Equestrian show jumping has become a spectacle within the equestrian. The man-horse conjugation results in an incredible pairing. Show jumping is an event that is valued according to the ability of a rider and his horse to jump over a series of obstacles arranged on a track or circuit.

This is one of the equestrian sports that has greater popularity and number of participants and followers. So much so that there are many World Show Jumping Championships, the equestrian jump participates in the Olympic Games and is also part of the disciplines of the Olympic pentathlon.

Thanks to its showiness, show jumping, also known as stadium jumping, has become the quintessential spectacle of equestrian sport.

That is why today we want to dedicate this writing to this sport that is gaining more and more followers.

Si deseas ver este artículo en español visita: Salto ecuestre: un espectáculo dentro de la hípica

Show jumping

Equestrian show jumping consists of demonstrating the power, speed and dexterity of the horse. While in the case of the rider the quality of his riding is evident. The whole of the horse and the rider in the show jumping is known as a binomial. In the same vein, in show jumping competitions, the jockey or amazon is called “athlete” to keep the term neutral.

This sport is characterized by having different heights, depending on the category in which it is competed.

Different types of competition are also established according to:

• By age
• By gender (female and male)
• They also have team competitions
• They are also classified by degree of skill and competition between professionals and amateurs.

As we mentioned the different categories are distinguished not only according to the heights of the obstacles but also to the ages of the riders and their gender.

But to move on and learn a little more about the show jumping let’s know a little of its history below.

History of Equestrian Show Jumping

The history of Show Jumping is inextricably linked to the history of hunting as a sport. And it is that during the sporting tasks of hunting the prey had to be chased through natural places. These places were full of obstacles placed there by mother earth.

The sport of hunting was already very popular during the 18th century but with the passage of time it was incorporated into the horse in the hunting tasks. Already in the middle of the 18th century the horse was a fundamental part of the sport and the artificial obstacles put there by man were added to the natural obstacles.

This is how already in the 19th century, with fields full of fences due to the separation of the grounds, these obstacles became part of the sport. This occurred throughout the European continent including especially Great Britain, where the sport gained great popularity.

Natural and artificial obstacles added fun and excitement to the sport of hunting, but also difficulty. Thanks to this, the selection and breeding of horses to improve their cross-country capabilities began. The breeding of horses with special characteristics for the jump was one of the elements that marked a before and after. This circumstance determined the conditions for the appearance of the equestrian show jumping.

The selection of horses and the conditions for the sport.

Thanks to the popularity of cross-country and fenced-in hunting, it boosted the demand for horses with special skills. Horse breeders realizing the new demand began to breed and cross horses with conditions for this sport. The breeders emphasized the following characteristics:

• Ability to gallop through uneven terrain.
• Ability to jump at speed
• Increase the height of the jump
• Resistance to make jumps and run during long hunting tasks.
• Intelligence to adapt to unfamiliar terrain and react quickly.

Thanks to the breeding of these hunting horses, the foundations were laid for horse breeds specialized in show jumping.

While popular with hunters, the sport did not spread quickly. Although it was a very colorful sport for the spectators, they could not follow the races in the middle of the field. In addition, to access these events they needed to be in the middle of mud-filled grounds.

It was there that the idea of taking the sport to closed enclosures was born a new sport that would be the precursor of equestrian show jumping, the leeping.

Faults – Rules of the sport

As in all sports, in the jump there are faults that cannot be committed because they subtract score.

It is considered as a lack that the rider knocks down an obstacle, exceedes the agreed time or time limit. Such things are counted as a penalty and subtract points from the team “rider-horse”.

The winner is the participant who commits the fewest penalties, completes the course in the fastest time or gets the most points.

This discipline is one of the most popular of equestrian sports.

Other faults – Rules of the sport

For a disobedience of the horse, you get a penalty of 4 points. The following points are considered disobedience:

1. Refuse
2. The run-out
3. The defense

Due to a travel error, the rider and horseman are eliminated. Travel errors are considered when the participant:

1. It does not make the route according to the fixed graph.
2. Do not cross the line of departure or arrival between the flags in the right direction.
3. Skip the required steps.
4. Do not jump obstacles in the order or in the direction indicated, except in some special tests.
5. Jump or try to jump an obstacle that is not part of the route or forget to jump an obstacle.

By the fall of the horse and / or the rider or amazon, elimination of both. They are considered falls of the rider or the amazon when they have touched the ground, or if to return to the chair they need to resort to an external support or help, of whatever nature.

It is considered a fall of the horse when the back and hip of the horse have touched the ground or the obstacle and the ground.

How we can see Show Jumping is a complex sport with many particularities. Gustavo Mirabal is a great lover of horses and an amateur show jumping athlete. Here in gustavomirabalcastro.online we will be giving tips of the sport so that you can understand it or even encourage you to practice it. We believe that every true horse lover should try, even if it were sometime.