Question on strides in related distances.

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Peanot

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OK, I have been having problems recently with my horse putting in some dirty stops, at least one in every other class.
She is fine at home, jumping up to 1.22m - about twice every 3 weeks. I am only jumping in 85cm and BN heights at a show. She is a little spooky and sometimes baulks at the fences. She has had her back done within the last 2 weeks, (she has it checked every 3 months) her teeth have been done and her saddle has been checked. Everything is fine.
Well after watching the video of yesterdays classes, I have come to the conclusion that she is better from a shorter stride.
When the related distances are of say, 4 strides, I usually push for the 4 strides, which in turn makes her go longer, then she runs out at the side. Well, yesteday, I played differently and decided to sit and wait for 5 strides instead. There were 2 lots of 4 strides. I got 5 strides in and held her together and she jumped lovely. We had a few problems last time with a double going to a 4 NJS related distance and because I pushed to get the 4 strides, she went long and ran out at the last minute. She did this twice. But yesterday when I sat, held her, and went for 5 short ones, she did it lovely. So my question is - Is it ok to do this? I have come to the conclusion that if it is a double, then obviously we make the 1 or 2 NJS but if it is longer than 3 strides, then hold her. Does anyone else do this? It`s just that I feel like I am pushing her onto her forehand, then losing her if I try and make the distances. She is a big 17hh warmblood so you would think that it wouldn`t be a problem but it is.
Thanks for reading this long post.
 
It is not a good idea you can get away with at 4 strides but what about 3? You are struggling to get an extra stride in for a 3 related distance so she needs to learn to do the correct strides.

She should make the distance comfortably so you need to look at why not. Is she jumping green and landing close the other side, is she not straight and therefore making the distance longer or have you got her canter too short and restricted. You should be able to land put your leg on and get comfortably to a good take off point. You will be able to get away with extra strides at 85cm but not as you go up the grades.

Be careful not to build too big at home she might be lacking confidence.
 
It is not a good idea to do this if you want to ever jump in bigger classes especially as she is a 17hh there is no need for this. You should practice jumping single fences and galloping away from them instead of specific stride lenghts. Personally I belive if a distance is set at a specific number of strides then it should be ridden at that stride you only alter if it is a half stride or you get a bad shot. It would appear that you need to work on your canter as the one you must be riding in is too short. So lots of pole work ie dog legs, related distances.
 
I would try to ride it the right distance, make sure you have walked the distance right, remember what it is so you can build it at home and practice and watch a few horses and see how they ride the distance.

What do you count as your first stride?
 
I have a sort of different answer, but....
short term - what you are doing solves your problem of having the occasional dirty stop at a fence, it is working so do it.
However longer term - practice at home or in lessons riding rel distances with the proper striding. Probably would be better with an eye on the ground to spot potential problems. For example - you might not be pushing on enough in the first couple of strides of the rel dist (ie the get away from previous fence) meaning the final couple of strides have to be v long and flat. As you say, your horse is a big WB and shouldn't find the distances a problem, but five even strides is what you are looking for and not two short and three long.
Sorry if this sounds basic, hope it helps.

Fiona
 
As I walk away from the fence to the next, I count 2 strides then count, 1-2-3-1stride, 1-2-3-2strides, 1-2-3-3strides if you get my gist, then usually get 2 for take-off. So I am walking them correctly. I sat and watched a few afterwards and some were getting 4, then others were getting 5, one even got 6!
From fence 1 to 2, it was 6 strides and I got 6 strides, but she met it about 1m away from a good take off, and leapt at it. So she almost made it.
I do see your point tho you 3.
 
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It is not a good idea you can get away with at 4 strides but what about 3? You are struggling to get an extra stride in for a 3 related distance so she needs to learn to do the correct strides.

we do make the 3 strides ok if I push on a little.

Is she jumping green and landing close the other side, is she not straight and therefore making the distance longer or have you got her canter too short and restricted.

She makes a good shape and she lands about right. And she is also straight into, over and away from the jump. I don`t restrict her canter, as her head is in a natural outline when we jump, I don`t try to hold her head in, just have a nice contact, sometimes, too loose I think.


Be careful not to build too big at home she might be lacking confidence.

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I usually jump around the 3`6" at home, (1.05m) and we are very comfortable with this height. I have only jumped her at this height one day last week and she was good with it. I used it as a 2nd element of a double so as the stride was perfect. 1NJS.

Sorry, trying to answer all the questions, as I want as many answers I can get to help me.
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I have a sort of different answer, but....
short term - what you are doing solves your problem of having the occasional dirty stop at a fence, it is working so do it.

Hi, That is what I was thinking, if I can get her to concentrate and jump the fences, then after a couple of times out, start to ask her to lengthen, and not expect a runout or a stop. Someone was watching me and they said that I let her run on to the fence and she takes advantage of it, and runs out. I am a little confused at the moment as I have had people telling me to push her on into the fences, then someone else tells me that I let her go long and I must shorten her up!
However longer term - practice at home or in lessons riding rel distances with the proper striding. Probably would be better with an eye on the ground to spot potential problems.

I had jumping lessons with someone in the Summer and we were doing RD with 4 strides then making it 3 and 5 to lengthen and shorten. We got it right every time, but that is at home.
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For example - you might not be pushing on enough in the first couple of strides of the rel dist (ie the get away from previous fence) meaning the final couple of strides have to be v long and flat.

Now, this I could be doing, when we land, I don`t know if I ride her forwards straight away. sneaks through computer to watch vid.


As you say, your horse is a big WB and shouldn't find the distances a problem, but five even strides is what you are looking for and not two short and three long.
Sorry if this sounds basic, hope it helps.

Fiona

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Thank you Fiona, and everyone else.
 
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