The question about how high a horse can jump will normally depend on the horse’s size.
To determine just how far a horse has to jump, we must first know how tall the horse is. There are several ways to do this. The simplest (and most accurate) way is to measure the horse from the ground up. If the horse is a gelding (neither male nor female), simply measure from the top of his forehead to the ground. If the horse is a stallion, simply measure from the top of his withers (the ridge right above his hips) to the ground.
Another way to find out how tall a horse is is to have a person with access to the horse stand next to him and measure from the ground up. Once you have both the horse’s height in inches and his height in feet, you can multiply the number of inches by 12 to determine how many feet he has to jump.
Another factor that should come into consideration is the horse’s breed. Some breeds, over a long period of time, have been bred for the purpose – meaning they will be better at doing it than others. In the world of cross country and professional show jumping, the fences can become so high that they even become taller than most full-grown men.
How high a horse can jump?
On average, the majority of horses are able to jump close to 3 feet without being trained. However, they will require some sort of incentive to achieve this – this can be a horse they would like to get to on another field or because they’re afraid or want to get food. These can be factors that will make horses jump as high as 3 feet.
Apart from the above reasons, the jumping ability of a horse normally requires quite a bit of practice and training.
A great jumping horse normally has two qualities with the first being an ability to get its body up in the air. The second is a combination of spirit and courage. The horse should also possess a desire to exhibit care as well as not allowing their body or hooves to come in contact with the top of the jump. This last ability is very important in setting apart a great jumper from a good one. Yeah, it’s important that they correctly get the height, but in the event that they repeatedly trail a hoof, they will knock down rails more often than not. This isn’t ideal if they plan on winning medals.
It is important to note that without adequate instruction and training, getting your horses to jump might severely harm them – especially if it’s an older horse in question.
How do horses jump?
Horses will normally canter, or in hunters and racehorses’ cases, gallop towards a jump. After this, their gait changes as they draw their hind legs under them to make use of the spring available in their powerful hindquarters.
They then trudge on with a vertical and upward motion, while using a forward and horizontal motion to ensure that the jump is cleared. Their withers are then lowered while their shoulder blades tuck backward beneath the saddle, so as to be able to extend their front legs. Their forward momentum will then propel them over the jump while their tucked legs will ensure they avoid falling the poles. This is similar to the manner in which pole vaulters jump.
Every horse jumps differently. A lot have weak parts which they compensate for with some other areas of their bodies. Take Milton for instance. He was a showjumper that was ridden by a man known as John Whittaker. Milton normally didn’t use his front feet to push off like most of the other horses. However, he made use of his flexible back and powerful hindquarters to compensate.
Different kinds of high jump
The high jump was a regular attraction during shows. Here, horses would attempt to scale fences of amazing heights. Even though this isn’t rife anymore, we still see the Puissance class that includes just two fences, one for warm-ups and the other that is referred to as the Great Wall. Frank Sloothaak holds the Puissance class record, clearing an incredible 7 feet 10″ with a horse known as Leonardo.
For top-level shows, the average jumping height stands at about 3-4 feet – although the higher levels top 6 feet. The biggest jump in the world of horse racing is The Chair – a six feet fence alongside a 5 ft 2″ ditch – during the Grand National. Steeplechase races normally have lower fences which is because the horses will be using a lot of speed with the idea of the event being speed and not the ability to clear large obstacles.
Highest horse jump ever
This world record is officially held by a horse known as Huaso who – with the help of rider Captain Morales – jumped a jaw-dropping 8 feet and 1./4 inches. This feat was achieved in the South American nation of Chile in the year 1949.
During the event, Huaso and Chileno were each given three tries to scale the fence. Chileno, on one of those tries, crashed into the fence and subsequently retired. On the other hand, Huaso refused the first attempt and on the second try, knocked the rail. However, on his last attempt, he cleared the height.
There is actually another record, although it is an unofficial one due to the fact that it wasn’t recorded (even though 25 people, as well as a photographer, witnessed it). This unofficial record is held by a horse who was known as King’s Own (Freddy Wattech Jr., his owner, rode him). King’s Own made an astronomical jump of 8 feet and 3 1/2″. This was achieved with room to spare, with photographic evidence actually in existence to prove it.
The most suitable horses for jumping
Most warmbloods are very good to show jumpers. Additionally, you might as well consider the following horses as good jumpers:
The Thoroughbreds: Although these horses are normally considered racing horses, they can be great jumpers as well. They have a wiry and lean athleticism while also possessing a courageous and bold temperament.
The Quarter Horse: Due to their well-muscled hinds, these horses are great jumpers as well. In addition to this, they are normally eager to please. They have actually been bred for decades because of their temperaments.
The Arabian: Even though these horses are slimmer and smaller than the Thoroughbreds and Quarter horses, they are very agile and are famous for their fiery character. However, their temperament ensures that they’re quite unsuitable for beginners.
The Trakhener: These horses are similar to the Thoroughbreds in terms of appearance. They are hardy horses and also come with decent jumping abilities. With their favorable temperament, it means they’re easier to train.
The Appaloosa: These horses possess strength and determination. Due to their docile temperament, they’re more suitable for inexperienced jumpers.
