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| Author |
Message |
    
Laura Buchan (Laurab)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jan 10, 2001 - 8:21 pm: |   |
Hello All,
I was wondering if it is bad to jump a draft horse? Recently I have seen several people training their drafts to jump - I always thought that this was bad as they are so heavy and it is extemely stressful on their legs. What do you think?
Thanks
LauraB |
Eva B. Orndoff (Eveo)
| | Posted on Wednesday, Jan 10, 2001 - 11:02 pm: | |
I have a Friesian. The literature from the National Assoc. says in paraphrase: "Although Friesians can jump, it is not recommended because of the horses' weight."
So, I don't. (On purpose, anyhow.)
I expect that if your draft horse had enough bone, it wouldn't be the end of the world if you used common sense as to footing, height of jumps & frequency of schooling.
However, my farrier tells me that most draft horses need shoes because of their weight; so it would follow, IMO, that jumping would not be the best thing in the world for them to do.
You know, I assume, that the Olympic Gold and Silver medals in Dressage were won by horses that were 17/18 years old, who were then retired. High level dressage takes its toll, but I wonder if there are any jumpers who are still competing at that age--especially at the Olympic level. |
claire sidebottom (Claire)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 11, 2001 - 3:05 pm: | |
hi , we have a cob which is of a light draft type, lots of feather and heavy boned. these are often used as heavy hunters, as sometimes are clipped out shires etc and they seems to be fine with it. |
Eva B. Orndoff (Eveo)
| | Posted on Thursday, Jan 11, 2001 - 4:45 pm: | |
Claire--What does the term "heavy hunter" mean? I've seen it used, but have never known what was what. Does it refer to the horse's weight? Shape? Type? People here use draft crosses (often shire crosses) as Eventing mounts. |
Penner
Member
Username: Penner
Post Number: 48
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Friday, Nov 22, 2002 - 4:50 pm: | |
Heavy hunter refers to (at least it used to when I was in Pony Club), the weight of a person a horse can carry during a day of field hunting.
I don't have the references at my fingertips right now, but its in the Pony Club manuals. Also they refer to weights as Stone in England. If I remember correctly a Stone is 14 lbs & some ounces. |
Imogen Bertin
Member
Username: Imogen
Post Number: 263
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, Nov 24, 2002 - 5:30 am: | |
Irish drafts certainly compete at international level showjumping into their late teens. (Collie Mor Hill springs to mind at the moment).
Irish draft hunters are usually on the way out by about 14-15 yo but that's more to do with all the road work they do than jumping.
I think for heavy horses fitness is important before you start jumpimg, but I've seen some real ugly plugs that are very clever jumpers.
I think heavy hunters have to be able to carry a 15 stone man but that's just from memory... Lightweight is up to 11 st, middleweight is 13 but I didn't check...
All the best
Imogen |
