‘Seeing a stride’ is a term related to showjumping a horse and describes being able to judge where the horse is going to take off for the jump — and consequentially adjust the canter to make this take off point one that gives the horse the best chance of making a good shape and clearing the fence. The elusive perfect stride for showjumping can feel very difficult to get every time you come to a jump, and ending up on a less than perfect stride could be due to a number of reasons. Identifying and then placing your horse on a good stride is a skill that takes a long time to develop and perfect, so don’t be too disheartened if you feel like your horse is often knocking fences, getting too close to them, or launching over them from too far away! Here are some tips to help improve your ability to see the most suitable stride when you turn to a fence, and adjust the canter accordingly.
1. Get a good canter
The perfect stride doesn’t exist without a quality canter behind it. To be able to adjust the length of his stride and have enough power to clear the fence, the horse must have a rhythmical, bold, uphill canter. A fast canter is not the same — a quality canter is created by engaging the horse’s hind to create momentum and help him to work through his back, and then containing this energy so that the horse does not become flat and too fast, and is able to collect. When you get it, this canter can feel more powerful than your everyday flatwork canter, and so may feel a little intimidating on a strong, powerful horse. It is advisable to create and become accustomed to this canter on the flat before riding around a course of jumps, as a rider’s lack of confidence in this canter can result in inadvertently shutting down the power created, resulting in a less successful jumping session.
A qualified instructor will be able to help you create and keep riding this canter. Transitions between and within gaits including walk and trot as well as canter will help encourage the horse to work from behind, as well as changes of direction and bend.
Once you find this type of canter feels comfortable on the flat, you are ready to start jumping and practicing seeing a stride. Try riding over singular poles on the floor from this canter to begin with to start to feel confident. Poles on the floor will also help train your eye to gauge your horse’s ground cover and take off point.
2. Ride quality turns
If you unbalance your horse on his turn to the fence, he will lose some power and struggle to regain it in time for the last few strides before the fence. The key to riding a balanced turn is not to let the horse fall in or out, which, in short, is made easier by you keeping your body tall, your rein contact even in both hands, keeping enough outside leg on to stop the horse’s quarters from swinging out, and looking where you are going. Too much inside bend without the rider’s outside leg there to support the horse will cause the horse to fall out, so avoid pulling on your inside rein to ask for bend. Instead, focus on using your inside leg to ask the horse to bend while opening up your inside rein. Your outside leg and outside rein should support the outside of the horse to stop him drifting. Keeping your shoulders tall and your bottom in the saddle with a secure and long lower leg will help.
3. Ride straight lines
Cantering a straight line to approach to the fence after you have made your turn channels your horse’s momentum towards the jump and makes it easier for his canter to adjust if needed. Straightness will come more easily if you have ridden a quality turn. Once you have made your turn to the fence, you should be perpendicular to the middle of the poles, unless you are planning to jump on an angle. Your horse’s body being straight makes it much easier to gauge how many canter strides you horse has before he will take off for the fence; if you are wobbly, there are more variations! To help keep your horse straight, keep your eyes up and focus on a point in the distance beyond the fence; keep your contact even in both hands and keep your legs secure against the horse’s side. You may have collected the canter a little to make your balanced turn as above, and once you get straight to the fence you may need to give the horse an aid to accelerate into a jumping canter again. Be careful not to vary your contact when you do, as you risk losing straightness.
4. Keep riding forwards!
You should keep a contact right up until your horse takes off for the fence, but to be able to respond well to a contact, the horse’s canter must be forwards enough. A mistake that a lot of riders make is ‘killing the canter’ on their turn and struggling to regain it before the jump — to keep that quality canter, keep your leg on as you ride through the turn to keep the energy to the canter, using your seat and rein contact to collect the canter and keep balance. Once you are straight to the fence, you may need to accelerate so that you can jump the fence with enough power to clear it. Many riders freeze a little on the last few strides before a jump, and this can leave your horse doubting himself, either drying up and slowing right down or speeding up and running through the fence, and looking to you for confidence. There is no need to be very busy with your riding on approach to a fence unless your horse is very strong and needs a firmer check, or has dropped off the leg and needs sending forwards, but keep riding that big quality canter you have been practicing on the flat right up until your horse takes off.
5. Don’t fold too early
Throwing your upper body forwards before the horse takes off for the jump puts your weight onto the horse’s forehand and inhibits his freedom through the shoulder to be able to spring off the ground and bascule. Some riders will tip forwards when they are unsure of where the horse is going to take off, to avoid getting left behind the movement and give the horse his head rather than pulling him in the mouth. While lightening your seat does give the horse more freedom over his back, doing so prematurely encourages the horse to flatten for the last stride before the jump, meaning he may knock the fence with his front legs. Giving away your contact also drops the horse at the last minute, meaning the horse has to make his own decision on stride, which can lead to a lack of confidence and subsequent stopping or running out of jumps. The key to a good approach is to keep your contact and wait until the horse comes up to you before lightening your seat and moving your hands forwards to allow the horse freedom as he bascules.
6. Watch as much showjumping as you can!
The more you watch other riders approach jumps and adjust their canter accordingly, the more easily you will be able to count down how many canter strides they have left before take off, and whether they are on a good stride or not. This skill only comes with practice and there isn’t much of a substitute for it — so watch as many other riders showjump at competitions or in training as you can! Seeing a stride while riding a horse as opposed to watching is slightly different, but watching from the ground will have trained your eye to start gauging the number of strides left before take off.
There is no secret to seeing a stride; it is a skill that is developed through practice, and is simply about gauging the distance between yourselves and the jump, and whether this distance puts you on a good stride for the horse to be able to take off with the canter as it is, or whether you need to lengthen or shorten the canter. Exercises you can do to practice being able to see a stride include related distances of any kind – a pole set up 3 or 4 strides before a fence helps you to become accustomed to riding the canter in those last few strides, and riding through a related distance of 3+ strides not only helps you practice reading the distance between the fences and act accordingly in adjusting the canter, but also helps test whether your canter is big enough for jumping.
There is no need to over-complicate seeing a stride to a jump with your horse — ride a rhythmical, powerful canter in a straight line up to your fence while keeping your contact and the stride will come!
