I’ve posted amazing dressage videos before, but I don’t think I’ve ever posted any videos of the jaw-drawing performances seen in show jumping. However, since I’m just about to buy some jumps, I thought now would be an excellent time!

Here’s two videos from a “puissance” competition, which is an high-jumping elimination competition. The record is for seven feet ten inches. That’s just mind-boggling, because neither horse nor rider can see over that solid wall.

Personally, the tallest that I’ve ever jumped is four-foot fences, back when I was a teenager riding my fabulous horse “Paint.” It was fun!! In jumping the more ordinary height of three feet, the horse has leveled out by the time that his hind legs leave the ground. In jumping four-foot fences, the horse is still headed upwards as he leaves the ground. That’s a pretty awesome feeling, and I can only imagine what six or seven feet would be like!

First, here’s a video of many puissance jumps, including some minor and major failures:

Second, here’s a video with the progression of a puissance competition. I’ve seen one of these in person, and the videos just don’t do the excitement of it justice.

As for me, Lila has done a little bit of jumping, but I imagine that I’ll be training her basically from scratch, as I’ve done with her dressage work and cross-country trail riding. I love to jump, so I’m really looking forward to it!