Horse jumping is one of the most renowned and respected show sports around. But, as every responsible equine owner or trainer knows, ethical jumping is all about knowing your horse’s limitations. So, just how high can the average horse jump? Well, that depends on the situation:
- On average, untrained horses can make it about three feet to clear an obstacle. They’ll need motivation, though, and that usually means keeping a nice snack on hand as a reward.
- When you use training devices like horse jump walls from Old Dominion Horse Jump Company, that average gradually goes up. There’s no established limit, as the sport is all about pushing boundaries, but champion horses have made it up to seven-and-a-half feet. Getting that high takes extensive training, though, and it’s best to look for slow, steady progress if you want to get your animal up to the standards of the world’s biggest shows.
- As for the world record, Huaso ex-Faithful holds the highest jump to date with a leap of 8 feet, 1.25 inches. Unchallenged since 1949, this height represents the peak of what these incredible animals can do when guided to boundary-breaking levels of skill by determined and respectful trainers who never stop looking to clear the next wall in their way.