Horse jumping is an exciting sport, and model horse collectors love creating elaborate dioramas depicting the many aspects of horse jumping with their Breyers. But before you start snapping photos of your Breyers in front of fences, it's important to learn a little bit about the different types of English horse jumping classes. This overview will help you learn the basics so that when you enter your model horses in photo shows or live shows, you'll have not only the correct tack on your Breyer model horse, but the correct jump, too.
In the "real" horse show world, people generally show their horses in equitation, hunter, or jumping classes at horse shows. These classes feature jumps arranged inside a riding ring. Equitation classes are judged on the rider's form and skills, while hunters are judged on their soundness, brilliance, pace and ability to clear the fences. Jumpers are timed and jump larger obstacles.
Model horse shows typically feature only two or three horse jumping classes. Among the classes offered in the English performance division, you may see:
Each of these classes requires a model suitable for the class; English saddle, bridle and pad; an an obstacle. Equitation classes require a rider, since the class is judged on the rider's position and skill rather than the model.
All horse jumps consist of side pieces called standards or wings. The part the horse jumps over sits between the standards.
Many jumps are made with side standards with moveable metal jump cups. These are open U-shaped brackets that allow the poles to fall to the ground if a horse clips it with a hoof or foreleg so that the horse won't get hurt. The brackets move up or down on the standards with holes drilled in spaced 3" intervals. Fence heights are standard in the show ring and typically begin at 2' 3" for the green hunters and junior hunters. They do not exceed 4" in the equitation or hunter ring, but may be much taller in the jumper ring.
To get started in English performance classes, you'll need to make or buy basic obstacles in addition to making sure you have the proper huntseat English riding tack. Breyer sells ready-made jumps in a variety of scales, including Traditional and Classic scale. Some of these jumps are only sold as sets with Breyer dolls and horse models but may be well worth the investment for the serious performance competitor.
You can also make your own obstacles such as:
If you were training a horse for an actual jumping class, you'd begin his training by schooling him over ground poles or cavaletti. These are poles are long PVC plastic or wooden poles approximately 10 feet long. Young horses are trained at a trot over poles placed on the ground. Gradually, the horse learns how to trot, then canter over the poles. Then the poles are placed in the jump standard to form a low X-shaped jump called a cross rail.
Beginning riders and young horses train alike over cross rails. As their skills develop, the fence height may be increased from the starting 18" cross rail to a 2' 3" cross rail. Poles may also be positioned as straight rails using two poles set horizontally in the standards. Small decorations such as flower boxes may be placed in front of the fence.
For model horse collectors just getting started in English trail and jumping classes, buying or creating a set of ground poles is the first step to add obstacles to your model horse collection. These versatile poles can be placed in patterns on the ground for trail classes or set in simple standards for entry-level hunter and equitation courses.
The model horse world takes its cues and basic rulebook from the real horse world. The United States Equestrian Federation rulebook is the standard used by most model horse competitions. It is available free of charge as an Adobe Acrobat PDF from the USEF.
General Types of English Horse Jumping Classes for Model Horses
In the "real" horse show world, people generally show their horses in equitation, hunter, or jumping classes at horse shows. These classes feature jumps arranged inside a riding ring. Equitation classes are judged on the rider's form and skills, while hunters are judged on their soundness, brilliance, pace and ability to clear the fences. Jumpers are timed and jump larger obstacles.
Model horse shows typically feature only two or three horse jumping classes. Among the classes offered in the English performance division, you may see:
- Equitation Over Fences
- Hunter Over Fences
- Jumpers
- English Trail
Each of these classes requires a model suitable for the class; English saddle, bridle and pad; an an obstacle. Equitation classes require a rider, since the class is judged on the rider's position and skill rather than the model.
The Parts of a Horse Jump
All horse jumps consist of side pieces called standards or wings. The part the horse jumps over sits between the standards.
Many jumps are made with side standards with moveable metal jump cups. These are open U-shaped brackets that allow the poles to fall to the ground if a horse clips it with a hoof or foreleg so that the horse won't get hurt. The brackets move up or down on the standards with holes drilled in spaced 3" intervals. Fence heights are standard in the show ring and typically begin at 2' 3" for the green hunters and junior hunters. They do not exceed 4" in the equitation or hunter ring, but may be much taller in the jumper ring.
Basic Obstacles to Make or Buy for English Performance Classes
To get started in English performance classes, you'll need to make or buy basic obstacles in addition to making sure you have the proper huntseat English riding tack. Breyer sells ready-made jumps in a variety of scales, including Traditional and Classic scale. Some of these jumps are only sold as sets with Breyer dolls and horse models but may be well worth the investment for the serious performance competitor.
You can also make your own obstacles such as:
- A stone wall, made from painted styrofoam
- Tree branches cut to look like natural logs
- Dowels cut to scale and painted to resemble cavaletti (training poles)
- A brick wall jump, made from a cardboard toothpaste container painted to look like bricks
Start with the Basic Performance Building Blocks: Ground Poles or Cavaletti
If you were training a horse for an actual jumping class, you'd begin his training by schooling him over ground poles or cavaletti. These are poles are long PVC plastic or wooden poles approximately 10 feet long. Young horses are trained at a trot over poles placed on the ground. Gradually, the horse learns how to trot, then canter over the poles. Then the poles are placed in the jump standard to form a low X-shaped jump called a cross rail.
Beginning riders and young horses train alike over cross rails. As their skills develop, the fence height may be increased from the starting 18" cross rail to a 2' 3" cross rail. Poles may also be positioned as straight rails using two poles set horizontally in the standards. Small decorations such as flower boxes may be placed in front of the fence.
For model horse collectors just getting started in English trail and jumping classes, buying or creating a set of ground poles is the first step to add obstacles to your model horse collection. These versatile poles can be placed in patterns on the ground for trail classes or set in simple standards for entry-level hunter and equitation courses.
More Information on English Performance Classes and Horse Jumping
The model horse world takes its cues and basic rulebook from the real horse world. The United States Equestrian Federation rulebook is the standard used by most model horse competitions. It is available free of charge as an Adobe Acrobat PDF from the USEF.
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