Seeing a stride

[Racing_Gal]

I jumped properly for the first time in about 8 months tonight and I couldn't see a stride to save my life!!

I used to be able to put a piece paper in front of a fence and make the horses front feet take off from that point every time without fail, then move the paper closer or further away from the fence and still hit it (hope that makes sense) looks like I've lost the nack big time! Tazz is the kind of horse you have to put in just the right spot or she'll pull up so it's something I seriously need to work at!

In the end I just cantered over a pole on the floor over and over again but stilll couldn't see it.. Any jumping instructors out there that can help?? Or anyone who knows what there doing, unlike me??!

 

[username223]

i agree it is a hard thing to do and its one of the hardest things to explain!, i find watching other horses jump and seeing if you can count the strides into the jump and see if you can tell where they will take off, (youtube is a great place if you cant watch other people in real life!) i find this helped me "see a stride" therefore helped with my youngster as he sometimes puts funny little strides in or takes off miles away!
but yeah try cantering over small jumps with a three stride distance in between, and see if you can make her take four strides and two strides, this will help you get a feel of when you need to shorten her or lengthen her in order to take off in the right place =] its really one of those things you need to be good at judging distances and where you need to push on and where you need to shorten. if you just dont get it, just let the horse sort it out for herself and eventually she will see the stride for you. a horse can only ever be half a stride to close or far away and most horses will take care of their own 4 legs according to pippa funnel ! lol but good luck =]

 

[katie_and_toto]

Yes, as Millyismyname said, try setting out a double with a set distance, like 3 of your horses natural canter strides, go through the double a few times on 3 strides before trying to collect her for 4 or push her on for 2. It's a good exercise for seeing strides, and so is doing canter poles. If you've not jumped for 8 months, it's gonna take time for you to see strides again, but it'll come with time and practise. Good luck

 

[kerilli]

if you're only jumping smallish fences (i.e. under 3 foot) then i'd concentrate on getting the canter as good as possible, and just let the fence come to you. that way the horse is learning responsibility for the fence, and your eye will gradually come back in with practise.

 

[suzysparkle]

Think rhythmn and balance. My thoughts are it's the Horse jumping not me.....so they ought to be able to take off in the right place!! My job is keep the rhythmn and balance...and impulsion right. The best exercise is definately cantering over poles, then you can practise as much as you like without the strain of jumping. Just concentrate on the canter. Setting them up with say 5 strides in between, then trying for 4 and 6 is good. Gridwork is also a great help.

 

[Kenzo]

Also lots of transition work, slowing and speeding up canter can will help your horse learn to adjust and think for him self too, better to have both minds working together than just the one, specially if you get it wrong.