Christian says, “It really depends on the horse. Some are better under saddle, some horses aren’t. But from free jumping, you get an idea about the horse.” Caroline Invicta Stevenson, trainer at Invicta Farms in
Nambé, New Mexico says, “When I see a horse at liberty— flat or jumping—I think, ‘If only they can do it the same when they are being ridden.’ We as riders should stay out of the horse’s way and not hinder their ability to jump and move forward.” “Because the horse competes with the rider, I’m more
excited to see them jump under saddle. We do a lot of gymnastics and trot poles starting young horses, to set them up for success,” she adds. Free jumping can be dramatic, but drama is not always
the ideal. The horse that attacks the fence and jumps way above the top rail may impress spectators but may not best fit the sport for which he is being prepared. “Horses that get the best scores in free jumping tend
to be big and tight,” explains eventer Barb Crabo of Scott- sdale, Arizona. “They overjump. Will that make a four-star horse? Really good ones don’t jump three feet with their feet by their ears.” “Free jumping is a fantastic way to see their natural
ability. But jumping a crossrail the first time can be just as hard,” she adds.
“With the horse that overjumps, whether free or not,
bring them along carefully. They can get into trouble and can’t get out of it. They are obviously very careful horses. If that’s a problem, slow down and get them where they are comfortable,” Hillary says.
Consider the Data Some breed societies maintain statistics to track how free jumping produces winners in the jumper ring. The ASVH also reports statistics on heritability. For example, the suc- cessful Swedish jumper Ximena (Irco Mena x Hertigen) won the Breeders Trophy in three-year-old free jumping at Flyinge in 2007. She went on to jump internationally with English rider Ellen Whitaker. Another top mare is Classic Lady (Cardento x Maraton),
who earned free jumping scores of 10-9, and then went to jump for Sweden and Canada. Flip’s Little Sparrow (Car- dento x Butterfly Flip) scored 9-9. She is competing in 2015 for Sweden. A horse that jumps easily—eagerly and powerfully—is
a pleasure to watch. Whether he will eventually compete in hunters, jumpers or eventing, free jumping shows his innate talent. “It’s all about the speed of their footwork and their brains,” Robin explains. Free jumping is, our experts agree, one of the first steps on the path to competitive success.
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