Show jumper conformation?

I am a show-jumper. It doesn't matter too much of your horse has a long back just as long as it doesn't have an excessively long back. As long as the show-jumpers have good hocks and muscles on their rear end and a good shoulder then they can be successful in the jumping arena.

Ive noticed this on videos alot, and some of the footage from those grand prix classes are shot with these new awkward cameras that are hd but stretch the images out. That might be what youre seeing also, but yes in general these horses are bred big to take those big fences and with big comes long backed. You'll find though, that these particular horses are not in competition long and have lots of medical bills. I dont think that anyone breedsd these long backs on purpose and it's becoming a side effect. Im not up close and personal with the grand prix world at all but what I've seen of breeding there are always those few exceptional horses who can clear 6 feet without having to try their little hearts out. These are the horses built for jumping, and usually do not have the long backs. So I dont know for sure but i believe that long backs are just a side effect of these huge horses.

Generally speaking show jumpers tend to be neat, compact horses with a short back. I personally find that they bascule better than long, rangey horses and have more power in their hind quarters. Perhaps it's just a recent change in the type of horses in the showjumping world.

I actually think the opposite. A horse with a long back is going to have less powerful hind quarters and weaker muscles then a horse with a short back. Long-backed horses will also sway more that a short backed horse, and they will usually do so early on in life. This is a horribly long-backed horse who also has a sway back: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Dc2ucZA1iA0/S_6rl1W2HdI/AAAAAAAAAVU/J1ODqinkq4A/s320/horrible+backed+rope+horse.jpg So, all in all, for a jumper, I would want a medium to short back, sloping shoulder (so the horse coul get his knees up well), strong, straight and correct legs, strong neck with a good crest and good bone and feet.