JUMPING JITTERS

Overcome nerves and tackle the biggest challenges to get your jumping on track.

- BY LAURA BOYNTON JOBSON

The thrilling competitive sport of show jumping, also known to eventers as stadium jumping, traces its roots to England, where the 18th century Enclosure Acts made the need to jump fences during fox hunting excursions much more commonplace.

The first known jumping show was held in Ireland in 1864, with 13 jumping obstacles set at 3 feet 6 inches tall. At the Stockholm, Sweden Olympics of 1912, jumping was defined as a sport and formatted the way we jump today.

COMPETITION

Beginning jumpers start out at lower heights offered at schooling shows over ground poles and cross-rails. This allows new jumpers, whether horse or rider, to gain experience at a show setting before moving up the levels to higher fences at rated venues.

The goal of show jumping is to navigate your horse through a jump course and finish in the least amount of time without knocking down any rails. It is scored completely objectively, as opposed to the subjective judging of hunter classes.