Free jumping or loose jumping is the practice of jumping a horse without a rider. It is often conducted in a chute and is used most often to evaluate the jumping ability of horses too young to jump under saddle. The correlations between free jumping and eventual success in show jumping competition have been the subject of several studies. Free jumping is used as a diagnostic tool by most warmblood breeding societies to evaluate jumping prowess in breeding stock. This practice is used to build a horse's confidence over jumps without a rider's interference, to evaluate a horses jumping ability, or to showcase a horse that is for sale. This training method is used in a variety of ways, both professionally and recreationally. Free jumping is also done competitively, primarily with younger horses that are not old enough for a rider or just beginning their jumping career.
Read more about Free Jumping: Setup, Purpose, Starting, Training, Evaluation and Selling, Drawbacks, Competitions
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Anna C. Brackett (1836–1911)