[Sonny-Dee-Girl]

How much of jumping in inborn? I always wonder because my mare seems to have a natural desire to jump. She has never been competed in any jumping discipline, as far as I know. In the two years that I have had her, I have dabbled a little bit with her, and she is very willing. We mostly jump trail obstacles such as dry ditches, streams, fallen trees, and that sort of thing. She understands the difference when I ask her to walk through or jump over, for the most part. I just wonder what part natural desire plays in the aptitude of a jumping horse? Anyone have any thoughts?

[royalrox]

some horss just like it more than others a give Royal a "fun" day every once in a while and just let him go around on a lose rein and scratch his neck, he goes right for the jumps lol

[Preppy_Ponies]

I've learned over the years that there are horses who just love to jump. It's in their blood. My gelding is a good example. Doing flat work he got distracted very easily and was very hard to motivate. He was definately not a fan of our dressage lessons. But once you turned him towards a fence you could feel him change. His step would get lighter. He would respond to the slightest request and focus on the task at hand. He was always looking for the next jump and ready to turn on a dime if you so asked (not an easy feat for a 1700# horse). It was a great feeling to take him around a course.

Nowadays he's is restricted to crossrails due to an old injury. But the desire is still there. If we are riding while others are jumping he tries to follow them over the fences. And once in a while I'll turn him out in the jumping arena and he'll start making his own courses!