How do you start?

[ThreeHorseNight]

How do you start training a horse to jump?

[Lindsayanne]

Well first.... you get a trainer. :p

Seriously, before you try and train ahorse to jump yourself, you need to see it done, and then learn to do it with the assistance of a professional trainer. You can really do a number on a horse trying to do it without knowing what you're doing.

[ThreeHorseNight]

Thanks for the advice. I understand what you are saying. We've been looking for a trainer, but haven't come across anyone that will teach the horse, or anyone that teaches english for that matter. The horse came really messed up to begin with. Whoever broke her left out some important foundation work that we've managed to work out over the last 7 months. Anyway, thanks for the reply!

[HunterJumperPony]

You could get your local Yellow Pages or a horse engine and just find out what's in your area, I got a Yellow Pages and googled all the barns to see if they had a website or any information, or you can just call them. Chances are there are some barns around... Might help if you can drive then a 30 minute drive isn't that bad.

[ThreeHorseNight]

I thought that this was a great idea! I have looked in the yellow pages, there isn't anything there. Just trail riding places, We are close to Branson and closer to Eureka Springs, so we have alot of tourists and most horse things done around here consist of the fair , the berryville riding club, and the rodeo. lol! Anyway, I will look around on the net and see what I can find!

[HunterJumperPony]

I hope it works out for you!

[Lindsayanne]

Oh my gosh! You're in Branson? I went to college at College of the Ozarks!

I wasn't involved in horses then, but I do know there is a "legitimate" instructor in Branson West. The guy giving "lessons" out on highway 65 is a joke.

There is an excellent mobile jumping coach out around springfield. A pony club lady but works mostly with adult hunters now, I think. She'll drive to your location for a charge- though that may be far for her. I can't remember excatly where she's based out of or how far she'll go- my trainer will know, I will ask him on monday.

Your best best is just talking to other horse people. A lot of coaches and trainers around here do it part time, so they might be great at what they do, but aren't going to invest in a website or even phonebook listing.

[ThreeHorseNight]

We're not in Braonson, we're about an hour from Branson, but I know Branson.. Have a friend that owns the hotels across from White water. And we lived in Springfield for two years. I didn't find anything on the net yest for Arkansas so I would really appreciate it if you could get the name of the lady that traveks, I didn't get much time to surf around cause we went riding. I need someone that will come to my home and work with my daughter AND the horse lol! We've been through two instructors for my daughter already and those were just basic western riding teachers. I was stupid and bought her this 15.3 hand, 5 year old paint that really wasn't broke that well at all. We were going to take lessons from the lady who sold her to us, but while she was showing us my husbands quarter, she got bucked, hit the horse in between the ears and promptly got thrown the rest of the way off. We got the horse cheap lol! She didn't get back on Plus she wanted to keep the horses there and have us show up for lessons over two weeks. My girl didn't want to wait two weeks to get her horse lol! She didn't want to drive to us either. We found another lady that breeds through our farrier. She was nice and the lessons were ok, but it was also western, and the lady hadn't ridden herself in a long time I think. And mostly I wanted someone that would work with her horse!! ARRGGG lol!! The horse is doing great now, but at first she threw my daughter and broke her arm. My husband (who bought the bucking quarter horse rem lol) worked with her for four weeks while my daughter couldn't ride. They are doing great now. We were told she was ridden in a barn working cows and she is very interested in the cows. Has to take a min to run them around before dinner or what have you lol! She makes these quick turns too, but I don't think she'd ever been ridden out in the open or with any consistancy. I think the horse may be very good at jumping and I really think she'd like it. Her mind is constantly going, she is really high energy and my daughter rides all over and back to my husband and I and then off they go again lol! I'm also reading Schooling and Riding the Sport Horse, A modern American Hunter/Jumper System by Paul D Cronin. I hoped that we could train the horse, but after reading I AM concerned about messing her up or messing it up. So I'll take any names you can throw at me!!!! Or any suggestions that you could give me would be great.