Philosphy on form and the front end of a show jumper
This is a subject that many trainers use as an evaluation tool regarding a horse’s ability to jump well and potentially at a high level. While I’ll admit there is a small amount of importance involving a showjumpers ability to tuck their front legs out of the way and carry themselves comfortably in the air, in my humble opinion this is the least important aspect of a horse ability to jump well (and I am speaking of professional level open jumpers specifically).
Folks confuse the role of an open jumper and an equitation horse or a hunter. These are three completely different worlds and require three completely different types of animals. While I’m not going to go into all those details here, suffice it to say in a show jumper we are looking for raw power, speed, intelligence and athletic ability. Hunters and equitation horses at the high level need to be safe and steady school masters.
Some horses have tight comfortable front ends that are pretty and smooth to watch. Some of the top Grand Prix horses never had and never will develop high, tight, even front ends, and yet still are some of the most competitive and brilliant horses in the world to watch. Why is this? Because if a horse has power in the hind end, and is extremely athletic and fast (able to quickly move and negotiate it’s body in the air) it can and will work around a less than ideal front end.
Some horses develop a better front end over time (many of the Cradilo babies are like this) and some horses drop just one front leg a little (particularly if they are a little tense and tighten a joint). If the horse has jumped at a high level though and never had trouble with this habit, being overly concerned is simply folly.
Every horse has it’s weaknesses … and searching for a horse that doesn’t is to search for the impossible. The top trainers work to know what the horses weaknesses are and strengthen that link, above all else. What often deciphers which horses make it to the highest level are the owner’s and trainers belief in the horse’s ability and the horse’s desire and heart to be a good partner and do the job (which in my opinion is what differentiates great from good, or merely OK).
What I find to be particularly frustrating in this industry the lazy method of quickly evaluating and shutting down a potentially very nice high end show jumping horse because of a less than perfect front end. Developing a horse for this sport takes a great deal of time … and we are not talking days or months but years. A huge number of very nice potential prospects have been burned through and lost because of some supposed top trainer quickly evaluating a horse, without really giving them a chance and doing their homework to find out exactly what that horse is. Then the rest of the industry being foolish enough to believe this trainer.
Then sometimes someone else comes along and does exactly what that trainer said couldn’t be done and succeeds. So what is the difference?; persistence, and the willingness to work and give the horse a real shot to show the world what it is (which I happen to believe great performance horses actually want to do).
As Michael Jordan has been quoted saying, “I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” In other words, he has an ego that is well in check and he is willing to put himself out there and fail publically (for his team, his fans, perhaps his sponsors, and in our case for the horse).
The sport of open show jumping at a high level is a very economically driven sport. A great deal of time, money and sacrifice is invested in potential show jumpers, of which only a small number will probably make it to the highest level. Reputation in trainers is hard earned and highly valued, but sometimes abused to the misfortune of that particular horse. The sport has evolved, and the trainers need to be expected to not rest on their past laurels, but to constantly push forward and to evolve with it.
Here are some pictures to drive home this point regarding horses and lines I happen to know extremely well.
Cradilo, a solid 1.50m Grand Prix stallion in his first year of jumping at this level in 2007.
Cradilo jumping the same height 3 years later. Notice how much his front end has relaxed and tightened up over time.
Cradilo jumping the same height 3 years later. Notice how much his front end has relaxed and tightened up over time.
Cradilo jumping the same height 3 years later. Notice how much his front end has relaxed and tightened up over time.
Deluca ACE, a Cradilo daughter, showing 1.20m as a 5 year old in 2012.
Deluca ACE, showing 1.50m as a 9 year old this year.
Notice how Deluca's form has developed and changed in exactly the same way as her sire over time. As she’s relaxed and become more comfortable with being in the air at this height she can soften her joints and easily pull them up underneath her. It’s also interesting to note both of these horse have hollowed a little in the air over time. A young horse will often naturally jump rounder, as they respect and fear the fence a little more and so will naturally pull their stomach up and away from it. Sometimes as a horse gains confidence in their scope they will relax their topline and not put so much effort in to pulling their entire body up. While it is technically a slightly hollow jump, it’s easier on the horse (and if they leave the rails up, I as a breeder and trainer don’t really mind this). But I notice trainers sometimes mistakenly think their horse’s jump is evolving negatively, when really the horses is just relaxing and learning to accomplish the job while making life a little easier on itself. (But this is why I do advocate the stretch and a true dressage type collection so strongly, particularly for the more long backed horse … just so that this habit is kept in balance.)
And finally Fatima ACE, a Cradilo daughter jumping 1.50m as a 7 year old in 2014.
This mare has always had a high and very tight front end, which is part of thee reason she naturally accomplished more as a young jumper than Deluca. But, she is a more sensitive nervous type (which simply means it will take longer for her to not be considered green, but also she tends to leave the rails up easier) and will occasionally hang a leg if she’s not completely comfortable. But when in 5 years of consistent training and jumping this occurrence has never caused a stumble or has barely ever caused a rail, it’s again one of those measuring sticks that are ridiculous; an excuse for poor training and an unwillingness to work with and honor that particular horse.
ACE SPORTHORSES
