Stride Right
How to find your distance and ride the perfect jump line.
how to find your distance and ride the perfect jump line.
Getting the right counts in a line can often seem like the ultimate test on a jumping course. Lines are two or more jumps set apart by a measured distance, and are meant to be ridden in a specific number of consistent, even strides. Any deviation is usually considered a fault in hunter and equitation competition. If you and your horse struggle with lines, here are some tips to help solve the problem, courtesy of hunter and equitation trainer
Susan Smith of Norco, Calif.
KNOW YOUR hORse’s cANteR
First, you need to analyze your horse’s canter stride.
“Most people canter around their arena on a 10- to 11-foot stride without realizing it,” says Smith. At shows, the measured distance in a line is based on a standard 12-foot stride.
“If you’re used to cantering on a 10-foot stride, and setting lines at home according to your comfort zone, you’ll get to a show and be suddenly surprised,” she says.
Smith suggests cantering over poles on the ground that are set at a distance mimicking a simple line. Then you can gauge whether you need to lengthen or collect your horse’s stride for an actual course.
“I set two ground poles about 66 feet apart, which should ride in five strides,” says Smith, who notes that the distance is about 6 feet shorter than the traditional measurement because they aren’t actual jumps.
“They’re just poles, so the horse’s arc won’t be much more than just a canter stride. But this will still give you a clear idea of your horse’s normal canter stride.”
If you discover that your horse runs out of room between the poles, daring to leave out an entire stride, use your aids to collect him. Open your hip angle, settle a little deeper into the saddle and steady slightly with your hands.
Yet if you’re like most riders and realize your horse wants to add an extra stride (or two) between the poles, you’ll need to lengthen his stride. Close your hip angle and soften your contact with his mouth. With every stride, press your horse forward with your leg.