gridwork? anyone

Simple - 2 metres for landing, 4 metres for stride, 2 metres for take off - as many have said. I think this is what is used at lower levels for horse classes.

Start with poles on the ground and a nice canter over them to check.

Have someone with you - preferably an instructor.

Keep the grids short at first (not 2 poles though) while you are getting used to the distances.

Keep jumps small. Starting with poles, then raise one to a cross pole and build up gradually. Definately keep it small though.
 
That will probably work as it doesn't need to be that exact - but a "standard" one-stride double is 7.3m, not 8 - so if you go with the above you'll be building it a bit long. And if you are using the same measurement for a 5 stride related distance you'd be building it at 24m (rather than 20.5-21.5m depending on fence type/height), which would be nearly a whole canter stride off.

Which is of course rideable if you know what you are doing and adjust accordingly - but the safest bet is to know how long your stride is and how that translates to horses strides. Or use a tape measure to be on the really safe side. Obviously then you'd have to know what the correct distance should be as well...
 
brighteyes said:
KatB

Can you stride a metre, though?
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Well the SJer that got me learning to stride said it was a yard... and I know there are 8 of them in a BSJA double... so I always presumed they were yards I was striding?! I know how many relate to different distances at shows, and can adjust distances at home, but obviously wouldnt be able to tell you whether it's 8m or 8yards for a 1 stride double ;) :p
 
KatB said:
Well the SJer that got me learning to stride said it was a yard... and I know there are 8 of them in a BSJA double... so I always presumed they were yards I was striding?! I know how many relate to different distances at shows, and can adjust distances at home, but obviously wouldnt be able to tell you whether it's 8m or 8yards for a 1 stride double ;) :p
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KatB, you are correct. 8 yards is a one stride double (approx 7.3m)
 
martlin said:
Just trying to imagine that while walking a course at a show:D
The ministry of silly walks:D:D:D
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I think I am one of the few remaining people who measures fence distances at shows anymore - the last time I went, with a friend's child as the (albeit novice) competitor, I acquired a gaggle of teenagers wanting a master class in course walking as they had no idea what the distances were, or what they translated to in terms of horse strides! I was also the only person who was telling said child their lines for the fences (as in, how to get the straightest approach) I think everyone else rides around with their eyes closed and prays the horse took a look at the course map on the way in!

Silly walks be damned! I have been known to do much worse at shows!

Although talking of looking silly, I tell you, I measured my new car (that I pick up tonight) by pacing it in the showroom garage (given I knew how long my current car was, I wanted a comparison!) Dealer was most surprised that I was accurate to within a few inches / cms! (Over here, I find I have to know both, Canada is 'metric' (we drive in km/h, buy milk in litres etc) but with the US being non-metric, there is some overlap! I've also measured sofas, fencing and garden furniture without a tape measure, I don't care if people think I am crazy, the furniture / hardware fits!
 
On a related note - do instructors teach students how to 'see' a stride (as in, know from 3,5,7,9,11 etc strides out, how many strides away they are?) I don't like the 3,2,1 KICK school of doing it as invariably the horse is not ready for take of yet, but knowing you are x strides away makes it a whole heck of a lot easier to ride a course. It was another thing I was suprised the kids hadn't any knowledge of.
 
emma69 said:
I think I am one of the few remaining people who measures fence distances at shows anymore - the last time I went, with a friend's child as the (albeit novice) competitor, I acquired a gaggle of teenagers wanting a master class in course walking as they had no idea what the distances were, or what they translated to in terms of horse strides! I was also the only person who was telling said child their lines for the fences (as in, how to get the straightest approach) I think everyone else rides around with their eyes closed and prays the horse took a look at the course map on the way in!

Silly walks be damned! I have been known to do much worse at shows!

Although talking of looking silly, I tell you, I measured my new car (that I pick up tonight) by pacing it in the showroom garage (given I knew how long my current car was, I wanted a comparison!) Dealer was most surprised that I was accurate to within a few inches / cms! (Over here, I find I have to know both, Canada is 'metric' (we drive in km/h, buy milk in litres etc) but with the US being non-metric, there is some overlap! I've also measured sofas, fencing and garden furniture without a tape measure, I don't care if people think I am crazy, the furniture / hardware fits!
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It is important to know how to walk a distance, absolutely - but I watch all these riders at BN walking 6-7 stride dog-legs meticulously - just to end up riding a totally different line/ a big or a small jump in on the first part, and just go on something completely different. So unless you are very good at riding (unlike me for example) it is good to not get too stuck on the exact number of strides as you may be in for a surprise... I know the original post was about grid work in training though, so that should of course be measured and adjusted more carefully.
 
From the BSJA rule book...

A combination is a series of obstacles to be taken in succession separated by intervening distances not exceeding l2m measured at ground level from the rear of one obstacle to the ground line of the next. A double combination comprises two such obstacles. A treble combination comprises three such obstacles.
 
Weezy said:
From the BSJA rule book...

A combination is a series of obstacles to be taken in succession separated by intervening distances not exceeding l2m measured at ground level from the rear of one obstacle to the ground line of the next. A double combination comprises two such obstacles. A treble combination comprises three such obstacles.
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Yep, and?
 
Yup, I agree to an extent, I wouldn't be fussed about 6-7 strides, there is plenty of time to sort things out over that sort of distance and I wouldn't pace them out. But anything 3 or less I think it is important to know what they are - especially at local show level (affiliated they should be pretty predictable, but local shows often end up shortening the distances). I think I would far rather know beforehand whether I am better going for 3 short or 2 longer for example, especially when I am riding a tiny or a giant (I used to take a 17.2hh out for plays a while ago, and the courses were often set based on a 14.2hh which made for interesting one stride / bounce distances!) and to work that out I need to know what the distances are.
 
martlin said:
Yep, and?
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I think she is saying that the longest distance in a double can be 12m between the fences - this would mean a long two-stride double. Doubles are a bit of a science though as it totally depends on what type fences are used - a triple in, oxer out will require a different distance than upright/upright for example...
 
little_flea said:
I think she is saying that the longest distance in a double can be 12m between the fences - this would mean a long two-stride double. Doubles are a bit of a science though as it totally depends on what type fences are used - a triple in, oxer out will require a different distance than upright/upright for example...
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Yeah, OK, I know that, I just wanted to know why Weezy posted that - as in in response to what?
12 metres is a bit of a flyer though, especially when the jumps are small:)
 
martlin said:
Yeah, OK, I know that, I just wanted to know why Weezy posted that - as in in response to what?
12 metres is a bit of a flyer though, especially when the jumps are small:)
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I don't know in response to what... and yes, 12m is very long - 10.5m is a more normal distance for a 2-stride double (though again of course depends on type of fence and height, tempo, ground conditions, towards the gate or away etc etc zzzzzz I'm going to take up dressage)
 
Ahh another post started to cause............... no comment!


You have had plenty advice on this thread, allot of it good however i would suggest a full competent instructor help you out and as we have seen in the "thrills and spills" video not always jump land go and god forbid if anything happened to your trusting horse because the grid work was dangerous
 
brighteyes said:
If you see my earlier replies to this thread. They were a bit flip, and I got duly chastised by a few. Including Admin. I suggest you stay true to the original meaning.
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Are you honestly saying that admin said something about the bit of banter you had on here last night? Does nobody have a sense of humour anymore... I was laughing my socks off reading that stuff last night!
 
FlorenceBassey said:
NOT incorrect at all, its the best way and has never caused me a problem in 20 years, taught to me by the 1976 junior european champion who has also been shortlisted for the olympic team and knows more about what she's doing than most people do put together! none of this new fangled metric measurement *******s actually works, thanks for your input but in this case i'll be ignoring it :D
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and in the 1976 junior european namedrop namedrop whatever I'm pretty sure people were still jumping 1.60m courses in flat caps with wadding bandages- times change and things improve, I'm sure you AREN'T arguing that a 6ft man has the same stride as a 14year 5ft girl and therefore of course one will have a larger one.
I'm all for a good bicker but god if you're going to argue at least give it some logic.
I also can't see anyone wondering around a WH/SJ/distances XC with a measuring stick, which is why most suss out how big strides they need to take.
 
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