# Do Paints make good jumpers?



## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

I ask this because I have a yearling that absolutely loves to jump. She jumps my barrels for fun and even running around if there is a small ditch or branch in her pasture she jumps. I may be selling her and am thinking of possibly a jumper prospect.


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

Depends on conformation. 

While her willingness and energy are good signs, key points to look for in a hunter/jumper/event prospect are overall length of stride, good hind end, and well set and formed neck. Ideally, you want a horse with a long, sloping shoulder, and forearm longer than cannon bone, with a short sloping pastern. This is the mechanism that allows the horse to lift its front end and snap its knees. 

Horses that are built like foundation QHs are often good jumpers in the sense that they are careful and jump in good form, but if they're short and stocky, may lack the stride and scope to be competitive at higher levels. However, they can make ideal local hunters or jumpers or lower level event horses.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Any breed of horse can do low levels, doesn't matter what gender they are, what color they are or what size they are.

It is when you get to Mid levels when horses start to get weeded out, due to conformation, eagerness/want and ability. 

For low levels, why not!?  If the horse is already showing enjoyment in doing the stuff she chooses to do now, then I am sure someone who enjoys doing the sport could/would enjoy her when she grows and matures into an adult.


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

She is built like a tank. She is compact but I think she will mature to over 15 hands. Sire is 15 2 and dam is 15 1.

She will be a gray when she turns 6 years old. I will try to do a video of her so that you can see her movement.


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## ponyjocky (Apr 12, 2010)

take a look at my pictures. I have a 14.2 hand stocky paint.

Whom i show 3ft show jumping with. Breed has nothing to do with it, CONFORMATION has nothing to do with it, its your horses will that will determine if she can jump.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

ponyjocky said:


> CONFORMATION has nothing to do with it.


Hmmm, I am going to disagree. Conformation has PLENTY to do with it - if your horse is not physically built to do the job, all you are going to do in the long run, is break the horses joints down to the point of becoming a pasture ornament.

Yes, any breed of horse can do lower levels, but when you get to mid levels, that's when horses start to get weeded out from those who can physically do the job, to those who have limitations.

You can have a horse who wants to do it with all his heart, but if he isn't physically built to beable to do so, that horse will get hurt eventually. Then the horse will end up getting dumped, and the owner/rider will move onto the next.


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## TheLastUnicorn (Jun 11, 2010)

ponyjocky said:


> take a look at my pictures. I have a 14.2 hand stocky paint.
> 
> Whom i show 3ft show jumping with. Breed has nothing to do with it, CONFORMATION has nothing to do with it, its your horses will that will determine if she can jump.


This is a misleading post. 

Heart and will certainly play a part in how successful a horse will be in any given discipline... however conformation is the basic structure which makes any discipline possible.

It is pretty rare to find a horse who is so badly put together they can't do "anything" (they are out there... the term fugly has become better known for a reason)... but at the same time when you start going higher up in levels you will see horses with certain conformation traits more than others. This is because certain traits make it easier for the horse to be more functional. 

The first reply here gave some good examples of which conformation traits will make, generally, the best "jumper" prospect. 

That's not to say a horse with less than ideal conformation can't be successful (as a fact), just that a horse with equal will, drive, determination or willingness AND the ideal conformation will likely be BETTER... and they will likely remain sound longer while doing the job they're being asked to do. 

Not only will a horse with the ideal conformation have better form (because they're more physically capable) but they will likely also suffer from less wear and tear on their joints, muscles and tendons because, structurally, the horse is better designed. 

There is a reason that anyone breeding horses should be looking at breeding correct conformation - if it didn't "matter" then it wouldn't be such a big deal. 

Basically, temperment and willingness can go a long way to helping smooth out some minor faults, but it won't help a whole lot against multiple conformation faults, or major weaknesses.


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

I have been trotting her over poles on the ground. She won't be broke to ride until this winter when she turns two years old. Then I will put a good foundation on her and then when she gets closer to 3 start asking for more physical things. Once the weather looks better I will try to have hubby do a video of her trot and I will try to get some confo shots.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Conformation has everything to do with it. Your horse can have all the will and heart in the world, if he isn't built to handle jumping he will in a best case scenario simply be unable to jump with proper form or have the power to jump high. In a worst case scenario, you could be setting your horse up for serious injury due to being unable to physically handle the work.

Arabs are not usually successful jumpers - and it all boils down to conformation. Arabs have enough heart to kill an elephant, that doesn't change the fact that 99.9% of Arabs will never jump higher then 3'0" and almost that many will never be competitive in the jumping ring due to CONFORMATION.

If your Paint is succeeding in jumping, it's because of CONFORMATION, just as much as it is will and heart. All horses can jump, conformation determines who wins and who stays sound.


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## equus717 (Aug 20, 2009)

Tomorrow I will get confo shots of her.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

MacabreMikolaj said:


> Conformation has everything to do with it. Your horse can have all the will and heart in the world, if he isn't built to handle jumping he will in a best case scenario simply be unable to jump with proper form or have the power to jump high. In a worst case scenario, you could be setting your horse up for serious injury due to being unable to physically handle the work.


Yepper! Well said.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

TheLastUnicorn said:


> This is because certain traits make it easier for the horse to be more functional.
> 
> The first reply here gave some good examples of which conformation traits will make, generally, the best "jumper" prospect.
> 
> ...


Excellant post Unicorn - and Maura.


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## Levade (Apr 13, 2011)

They're not really built for it, but to be honest, any sound horse can jump a course of 3' without much trouble, so if she has the right attitude, there's no reason why she shouldn't be a low lever jumper, up to about 3'.


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