01/10/2023
Interesting read…
If your canter length is not 12 feet or 3.6m you are making it very difficult for your horse to get to a good takeoff spot. Show Jumping courses are built to accommodate a “standard” length canter stride. They aren’t altered between horses to match each different stride length.
Courses with related lines (ie all of them!) and the distances in combinations will cause big problems if you can’t maintain a 12’/3.6m canter.
Yes, it’s possible to jump clear without a standard length canter, but you need to have a great “eye”. I’m sure you’ve all seen the “old school” riders who hold and hold and hold until they “see a spot” then they chase it. That also requires a reactive horse, bigger bits, nosebands, martingales, and MORE LEG! There are better ways.
Inconsistency of stride length when ridden like that means more wear and tear for the horse, which we try to avoid at all costs. I’m not saying you don’t need an adjustable canter, or a great eye, because you absolutely do. But it should look subtle!
Have you heard “horse riders just sit there, the horse does all the work”? You CAN ride like that, but you will need better preparation. If you don’t already have one, go and buy a long tape measure. Use it for the free exercises here https://www.classicaljumping.com/next-level-freebie and you will be well on the way!
Most jumping riders know how to practise distances in straight lines. It's vitally important you can canter a 3.6m/12' stride on curved lines as well. At home you can test this out with 2 poles on opposite sides of a 20m circle. Canter around the circle and count how many strides you do between the poles.
You need to be able to canter 8 non-jumping strides each half 20m circle. If you haven’t done this exercise before you may get something like 10 strides…. Probably even more.
Here’s the maths (stay with me!) The circumference of a 20m circle (C=πd) is about 63m, which is 17.5 standard canter strides. Let’s call it 18 strides for a whole 20m circle. Take off 2 (one for each pole) we have 16. Half of that is 8.
Do not tell me that is too hard, I’m sure you all have a mobile phone, that phone has a calculator. Turn your phone on it’s edge, *hey presto* now you have a scientific calculator with a pi symbol. If you want to be a jumping rider there are no excuses for being lazy about distances and canter length. You cannot improve what you do not measure.
One day you'll be faced with a combination off a half circle approach. If you counted 10 strides when you rode the 2 poles on 20m circle, how are you going to make it through a combination approached from a turn safely? If you cannot maintain a 12’ or 3.6m canter length by riding an equal 8 strides over poles on the ground in both directions, please don’t jump courses yet. Nail down the correct canter, so you can nail the bigger tracks in harmony, instead of by pulling and chasing. Your horse will thank you.
