I am sure you have seen those beautiful videos and pictures of horses jumping very high. It is beautiful and surreal to witness an animal do the things horses do.
So how high can a horse jump on average? The average horse jump ranges from 2 feet 6 inches to 3 feet. Without any training, a horse can accomplish this feat, but they will not willingly do so at first. They can jump much higher especially if they are spooked or see something they want on the other side like a stud trying to get to a mare.
Now just because it say 2 feet to 3 feet on average this doesn’t mean the average horse can’t jump higher if they have too. I have had heard the saying that most horses can jump at least as high as their own withers which makes sense. But again we are speaking in terms of a horse that has no training too jump.
As you will see in this article horses can jump much higher than this when trained to do so or even when spooked to do so. Just like humans when adrenaline kicks in there really are no limits.
Of course this comes down to what kind of horse they are now that is why this is an overall average. Clydesdale, for example,e may have a harder time jumping up to their withers even just because of their limited flexibility.
Now you shouldn’t actually try to get your horse to jump without proper training and instruction. Jumping can severely injure a horse especially older horse if they are in great shape.
Horse will do whatever it takes when they have too. That includes jumping over a 4-5 foot fence to get too food if they have none on their side. Our horses have a tendency to get bored as well in the winter months since they can’t continually graze then. We haven’t had them jump over the fence but they have gone through and our little mini has a tendency to get through as well when he wants.
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Highest Horse Jump Without Saddle
The highest horse jump bareback we have on record is the horse Waterstone ridden by Robert Whitaker that was just short of 7 feet (2.12 meters) for the World Record in 2010.
Here is a short video of it pretty amazing:
Jumping Horse Breeds
There are many different horse breeds that can be used for jumping these are just some of the most popular:
- Thoroughbred – although known for their racing primarily they also make great jumpers with their long slender bodies.
- Quarter Horse – these horses are best known for their western style along with barrel racing. However, they are a great jumping horse for beginners as well.
- Arabian – even though smaller and thinner than the two above they are much more agile. They aren’t really for beginners however.
- Trakkener – not as popular but born to be in the heat and build just like a thoroughbred.
- Appaloosa – also another one for beginners because of their versatility and patience.
- Belgian Warmblood – have a great personality and love jumping the fences.
- Dutch Warmblood – these horses were bred specifically for the sporting side of competition through a select process.
- Hanoverian – has 300 years of history in jumping and other sporting events so can never go wrong with this horse.
- Holsteiner – with their rangy frame and smartness this horse is very capable of being a great jumper
Related Questions
What Is The Highest A Horse Has Ever Jumped?
The highest a horse has ever jumped according to the Guiness World Book of Records was back on Febuary 5th, 1949 by Huaso Ex-Faithful ridden by Alberto Larraguibel Morales in Chile. The height was 8 ft 1.25 inches.
This is amazing and I can’t imagine being there live too watch. I have heard of horses and seen videos of them jumping at 9 feet unfortunately they just aren’t official.
How High Did Snowman The Horse Jump?
Snowman is a great story as the horse was going to the slaughterhouse when a person named Harry de Leyer bought him for 80 bucks. The horse was recorded jumping 7 feet 2 inches. He knew the horse was going to be amazing when he sold him to a neighbor and jumped high fences to get back to his house. Went on to shatter records and get into the United States Show Jumping Hall of Fame.
How Tall Are Jumping Horses?
Most horses at the professional level are all over 16 hands 5.333 ft. That isn’t to say that their aren’t smaller horses. If you are a beginner it is better to be on a smaller horse of course that may depend on the riders size as well. But smaller horses are easier to control going into a jump then a 17 hand horse.
How High Can Whitetail Deer Jump?
Whitetail deer can jump up to 8 feet which is amazing based on their size alone. Of course this doesn’t mean they can jump a great distance at the same time. But for jumping fences deer have got this down. A lot of people worry about putting up a fence that it will block the deer but unless it is around eight feed tall I wouldn’t worry about it.
How High Can A Pony Jump?
Ponies just like horses can do a lot more then you would think with their bodies. A pony has been known to jump 3 feet fences to get to the other side so it is safe to say you will need about a 4 foot fence to keep them in. Now if you keep them happy, fed, and enterained you won’t have anything to worry about anyway. Yes if you find your shetland pony on the wrong side of the fence with know way they went through it, it is very likely they jumped over it.
How Far Can A Horse Jump On Average?
The world record is 8.4 meters or 28 feet in lenght which is truly amazing. This feat was set by horse named “Something” ridden by Andre Ferreira. So safe to say they can jump a long ways easily.