how to stop looking for a stride?

[TarrSteps]

I have something else to add (don't worry, my dinner is cooking so I'm going away soon ). . .

Part of teaching a horse to be ridable it sometimes letting it make the mistake. So if a young horse doesn't listen to a containing hand, say, there's nothing wrong with continuing the aid until you're at the base and letting the horse have an uncomfortable jump because of it. (Obviously at a height where the horse can cope and recover easily.)

It's quite common for people to ask, not get a reaction and then either ask something different or panic and either freeze or chuck the reins at the horse. If you watch pros school, if the horse leaps through the hand a bit say, they might very well sit up a bit in the air and keep the hand on, to remind the horse that listening is not optional. The thing is to make it "not personal" - you ride your rhythm, impulsion and stride, the horse can adapt and if it doesn't, meh, it will learn. It's amazing how many times when you do this the horse will come the next time and be much more ridable to the distance.

Similarly the HORSE should be consistent (give the aforementioned decent canter etc.) on the approach and it's not wrong to correct that, even if it doesn't make for one or two not so pretty jumps. So while the rider needs to be in change of change if change is warranted, he/she also has to be in charge of consistency. The stellar teachers mentioned above are almost always absolutely consistent to their fences (although they're not necessarily consistent the same way) and therefore easy to learn to ride.

 

[TarrSteps]

wow loads of really interesting responses! thing is my current horse is absolutely brilliant into a fence- he will sort his own legs out, prop himself if he needs to, lengthen if he needs to etc...its just when i get giddy and chase him that it goes wrong... when i don't chase it feels awesome so know what its like- just need to try and replicate that all the time. i blame my old horse- he was horrid into a fence and taught me this bad habit...

So don't chase.

Seriously, replace that little voice in your head saying "eeeek, I don't seeee anythiiiiing, chaaaaaaassssse!" with one that says "let the fence come to you" or "wait for the fence" or "ride the rhythm" or "1, 2, 3, 4" or "1-2-3" or "polar bear" or "add the stride" or "hey ho, I've got all day to get there (my personal fav). If everything else is working and you're not worried about what might happen if you miss etc. it really is just mental discipline. I know that's not very sexy but if that's the only problem, it's simple (if not easy) to fix and you're quite lucky.

 

[SpottedCat]

wow loads of really interesting responses! thing is my current horse is absolutely brilliant into a fence- he will sort his own legs out, prop himself if he needs to, lengthen if he needs to etc...its just when i get giddy and chase him that it goes wrong... when i don't chase it feels awesome so know what its like- just need to try and replicate that all the time. i blame my old horse- he was horrid into a fence and taught me this bad habit...

In that case, I would probably try using loads of canter poles so you just can't chase to try and train yourself out of it, if TS mental discipline approach is too hard to start with (I know I'd struggle with it!).

 

[OneInAMillion]

My sister's instructor had A canter round the course shouting "I am in a rhythm" so she couldn't look for a stride because she was focussing on keeping in time with Reg's canter with that statement. It really helped her- she's stopped seeing long ones so much and has managed to crack the habit of pushing for a flier. There are some hysterical videos of her cantering round the arena shouting it, consistently half a beat out with him...

doesnt she just love that exercise! problem is when E makes the course that long you run out of puff 1/2 way round trying to say it but it is brill

 

[diggerbez]

In that case, I would probably try using loads of canter poles so you just can't chase to try and train yourself out of it, if TS mental discipline approach is too hard to start with (I know I'd struggle with it!).

yes TS and SC its all in the mental discipline i guess. just need to work out which mantra works for me

today in my lesson involved lots of placing poles, really helped as obviously hard to chase with the pole there. more practice needed over poles then

 

[Jingleballs]

I'm watching this thread with interest as I have this issue but only with doubles. had a lesson yesterday and even after about twenty attempts was still messing it up as I back off when I should push on and push on when I shouldn't causing him to take a flyer and catapult me forward. been told to think of creating power not speed to help pony sort his stride. Not sure if I'll ever get the hang of it.

 

[TarrSteps]

yes TS and SC its all in the mental discipline i guess. just need to work out which mantra works for me

I'm not actually trying to be difficult.

It's a cornerstone of sports psychology/learning theory that it's more effective to tell someone what to do than to tell them what NOT to do. If I tell you not to think of cauliflower, what do you immediately think of . . .?

So if you're coming out of the corner and saying to yourself all the way down "don't chase" (unless you work it into a nice, boring mantra in time with your rhythm ) and then holding yourself so you don't, that will prevent you from doing positive things. If you give yourself something to "do", even if that's waiting, you'll stay more relaxed and focussed.

Another scenario is the horse that needs pushing to the fence but not chasing. All the same rules about canter etc. apply, obviously, but then it can be more helpful to think about riding "through" the fence or something similar (I tell myself to ride across it) and let the horse worry about picking up its legs.

I really like working over poles but I do find if there is anxiety involved, it's not always easy to carry the same feeling to a fence. Also, make sure you look up and over and don't get fixated on the poles.

 

[Ella Bella]

wow loads of really interesting responses! thing is my current horse is absolutely brilliant into a fence- he will sort his own legs out, prop himself if he needs to, lengthen if he needs to etc...its just when i get giddy and chase him that it goes wrong... when i don't chase it feels awesome so know what its like- just need to try and replicate that all the time. i blame my old horse- he was horrid into a fence and taught me this bad habit...

Good, you know he's capable, you just need trust him and stop looking for a distance.

Some things that may help....
Don't think about the distance (stride) think about maintaining a quality canter and an even pace. Once that is established *leave it alone* sit quiet and let the horse figure it out. He may be long, he may get in tight. Who cares. If the canter is good and you stay put it really doesn't matter. So many amatuers pick, pick, pick or pump, pump. This alters the pace and length if stride which makes life difficult for the horse. They are saints at times and bail us out of self made disasters often.

Why do the pros seem to get spot on distances? They don't! They don't ride the distance, really watch them, they get long, tight, etc, but the horse is educated (and so is rider) to jump out of any distance and make it look perfectly natural. Never ride the distance or the fence...just ride your horse

The odd time when fences get high and courses are technical there may come a time when you get there and there is nothing, you have to " manufacture* a distance.
Just ride the course well too, get your lines, keep your impulsion throughout the corners and wait for the fence to come to you. Look beyond the fence, look at your next one when you are a stride or two out from your current one. Not that I am always able to do this, lol, it's extremely challenging to sit quite and not interfere but it's what the great trainers do.

 

[Ella Bella]

So don't chase.

Seriously, replace that little voice in your head saying "eeeek, I don't seeee anythiiiiing, chaaaaaaassssse!" with one that says "let the fence come to you" or "wait for the fence" or "ride the rhythm" or "1, 2, 3, 4" or "1-2-3" or "polar bear" or "add the stride" or "hey ho, I've got all day to get there (my personal fav). If everything else is working and you're not worried about what might happen if you miss etc. it really is just mental discipline. I know that's not very sexy but if that's the only problem, it's simple (if not easy) to fix and you're quite lucky.

Totally agree!

 

[Honkey : )]

Sing reallly quitely! its stopped me counting for what i think is a stride and let my horse sort it out every time!