# Jumping Western



## LoveofOTTB (Dec 7, 2014)

Are you wanting to jump in the Western Saddle? or just transition her over to jumping as in English riding? My ottb is trained both hunter/jumper and also does western as well. I have not jumped him in my western saddle yet, but I have seen a lot of people jump in a western saddle, to me it just looks uncomfortable lol since there is a horn in the way and all. But i think in some gymikana (sp?) games for western you do jump your horse. I always work on flat work before actually doing jump training, ground poles, or a calvaletti helps as well =] I am not a jumping trainer or anything, but thats normally what I do or use I should jump my guy in my western saddle to see what he does lol


----------



## alexischristina (Jun 30, 2009)

Invest in a good trainer, being inexperienced and trying to train an inexperienced horse to jump is asking for trouble. She should be totally solid in her flat work first anyway.


----------



## beau159 (Oct 4, 2010)

Depends what kind of jumping you are looking to do. 

I very frequently "jump" my horses at gaming shows in a western saddle. Granted, the jumps are usually quite low and the horse can simply "gallop" over it. This is an old pic:









At home, I went over higher jumps than that to teach my horse how to handle it. First, I lunged him over a jump a bunch on his own, so he could learn to pick up his feet without me on him. Then I climbed aboard. 

Was it the "correct" way to train a horse to jump? No, not really. We ran over a lot of jumps before he finally figured out he should jump over it. I just let him figure it out on his own, and he was fine. 

Did it work for my purposes? Absolutely. We won this run-and-jump event quite a bit. He loved it. 

So that's why I saw it depends on what type of jumping you want to do. And how high. And how frequent. 

If you want to do any sort of showing, of course it would be most beneficial to take lessons because in showing, you are judged on how your horse performs over the jump, and you'll want them to be correct. 

And if you are going to be jumping alot, an English jumping saddle is designed the way it is for a reason. It helps you easily get into two-point and out of your horse's way, without risk of getting hung up on the saddle horn that a western saddle has.


----------



## kewpalace (Jul 17, 2013)

I have jumped in my Western Saddle. Usually at cowboy/obstacle races like this:











Yea, that's me hanging on for dear life! :lol:

It is not something you'd want to do over more than a few jumps as the horn is a big deterrent, LOL. And get proper training for the horse and you.


----------



## bodidley7 (Apr 23, 2014)

I do! She enjoys it in the off season of rodeo so much! I jump bareback and in a western saddle but not more than 2 ft.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Just to let you know, there has been a good many women who have had their shirts/bras torn off by the saddle horn whilst jumping western. No, it wasn't me either!


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I've jumped in a western saddle before, because, well, the gelding I was riding decided it was necessary to vault a meter in the air over a measly little mud puddle....5 times, before I got him to just walk through. I don't recommend it...I felt awful because I slammed down on his back the first time (didn't know he was going to try that!) and the other times I couldn't get into any type of real 2 point position because there's kind of a horn in the way.

If you're hopping over a log in the way on the trails occasionally, fine. But otherwise get a trainer, make sure the horse is suitable for jumping, and get the right saddle


----------

