In a jump chute, much can be seen on how a horse uses himself while jumping. Their natural jumping ability, instincts, scope, power, stride, adjustability, and reaction time all come into play. When done right, the jump chute helps teach horses how to jump properly but when done wrong, the jump chute can cause more harm than good.
Martin Douzant of The Frame Sport Horses advises to always err on the side of caution when raising the height of jumps in the jump chute. “If the horse jumps through the chute well twice in a row, give them a pat and call it a day,” said Douzant. “The goal is to teach the horse how to jump safely and with a good technique.” Douzant, who is the designated jump chute handler for the 2019 USEA Future Event Horse (FEH) Championships, gives his top 10 tips for a safe and successful jump chute.
Martin Douzant’s 10 Jump Chute Tips
The USEA Future Event Horse Program utilizes a jump chute at FEH Championships. The horses in the 3-year-old and 4-year-old age groups are given the opportunity to perform the jump chute up to six times, building to maximum height as they go, while keeping safety of paramount importance. If a horse is ever over-faced, the judges will make the call to either let the horse be finished or have the fences lowered for a final, confidence-boosting jump line. For 3-year-olds, the maximum height of the first fence is 2’7”, the second is 2’9”, and the last fence is 3’3” in the front and 3’7” in back. For 4-year-olds, the maximum height increases by a couple of inches with the first fence at 2’9”, the second fence at 3’ 3”, and the last fence is 3’7” in front and 3’9” in the back. The USEA strongly recommends that a horse has experience in a jump chute prior to championships. Jump chute clinics are great opportunities for horses of any age to practice free jumping. Find a jump chute clinic on www.eventclinics.com.
The FEH Championship entries are open and you can enter through Xentry! The FEH West Coast Championships will be at Twin Rivers Ranch on September 19, 2019. The FEH Central Championships will be at Snowdonia Farms on September 26, 2019. The FEH East Coast Championship will be at Loch Moy Farm on September 28-29, 2019. Click here for FEH qualified horses.
The USEA introduced the Future Event Horse Program in 2007 in response to the popularity of the already established USEA Young Event Horse Program. Where the YEH program assesses 4- and 5-year-old prospective event horses based on their performance, the FEH program evaluates yearlings, 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and 4-year-olds for their potential for the sport based on conformation and type. Yearlings, 2-year-olds, and 3-year-olds are presented in-hand while 4-year-olds are presented under saddle at the walk, trot, and canter before being stripped of their tack and evaluated on their conformation. Divisions are separated by year and gender. At the Championships, 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds are also required to demonstrate their potential over fences in an additional free-jump division. Click here to learn more about the Future Event Horse Program.
The USEA would like to thank Bates Saddles, SmartPak, Standlee Hay Company, and C4 Belts for sponsoring the Future Event Horse Program.
There are so many things to love about the Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event and the opportunity to peruse the booths of so many amazing vendors is definitely one of them! Don’t forget to stop by the USEA booth, located just behind the Rolex Stadium next to the large Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event booth, to stock up on all of your favorite USEA apparel.
After the first competition at Modified was held at The Horse Park at Woodside in California in 2023, the level will be under an even bigger spotlight with the Modified Match that will be offered at the 2024 Woodside Spring Horse Trials that will take place from May 24-26.
The inaugural USEA Interscholastic Eventing League (IEL) Championship at Stable View in Aiken, South Carolina, is just over a week away, which means it is time to meet the teams that are set to compete! A total of 43 competitors representing eight IEL Clubs will make up the 11 teams that are set to compete in the 2024 USEA IEL Championship on Saturday, May 4 and Sunday, May 5.
Welcome back to one of the most exciting weeks in eventing in the U.S.—Defender Kentucky Three-Day Event week! The Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky, is going to be full to the brim with eventing lovers from all over the world.