About Hunter Jumpers
Show Hunters and Stadium Jumpers and Equitation Horses, Oh My!
Hunter Jumper is a general term that describes a specific type of English riding which involves jumping fences of various sizes, sometimes in a pattern of 8-12 jumps, called a jump course. This style of riding originated from fox hunting. During fox hunts, riders follow a pack of hunting dogs on horseback to track down foxes and other countryside pests like deer and hares. When on the chase, fox hunting horses had to follow the dog pack anywhere it went at high speed, bravely jumping fences, brooks ad anything else that got in the way.
The modern day hunter jumper sport still often rewards horses that jump bravely and safely and are well controlled by their riders. Within Hunter Jumpers, there are several sub-types of riding that require unique skills and strengths from the horse and rider. Hunter jumper sub-types include: Equitation, Jumpers (stadium jumping), and show hunters.
Hunter Jumper is a general term that describes a specific type of English riding which involves jumping fences of various sizes, sometimes in a pattern of 8-12 jumps, called a jump course. This style of riding originated from fox hunting. During fox hunts, riders follow a pack of hunting dogs on horseback to track down foxes and other countryside pests like deer and hares. When on the chase, fox hunting horses had to follow the dog pack anywhere it went at high speed, bravely jumping fences, brooks ad anything else that got in the way.
The modern day hunter jumper sport still often rewards horses that jump bravely and safely and are well controlled by their riders. Within Hunter Jumpers, there are several sub-types of riding that require unique skills and strengths from the horse and rider. Hunter jumper sub-types include: Equitation, Jumpers (stadium jumping), and show hunters.
A Jumper
Show Hunters
Show hunters are judged on performance of the horse, not the rider, although the rider must bring out the best in her horse. Judging of show hunters is subjective. There is no standardized point system for scoring hunters. Show hunters should be well mannered, i.e. the rider should be able to easily control the horse, half halt the horse, with no bucking or bolting, etc. A good show hunter follows commands given by the rider. On top of having good manners, conformation (horse’s build) and movement are important for show jumpers. Horses should have a balanced, athletic, slightly downhill build, and low, efficient movement from the shoulder, not the knees and hocks. When it comes to jumping, show hunter courses are typically simpler than equitation of jumper courses. They may consist of 8-10 fences, usually made of natural wood or built to simulate fox hunting obstacles such as coops, roll tops, gates and brush fences. A good show hunter course typically means that the horse was well behaved, maintained a consistent pace through out the course, used all space in the ring and jumped all fences by picking up his knees resulting in a safe jump.
Also, most hunter courses have lines of fences in which the horse must take a set number of strides between two fences. This is called finding distance. In an ideal show hunter course, the horse would do the predetermined number of strides down the lines. One emerging show hunter class that is very exciting is the Hunter Derby. For more info see Hunter Derby.
Jumpers
Unlike show hunters, jumpers are judged objectively, not on way of going. A jumper’s only task is to clear all fences in a course without knocking over any rails; simple right? Not as simple as you might think! Horses receive 4 faults for every refusal, 4 faults for each rail knocked off a jump, and 1/4 fault for every second past the time allowed they were given to complete the course. Beyond the basic rules of faults, jumper classes can be set up in numerous different ways. For example, if the horse has a “clean” first round, (that is, they had no faults), then they may continue directly to the second round, or a jump-off course which is typically a different, shortened course or they may exit the ring and be call back in for the jump off round. Both the first jumper course and the jump off are timed. In the first round, horses must not exceed an allotted time, or else they receive faults. Jumpers that make it through the 1st round with no faults are on a level playing field again in the jump off. The fastest jumper in the jump off wins.
Jumper courses are usually made up of 8-12 fences of jumps in bright colors and sometimes bold designs. Jumper courses, unlike show hunter courses, tend to involve tighter turns and more complicated patterns. Some fences are in lines with a certain number of strides in between similar to hunters. Water jumps or spread jumps are often required in jumper courses, which is different from show hunters.
Equitation
Equitation is a discipline that is most similar to show hunters but also borrows some elements from the jumper ring. A main difference from hunters is that equitation is judged subjectively on the rider, her position in the saddle and general riding skills, not on the horse. However, the horse and rider make a complete picture for the judge, so it is possible for the horse to influence the judge’s opinion of the rider. Equitation is considered to be an important class for riders still working on their riding skills, so historically most medals have been offered for junior riders (ages 17 and under). Equitation classes for children and amateur adults are also widely available. Equitation classes have been offered in the United States since the 1930s as a way to develop quality riders for higher level show hunter and jumper divisions. Some equitation classes make up stand alone divisions, but some of the most interesting and popular equitation classes are Medal classes. Medal classes got their name because traditionally the winning rider in an equitation class was awarded with a medal.
In a Medal class a rider accumulates points depending on what place they received in the class. Once a rider obtains enough points they can qualify for a Medal Final. Medal Finals are very exciting to compete in and are my personal favorite type of class. In an equitation medal or Medal Final, riders usually ride two courses; one hunter style and one jumper style.
Additionally, the judge might ask a rider to do a test. A test is usually a series of movements that may or may not involve jumps. In a test, riders might be asked to do things like back up, transition between gaits (i.e. walk to trot, trot to canter), to halt, ride a 20 meter circle, etc. For examples of equitation medal tests, go to the following link to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rulebook for rdiers. Sample tests are found on page 13-14 (USEF Rules) The most prestigious Medal Finals are at the national level, are 3’6” in height and sometimes even 3’9” and are typically offered for juniors. Examples include the ASPCA Maclay Medal and the USEF Medal. In recent years many additional Medal Finals at both the national and regional levels have emerged including Medal Finals for adult amateur riders and children, often with fences that are 3’ in height. Examples are the Ariat Adult Medal and the New England Equitation Championships. For more information about Medals Finals or to find one near you go to Medal Finals.
There is no equitation division for adults because the assumption is that they are already using their equitation skills while riding in advanced jumper or show hunter divisions.
If you want to ride in equitation medals and maybe even a Medal Final, it is important to take the right steps. Whether you plan to show in an equitation medal at local regional or national level, it is important to develop strong riding skills. To do this you will need to work with a good riding instructor. See this article about find a good instructor. Find a Hunter Jumper Instructor Also, you will need to either buy lease or borrow a suitable horse capable of meeting all demands of the equitation division. These horses are very talented, so the price for a well trained equitation horse that can help a rider showcase her skills is often high. If the challenges to participating in equitation medals seem high, don’t be discouraged! Many riders must work on their riding skills and on obtaining an equitation horse for years before participating. I, for example, was only able to participate in a limited number of medal finals as a junior rider due to the cost, but as an adult, I had the opportunity to participate in many more local adult medal finals. So my advice is, don’t give up on your goals and remember that local equitation classes and Medal Finals are a great place to start. For information on Medal Finals, click on Medal Finals
Show hunters are judged on performance of the horse, not the rider, although the rider must bring out the best in her horse. Judging of show hunters is subjective. There is no standardized point system for scoring hunters. Show hunters should be well mannered, i.e. the rider should be able to easily control the horse, half halt the horse, with no bucking or bolting, etc. A good show hunter follows commands given by the rider. On top of having good manners, conformation (horse’s build) and movement are important for show jumpers. Horses should have a balanced, athletic, slightly downhill build, and low, efficient movement from the shoulder, not the knees and hocks. When it comes to jumping, show hunter courses are typically simpler than equitation of jumper courses. They may consist of 8-10 fences, usually made of natural wood or built to simulate fox hunting obstacles such as coops, roll tops, gates and brush fences. A good show hunter course typically means that the horse was well behaved, maintained a consistent pace through out the course, used all space in the ring and jumped all fences by picking up his knees resulting in a safe jump.
Also, most hunter courses have lines of fences in which the horse must take a set number of strides between two fences. This is called finding distance. In an ideal show hunter course, the horse would do the predetermined number of strides down the lines. One emerging show hunter class that is very exciting is the Hunter Derby. For more info see Hunter Derby.
Jumpers
Unlike show hunters, jumpers are judged objectively, not on way of going. A jumper’s only task is to clear all fences in a course without knocking over any rails; simple right? Not as simple as you might think! Horses receive 4 faults for every refusal, 4 faults for each rail knocked off a jump, and 1/4 fault for every second past the time allowed they were given to complete the course. Beyond the basic rules of faults, jumper classes can be set up in numerous different ways. For example, if the horse has a “clean” first round, (that is, they had no faults), then they may continue directly to the second round, or a jump-off course which is typically a different, shortened course or they may exit the ring and be call back in for the jump off round. Both the first jumper course and the jump off are timed. In the first round, horses must not exceed an allotted time, or else they receive faults. Jumpers that make it through the 1st round with no faults are on a level playing field again in the jump off. The fastest jumper in the jump off wins.
Jumper courses are usually made up of 8-12 fences of jumps in bright colors and sometimes bold designs. Jumper courses, unlike show hunter courses, tend to involve tighter turns and more complicated patterns. Some fences are in lines with a certain number of strides in between similar to hunters. Water jumps or spread jumps are often required in jumper courses, which is different from show hunters.
Equitation
Equitation is a discipline that is most similar to show hunters but also borrows some elements from the jumper ring. A main difference from hunters is that equitation is judged subjectively on the rider, her position in the saddle and general riding skills, not on the horse. However, the horse and rider make a complete picture for the judge, so it is possible for the horse to influence the judge’s opinion of the rider. Equitation is considered to be an important class for riders still working on their riding skills, so historically most medals have been offered for junior riders (ages 17 and under). Equitation classes for children and amateur adults are also widely available. Equitation classes have been offered in the United States since the 1930s as a way to develop quality riders for higher level show hunter and jumper divisions. Some equitation classes make up stand alone divisions, but some of the most interesting and popular equitation classes are Medal classes. Medal classes got their name because traditionally the winning rider in an equitation class was awarded with a medal.
In a Medal class a rider accumulates points depending on what place they received in the class. Once a rider obtains enough points they can qualify for a Medal Final. Medal Finals are very exciting to compete in and are my personal favorite type of class. In an equitation medal or Medal Final, riders usually ride two courses; one hunter style and one jumper style.
Additionally, the judge might ask a rider to do a test. A test is usually a series of movements that may or may not involve jumps. In a test, riders might be asked to do things like back up, transition between gaits (i.e. walk to trot, trot to canter), to halt, ride a 20 meter circle, etc. For examples of equitation medal tests, go to the following link to the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) rulebook for rdiers. Sample tests are found on page 13-14 (USEF Rules) The most prestigious Medal Finals are at the national level, are 3’6” in height and sometimes even 3’9” and are typically offered for juniors. Examples include the ASPCA Maclay Medal and the USEF Medal. In recent years many additional Medal Finals at both the national and regional levels have emerged including Medal Finals for adult amateur riders and children, often with fences that are 3’ in height. Examples are the Ariat Adult Medal and the New England Equitation Championships. For more information about Medals Finals or to find one near you go to Medal Finals.
There is no equitation division for adults because the assumption is that they are already using their equitation skills while riding in advanced jumper or show hunter divisions.
If you want to ride in equitation medals and maybe even a Medal Final, it is important to take the right steps. Whether you plan to show in an equitation medal at local regional or national level, it is important to develop strong riding skills. To do this you will need to work with a good riding instructor. See this article about find a good instructor. Find a Hunter Jumper Instructor Also, you will need to either buy lease or borrow a suitable horse capable of meeting all demands of the equitation division. These horses are very talented, so the price for a well trained equitation horse that can help a rider showcase her skills is often high. If the challenges to participating in equitation medals seem high, don’t be discouraged! Many riders must work on their riding skills and on obtaining an equitation horse for years before participating. I, for example, was only able to participate in a limited number of medal finals as a junior rider due to the cost, but as an adult, I had the opportunity to participate in many more local adult medal finals. So my advice is, don’t give up on your goals and remember that local equitation classes and Medal Finals are a great place to start. For information on Medal Finals, click on Medal Finals
