I went to the Washington International Horse Show(MCI center late October...) and watched Grand Prix Jumping- the jumps are from 5'3" to 6'0". They are HUGE! BTW, anyone who lives near Washington, DC should go see it, it's amazing! Plus if you like Horsepower, some of the riders on the show end up there!
Originally posted by jmprgurl: I went to the Washington International Horse Show(MCI center late October...) and watched Grand Prix Jumping- the jumps are from 5'3" to 6'0". They are HUGE! BTW, anyone who lives near Washington, DC should go see it, it's amazing! Plus if you like Horsepower, some of the riders on the show end up there!
I've been many times and above 5'6'' is not the rule for these shows. Even the Olympics cap off at 5'3'', as does the USEF level 9 jumpers, which Grands Prix are.
Hi, Being an ex grand prix rider and puissance rider, the jumps can go in the puissance as high as the horses can jump or until the riders give up and call it a day. It consists of a warm up jump, a spread jump (usually 6 feet by 6 feet, and then the wall, where the bricks are boxes stacked. The best way to jump this is at a slight angle so that if your horse hits the block, it will knock it into the one next to it, instead of off. Just little tricks of the trade. The reason they keep the jumps lower for younger riders is because they haven't yet developed the necessary leg strength to stay on because the dynamics of a jump change after about 4 feet. It's either hang on with the leg and knee or your horse drops out from under you after the 4 foot level. Also, some horses are much easier to jump than others. I prefer a bit smaller horse like my 16.1 stallion, because I can rate his stride much better than a larger or smaller horse. The striding on Grand Prix's are always just a bit off. The reason, because the builder of the course is asking a specific question of horse and rider, can they take that particular jump with a half stride in it, meaning you either back off, and put in two smaller strides, or ask your horse to take a mega leap right before, then jump up (I don't recommend) as the horse needs to coil up before a virticle and jump up, but still needs to clear his back legs, so it is better if he takes two smaller strides, so he is already coiled, and a smaller horse can do this easier than a horse with a huge stride. This is where the rider comes in, s/he has to decide in the walk the course prior to jumping time. That is where you see them doing the 3 foot stride, and have to decide for their horse which is the best thing to do. In the jump off, I like to let things just happen. You are usually going so fast, there isn't much time to think, so you hope you place your horse in the best place for take off, and know he will make it with what you have been teaching him or her for the last 5 years or more. Hope that helps explain how high a horse can jump. Also, Grand Prix horses and Puissance horses are usually different kinds of horses. Why, because they just are. Usually a Grand Prix horse cannot go much more than 5 foot 9 inch's. A Puissance horse (if I am not mistaken I think the record is either 7 foot 2 or 7 foot 2 1/2. And you need one gutsy horse to face that wall which usually starts at 6 feet, and it goes up 6 inches until 7 feet, then it starts going up by an inch at at time. I hope I have explained the differences in the two types of super jumpers, one of which is my own horse or I should say stallion, of the Holsteiner variety. Take care, God Bless, Nanette
Originally posted by nanette55: Hi, Being an ex grand prix rider and puissance rider, the jumps can go in the puissance as high as the horses can jump or until the riders give up and call it a day. It consists of a warm up jump, a spread jump (usually 6 feet by 6 feet, and then the wall, where the bricks are boxes stacked. The best way to jump this is at a slight angle so that if your horse hits the block, it will knock it into the one next to it, instead of off. Just little tricks of the trade. The reason they keep the jumps lower for younger riders is because they haven't yet developed the necessary leg strength to stay on because the dynamics of a jump change after about 4 feet. It's either hang on with the leg and knee or your horse drops out from under you after the 4 foot level. Also, some horses are much easier to jump than others. I prefer a bit smaller horse like my 16.1 stallion, because I can rate his stride much better than a larger or smaller horse. The striding on Grand Prix's are always just a bit off. The reason, because the builder of the course is asking a specific question of horse and rider, can they take that particular jump with a half stride in it, meaning you either back off, and put in two smaller strides, or ask your horse to take a mega leap right before, then jump up (I don't recommend) as the horse needs to coil up before a virticle and jump up, but still needs to clear his back legs, so it is better if he takes two smaller strides, so he is already coiled, and a smaller horse can do this easier than a horse with a huge stride. This is where the rider comes in, s/he has to decide in the walk the course prior to jumping time. That is where you see them doing the 3 foot stride, and have to decide for their horse which is the best thing to do. In the jump off, I like to let things just happen. You are usually going so fast, there isn't much time to think, so you hope you place your horse in the best place for take off, and know he will make it with what you have been teaching him or her for the last 5 years or more. Hope that helps explain how high a horse can jump. Also, Grand Prix horses and Puissance horses are usually different kinds of horses. Why, because they just are. Usually a Grand Prix horse cannot go much more than 5 foot 9 inch's. A Puissance horse (if I am not mistaken I think the record is either 7 foot 2 or 7 foot 2 1/2. And you need one gutsy horse to face that wall which usually starts at 6 feet, and it goes up 6 inches until 7 feet, then it starts going up by an inch at at time. I hope I have explained the differences in the two types of super jumpers, one of which is my own horse or I should say stallion, of the Holsteiner variety. Take care, God Bless, Nanette
thanks for that insight!!
That's why I mentioned over 5'6'' not being a rule for all GP level classes. The "big guns" get broken out for the special classes, like you said in the Puissance, in 6-Bars, and in Gambler's Choice (correct me if i'm wrong on that).
I guess I wasn't specific enough, I was talking about the puissance class. WHich can get to 6ft and beyond. I was trying to convey how high the "big timers" can jump.
