07/28/2024
The takeoff spot, and why it matters so much---
When a horse canters or gallops toward any sort of obstacle that it is going to jump, there is a certain distance in front of the jump that is “just right” for that jump, in the sense that it gives the horse the best chance of clearing the obstacle.
If a horse gets too close, too short to the obstacle, one of three things will happen---
1. The horse will stop. The horse knows it can’t clear the obstacle.
2. The horse will jump, but it will hit the obstacle.
3. The horse will make an awkward jump pretty much straight up, straight down, and get over safely.
When a horse arrives off a stride that is too far away, too long, one of two things will usually happen.
1.The horse will “take a flyer,” leave long and try to stretch over.
2. The horse will jam in a short stride, also known as chipping, which is the same as getting there too close, and we are back to the three original likelihoods.
This “getting to the right distance” situation causes all sorts of angst, controversy, trepidation, because if you ask different humans about it, you will get many different answers. Some people absolutely believe that the horse has total responsibility for “finding the good distance.” Others say that the rider should be responsible for being able to adjust the stride to get in right. While many feel that rider and horse share the responsibility.
We watch some riders who almost never “miss a distance,” while we watch others who almost never have a smooth jumping round.
But almost more than any other aspect of jumping successfully, getting or failing to get to a good takeoff spot, neither too close or too far away, will make the difference between having a good jump or an awkward jump.
How that happens, however, is a mystery to many! I remember Ralph Hill joking about this---"Here, Spot! Here, Spot! Where is that darn Dalmation when I want him?"
