Quote Originally Posted by JuniorxMyxLove View Post

As for them jumping bounces...I think that they judge the jumps before they reach them, so by the time they're jumping the first in, say a 4 jump bounce, they're seeing how far it is to the 3rd/4th one. Maybe. haha i just confused myself.
Hmm, possibly, but I know on the odd occasion I've popped over some bounce fences, assuming they are all the same height and shape, I myself can't see how many there are until I get close enough to within 2 strides of the first fence, so if the horse couldn't see them either by that point, I'd be pretty scuppered!

The case of the blind horse is very interesting though. I suppose, in a case like that, you can teach a horse to jump on command, although I doubt you could play around with many different heights and widths of fence other than what the horse gives naturally since the horse cannot comprehend how it has to jump the obstacle. Maybe, since it is blind, it becomes more sensitive in other senses, and that is the reason why it responds to some sort of jump command. All I know is I couldn't be cantering along on any of the horses I ride, then suddenly take up jump position and expect them to leap into thin air as if they were popping a cross pole. That's sort of what I was getting at when I meant there is no jump command (other, I suppose, than in high school, which is not the same sort of jump a horse uses to clear a fence anyway.)

I guess I'm just not convinced, I just believe that with a horse being a prey animal, its vision would not be so limited as to not see what's two strides in front of it. Not really being a jumper anyway, I suppose it won't matter to me whether they see fences in ultra violet, as long as they can lengthen and collect and stay on the bit I'll be happy.

Happy riding!