Jumping: AMHR vs. AMHA

[Yaddax3]

The golden over 55 class doesn't do much to help the 50 year old.

Agreed. And that's why the class was proposed as Senior Jumping -- 50 and over. Somebody or some governing body in the AMHR hierarchy decided to change the minimum age from 50 to 55 to conform with Golden Age Driving. What they overlooked is this: It's a lot easier to sit in a cart at 55 then it is to run a jump course at 50.

Also, having watched seventysomethings Don Maas and Ed McCarthy drive and kick much younger people's collective butt, maybe they should raise the minimum age for Golden Age Driving to 85. In driving, you seem to get better with age, not worse.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

I think it is unfair for it to be a race between handlers in AMHR. You have 20 year olds that can always outrun 50+ year old handlers, so how is that a contest of jumping for a horse? I have never shown AMHA, nor will I since three of my horses are Bs, but I would much rather see how high a horse can jump and not how fast the handler can go. There is also the case of handler injuries, etc. Say the handler has a bad knee or joing problems, or asthma--those things aren't disabilities per se, but it means they won't be able to run as fast as some other people....in my opinion it should be JUMPING contest and not a human foot race.

 

[Sanny]

I think it is unfair for it to be a race between handlers in AMHR. You have 20 year olds that can always outrun 50+ year old handlers, so how is that a contest of jumping for a horse? I have never shown AMHA, nor will I since three of my horses are Bs, but I would much rather see how high a horse can jump and not how fast the handler can go. There is also the case of handler injuries, etc. Say the handler has a bad knee or joing problems, or asthma--those things aren't disabilities per se, but it means they won't be able to run as fast as some other people....in my opinion it should be JUMPING contest and not a human foot race.

You must have missed my post on this thread about my 50 year old husband that has won multiple jumper titles at AMHR Nationals the past couple of years. Trust me, he isn't in shape or a fast runner. He is however, really good at strategy and working as a team with our horses and they trust him completely. They will turn on a dime, jump from a standstill and whether he keeps up or not, sprint for the finish line when they see the orange cones.

We were also at a show two years ago when we first got into this and we were complaining with another person about what a disadvantage we had against the "20 year old fast runners" and it was me - in my late thirties and 6 months pregnant, my husband - late forties and in his opinion "old and out of shape" and the other person who was in her forties and in the midst of enduring treatment/chemo for a brain tumor. We thought we were a pretty pathetic group and yet we all finished at the top of the class with the best times and I KNOW we were not even close to being the fastest runners or most in shape people. So it isn't just a "human foot race" and it isn't just a "jumping contest" it is more complex than either of those.

 

[Magic]

You must have missed my post on this thread about my 50 year old husband that has won multiple jumper titles at AMHR Nationals the past couple of years. Trust me, he isn't in shape or a fast runner. He is however, really good at strategy and working as a team with our horses and they trust him completely. They will turn on a dime, jump from a standstill and whether he keeps up or not, sprint for the finish line when they see the orange cones.

We thought we were a pretty pathetic group and yet we all finished at the top of the class with the best times and I KNOW we were not even close to being the fastest runners or most in shape people. So it isn't just a "human foot race" and it isn't just a "jumping contest" it is more complex than either of those.

I so agree!!! :aktion033:

I can't run fast anymore either, have a badly injured ankle that will never be the same. I still prefer the AMHR type of jumping. I'm not about to ask my horses to keep jumping a round over and over with the jumps going higher and higher-- they would do it but I'd be worried about them getting injured. There they are getting more and more tired yet asked to keep going and jump higher every time.

Looks like this whole thread will have to be a case of agreeing to disagree, lol!

 

[Ashley]

I to like AMHA way better. I have never done it just watched. To me it shows more ability in AMHA then R. Heck I know my horse could win more in AMHA then R. I cant run that fast, but I know my boy can jump high. He is 31" and he has no probalem jumpin jumps that are over his head/eye level.

I went to Nationals this year, first time since 98' . And I tell you I laughed at the jumping coarse. It was pathetic for a national show, and it was nothing at all compared to when I went in 98'. Then they did have the nice fancy jumps. Sure would love to see somebody take it over and even do half the job Sue Price did.

I also want to add that my horses(that jump) are trained to a T they are trained more in jumping then anything else. I can turn sharp after a jump and stop and wait for them and they will jump, I can turn and not even give them a stride and they will jump. My horse trusts me and does what I ask, and yes I have won a few jump offs but its still hard haveing a short person/short horse run with a tall person/taller horse or even just a tall peson in general.

And Sanny hate to tell you but if you hear Bobs times they are fast times, even compared to the youth so you cant say he isnt also a fast runner.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

I agree ashley.. Bob is no slug he is pretty darn fast I have seen him run!

and he has talanted horses as well a great combo!

You can always do in AMHR what many do and that is find someone who runs very fast and give them your horse to take in so they can jump and do good at the foot race

:

I think bottom line is there is good and bad in the way both classes are run and each could benefit a by from taking a bit from the other!

 

[_minihorses4ever_]

Even though I show primarly AMHA, I would perfer AMHR jumping. I guess coming from a semi-big horse background, I want to see speed and jumping ability.

 

[targetsmom]

I do jump, but so far only at Pinto, which also raises the jump height for jump offs. As a senior citizen myself, I would not be as interested in the AMHR classes, although I will probably try the over 55 class. MAYBE I could hone my technique to be competitive in the other classes, but I doubt it. My gut feeling is still going to be that I will be holding my horse back and will not be able to compete with the youngsters (like Kristina). It sounds from this thread that there are others who also feel this way (I LOVED Al's idea by the way). So perhaps AMHR is losing competitors because of this. I do have a teenager who shows our gelding at the Pinto shows, but this wouldn't help in Amateur classes.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Well I'm only 20 and I have asthma, bad knees, and an ankle that can seriously break at any moment, I still do jumping, I'm still making the tight turns, even though at the beginning I'm thinking about my ankle but when I'm doing it I'm not thinking about it. The older people still beat me, and thats great, I wish I can run just as fast.

Nationals is so hard for the jumping class, so many fast runners out there I don't stand a chance, so you probably won't see me as much in a jumping class at Nationals anymore but will for sure in Hunter.

 

[dali1111]

I think it is unfair for it to be a race between handlers in AMHR. You have 20 year olds that can always outrun 50+ year old handlers, so how is that a contest of jumping for a horse?

I agree. Jumping should be just that..how a horse can jump. I was actually talking to one of my friends with big horses today about this.

 

[TTF]

I personally have never actually shown, much less jumped in AMHR classes. Though, I have heard lots about them from reading books, watching DVDs, and talking with other people who have. I do plan to try it out this coming year at at least one show.

:

There was one experience at the first show during 2006. We were showing with an AMHR judge who was used to timing it. We fixed it up since it was an AMHA show...

: But I guess that gave me a little real experience with what you're talking about.

Yes, I do like AMHA's way of going about the jumping classes. I mean, it should be about the physical and athletic qualities of your horse, not the person running beside it. I remember when I first started I had to pick if I wanted to canter or trot. That I guess would make a huge difference as well.

:

 

[Karen S]

Good Morning,

In reading through some of these post I see where some are talking about Jumping and some are referring to Hunter (trot or canter for their pace). The following is in regards to AMHR jumping.

Jumping: First go around is to be clean, you can take your time, or for those of you that do AMHA way of Jumping you can walk your horse up to that jump and have him jump. If you make a clean round with no faults, then those horses are moved to the next round, which is where your speed and agility come in. You and your horse must make a fast clean round with no faults in order to win. In regards to raising the jumps, we are required to raise at least one and sometimes I have seen all jumps raised. Then, if you happen to have a jump off then those jumps can be raised again. What you have to remember, with AMHR we have a maximum for the heights to which the horse can jump...first round, jumps can be a minimum of 12 inches to 24 inches, in the jump-off the height is from 12 inches to a maximum of 30 inches. I think in AMHA it's much higher than that. Also our jump standards in the AMHR cannot be over 40 inches tall with no wings or additions are allowed outside the jump standards. Check your AMHA rules and see what they allow in regards to their jump standards and heights.

Hunter: Hunters are judged on style, manners, and way of going, with preference given to those horses who cover the course at an even pace, with free flowing strides, as in a brisk trot or canter, but must maintain same gait throughout the entire course. Circling once upon entering the ring is permissible. Charging fences, or not maintaining the same gait throughout the entire class should be penalized. Upon completion of the entire class over jumps, finalist will be trotted past the Judge(s) for soundness check. Any unsound horse will be eliminiated. Horses shall not be required to re-jump the course.

Each association has it's own way of doing things that works for them. Learn both ways and if you like a piece of both incorporate that into your jumping routine with your horses. I like to see how high they can jump, but I also like to see them flow over those jumps just like the big guys. It's make for a beautiful picture when those horses curl their front feet and pull their entire body over those jumps.

Karen

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

The age thing was only one example--not the whole point. There will always be those that don't fint into teh generalized statements. Me--a few years ago I could run and do the foot rate jumping of AMHR and WCMHR and now at 30 and having had a degenerative joint disease for a solid couple of years there is no way I could race around a course. I thought it unfair then even when I was got some great placings. My mare in particular can soar over jumps and if it is truly about her form and getting over the jumps we could compete.....for a human foot race, no way. This is precisely my problem with AMHR jumping...I am not going to pay $30-40 a class to go out and have a foot race. If I want to run a race against other people I can leave the horses at home, but as it is I would rather see how high the horses can go and how well the handlers can pace and cue the horse and set it's stride and everything else that goes with jumping.

 

[stormo41]

It's not all about speed in the AMHR jumper classes, remember your horse has to get over the jumps clear to place.

for those of you who say your horses are trained to do tight turns and are really great jumping horses but it just comes down to the speed thing that YOU can't run fast, then don't enter or find someone who can run fast and let them take the horse in the jump off.

 

[mistyrose]

Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words

Photo by Hoof n Paw Photography

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

it just comes down to the speed thing that YOU can't run fast, then don't enter or find someone who can run fast and let them take the horse in the jump off.

Why should it come down to how fast the handler can run??? That is my whole point. It is supposed to be a JUMPING contest, not a handler RUNNING class. As for the not entering....well if people did that it sure wouldn't be a good thing for AMHR or the clubs putting on the shows that would be losing money now would it?

 

[Ashley]

Mistyrose~ WOW can I have that horse? That is my kind of jumping horse! Miss the two we had like that. One unfortantly was laid to rest a few years ago and the other is now a broodmare. THose are the ones that truelly love what they are doing! My little guy can jump like that however his belly hangs about a foot lower then your horses :new_shocked:

 

[horsehug]

Well I will leave the debates to the rest of you.

I personally am so glad my horses do not "know" they can jump, when the snow drifts almost cover the fence lines and it is just a few inches or less of fence sticking up..... like this winter!

So I do not teach any of them to jump!!

Susan O.

 

[Yaddax3]

Why should it come down to how fast the handler can run??? That is my whole point. It is supposed to be a JUMPING contest, not a handler RUNNING class.

Now, I could be wrong, but ...

My guess is most people who believe AMHR Jumping is a handler running class have never competed in the class.

If they did, they would know it is a partnership between the horse and handler. It doesn't come down to how fast the handler can run. The fastest runner isn't always going to win a Jumping class. Speed does help, to be sure. But even more important is the synergy and trust between horse and handler.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

Actually I have and did pretty well, thanks...I placed all seconds. The girl that always beat me ran faster. Period. I think her horse can jump higher than mine, but I know there are several that I beat whose horses can jump higher than my mare too...so I don't see the point of me doing so well because I could outrun them.