let's just try it out, kind of thing. Or at least, I hope. 

That other video scared me half to death.


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