Are Arabian Horses Good For Jumping? (Your Doubts Cleared!)

One of the main reasons why horses are usually bought by people is because they want to use them for events such as show jumping, races, and other sports and competitions. Of course, riders would prefer a horse that exhibits great skill when it comes to jumping. With that being said, not all horses are equal when it comes to how good they can jump.

It all boils down to what type of breed makes for a great jumper. One breed that seems to stand out is the Arabian Horse. Arabian Horses are one of the most well-known and sought-out breeds due to their exceptional strength and speed. But the question is, are they good jumpers?

Can an Arabian Horse Jump?

Arabian Horses can definitely jump! As a matter of fact, this breed is very much capable of competing in low-level affiliated showjumping. Initially, what people would do is train Arabian Horses early on to see what the horse’s reaction would be for taking a tiny jump. You’d be surprised at how capable Arabian Horses are at jumping!

Both pure-bred and part-bred Arabian Horses possess the ability to jump. The height in which these horses can jump solely relies on how they were raised and trained since every individual horse varies differently in terms of skills and such. It’s clearly a common misconception wherein some claim that Arabian Horses can’t jump!

There have been records of Arabian Horses that have brought home numerous championship titles from various events like show jumping. An example of that would be the part-bred Grade A showjumper named Mellway Precious Rose, who has a record of an impressive 1.15m in showjumping and retained a title of Part-bred championship of the 2016 Performance Horse Awards.

arabian-horses-jump

Are Arabian Horses Good Jumpers?

Arabian Horses are indeed good jumpers. They actually have the potential of excelling at showjumping, especially if they will be trained at an early stage. This beautiful breed possesses numerous abilities that are great for jumping such as agility, strength, and a tremendous amount of endurance.

Although Arabian Horses are not actually bred for jumping, nevertheless, they can still be trained to become good jumpers. Usually, this breed performs well in lower-level jumping, but there are some cases wherein they can go over this range.

Thoroughbreds are regarded as one of the best breeds for racing and showjumping. Fun-fact, this breed is actually a cross-breed between mares and Arabian horses. Moreover, this breed has been the origin of other new well-known breeds such as the Anglo-Arabian Horse and the Quarter Horse.

These horses are tall and their average height reaches up to 64 inches! This makes them great for jumping sports.

Why Arabian Horses Do and Do Not Usually Make Good Jumpers

As previously mentioned, Arabian Horses make good jumpers no doubt, however, they’re not perfect when it comes to jumping. This breed has its own pros and cons when it comes to jumping, you may refer to the list shown below:

Arabian Horses are Good at Jumping

This breed has numerous characteristics that make them excel in jumping and here’s why:

  • They’re versatile animals. Not only do they perform well in jumping, but also they are able to excel in other activities such as racing, dressage, and endurance riding.
  • They’re lightweight horses. This is a good thing when it comes to jumping since there is no extra weight that may possibly hinder them from jumping high.
  • They’re strong and vigorous horses. This makes Arabian Horses able to have enough force to push themselves from the ground and be able to execute high jumps.
  • They’re athletic. This makes them capable of jumping over hurdles that are tall. Also, their hindquarters are strong which is another factor that contributes to their excellence in jumping.
  • They’re intelligent, fearless, and eager to please their owners.
  • This breed has incredible speed.

Arabian Horses are Not Good at Jumping

Below is a reason why Arabian Horses may not be so good at jumping:

  • Their built inhibits them from conquering very tall obstacles. Arabian Horses aren’t the biggest breed of horses since their size only ranges from 14.1 – 15.1 hands high. They’re a small breed and not a large one.

How Good can Arabian Horses Jump?

Arabian Horses can only do so much when it comes to showjumping. While there may be some cases wherein the breed has showcased its exemplar performance in showjumping championships, it’s still important to take note that not every Arabian Horse is capable of doing those.

Arabian Horses are only recommended to take part in low-level showjumping due to their small build. Exceptionally trained Arabian Horses can jump up to 1.40m. Sure, this breed can conquer tall obstacles, but only if they receive proper training. This kind of training can only be done by expert riders since the Arabian Horse is not recommended for beginners.

So for those who are eyeing the Arabian Horse for showjumping purposes, it’s best not to expect too much from the breed as they can’t jump as high as other tall horse breeds.

How High can Arabian Horses Jump?

Lower Levels

Cross-country jumping is classified under low-level jumping. Arabian Horses are encouraged to compete in this type of event since it mostly involves the testing of the horse’s endurance through fields and forests. This event usually involves dressage and stadium jumping as well, which are both areas wherein Arabian Horses are known to excel at.

The obstacles that the horses usually encounter here are logs, ditches, banks, hills, and fences.

Showjumping

This event is much more critical when it comes to analyzing a horse’s jump. The scoring is based on particular criteria such as the time it took for the horses to clear obstacles and the touching said obstacles. If a horse manages to touch and knock down the obstacle, points will be deducted from them.

When Arabian Horses compete in showjumping, it’s recommended that they participate in the lowest level which is Level 1. The fence height in this level is not too high and it generally only reaches up to 2’9 – 3’ high.

Arabian Horses in Show Jumping

Arabian Horses can absolutely be used in showjumping! To prove that, here are some records of Arabian Horses that excelled in showjumping:

Katharine and Avonbrook Odin

  • In 2016 during a British Showjumping event, a part-bred son of Marcus Aurelius named Avonbrook Odin, was able to jump at a staggering height of 1.15!
  • Odin alongside his rider named Katherine was able to qualify for the British Novice during the second rounds.
  • During the Alexanders Horseboxes SCOPE Festival, Odin was able to qualify for the 95m Championships. Odin competed against big horses that had exceptional riders that are known to be the very best.

Marcus Aurelius

  • He is an Arabian Horse who is jampacked with talent and skill. Despite being a small horse of 15 hands high, he was able to conquer tall obstacles and compete against horses that are bigger than him.
  • Marcus has won an overall championship during the 2014 Performance Horse Awards.

How Much are Arabian Horses?

If you’re interested in purchasing this breed to be used for showjumping and other activities, you may want to prepare at least $3,500 – $20,000. Do take note that the price range varies in accordance with the horse’s training, age, and other factors.

Which Horse Breed is the Best Jumper?

Dutch Warmblood

This breed is currently placed at the #1 spot of the best jumper among all the other horse breeds. This decision was made by the World Breeding Federation for Sports Horses. The average height of this horse is 16hh which is around 64 inches. This horse is well-known for its intelligence and friendly nature.

Not only is the Dutch Warmblood regarded as the best breed for jumping but also this breed is featured in the top three when it comes to the annual rankings of WBFSH.

A British showjumper named John Whitaker rode a Royal Dutch Warmblood x Irish Draught named Milton and both of them won huge prize money amounting to $1,000,000 outside the usual racing events.

The characteristics of a Dutch Warmblood are athleticism, versatility, and good temperament. When this breed is bred to become a showjumper, they usually display a courageous personality. In terms of its appearance, it sports a slender and well-defined silhouette, but that doesn’t make it a weak horse.

The Dutch Warmblood actually has powerful legs that enable them to conquer a variety of sports and events. This breed is recommended for beginners due to its good temperament.

Some of the well-known Dutch Warmbloods that have made a name for themselves are Royal Kaliber, Udon, Ferro, Authentic and Breitling, Totilas, and Valegro.

Resources:

https://thearabianmagazine.com/the-arabian-breeders-magazine-celebrating-the-champions-avonbrook

https://www.globetrotting.com.au/horse-breed-dutch-warmblood

Related Articles:

What Are Arabian Horses Used For? (Answered!)

Are Thoroughbreds Good Jumpers? (Your Doubts Cleared!)

Thoroughbred vs Arabian: Differences & Questions Answered

Stallion Horse: 15 Most Asked Question Answered

Are Horses Loyal? (More Loyal Than Dogs?)