Help: Lengthen the stride of a Hunter

[HorsetrainerKC23]

Hello,

I’ve got a warmblood that I do the hunters with. He’s about 16.1, Belgian Warmblood, and almost 11 years old.
Im currently doing the 3’ and 3’3 but aiming for the 3’6. We struggle a bit with striding. My horse has a conformational flaw with being a little bit short backed so he doesnt have that big of a stride. We always seem to rush down the lines in order to get the correct striding. When I put in the add its much more comfortable and it flows way better (although we all know that wont get us anywhere in the ribbons). I REALLY need to work on lengthening his stride. He also doesnt really use his front end well (somehwhat choppy) so I also want him to move through his shoulders a bit better to help with a little bit better trot and more flowing canter.

Does anyone have any really good exercises to lengthen a horses stride at the trot/canter so that when we jump, were not flying down the lines? As well as getting him to move better through his shoulders. This is really our issue right now and I just cant seem to figure it out.

Thanks!!

[PonyPenny]

There is no way to make a horse who does not have the step for the 3’6" hunters, have a longer stride. You will have to stay at the height and division he can do comfortably. It is not the length of the back that determines stride, it is the shoulder. My horse is only 16.1 with a short back and can easily lope the lines at 3’6".

[horsechick]

The easiest thing to try is some chiro and acupunture/body work to see if that helps loosen up his body…if it’s not a discomfort thing I agree with the above that you can’t create a large open step on one that is naturally a bit more short strided.

[Denali6298]

Can you lengthen and shorten his step at all? If no, then I would take some dressage lessons. If yes, then the lengthening you get is what you get.

[Lord_Helpus]

His stride can be helped, but at his age and background it may be hard in a show situation. The best exercise is ground poles, then raised cavaletti then gymnastics.

As you say — his stride CAN be there, but it is rushed. He needs to become comfortable (and you need to learn to trust) when lengthening his stride while keeping him relaxed.

Lay lots of poles down which are 4" longer than he feels comfortable walking, trotting, cantering. Then lengthen the distances out slowly. If he rushes, you need to shorten again. Have different distances within each grouping, too. Then, the same thing at raised cavaletti, and then gymnastics. Build up the number of lengthening works, so he does not get sore.

He just to get comfortable lengthening each stride by 4" - 6". Stretches before and after riding, to keep his muscles loose, can’t hurt.

PS: The dreaded “D” word (Dressage) might also help. If there is a good dressage trainer available, take several lessons in lengthening/ shortening. Lengthenings are incorporated into dressage tests at a very low level, so even baby horses learn the concept.

PPS: Since he will never have to go against time, his only response to added leg inside a line is “longer” not “faster”. I would not ask for his longer stride until he understands the concept of the new aid. No point in confusing him.

[ToTheNines]

I agree with the others that he may not have the stride for the longer lines of the 3’6" hunters.

But it shouldn’t be that difficult to get a 12’ stride for the 3’ , unless he’s really conformationally challenged.

My horses tend to be on the very quiet side. I NEVER add in lines. In my experience, if you let those quiet ones go around on the add step, they want to make a habit of it. Especially now, I jump lower, and I really need the canter and the step to do lines at 2’3" and 2’6".

On mine, I also never dink around in a little canter. If they are cantering, they are cantering their show stride.

Two exercises I use a lot are 1) 2 poles set about 44’ apart for three strides between. Canter to them, through them, and out of them on the same canter. Keep that same canter around the end to another jump or two. 2) trot in and canter out of a line, on the single add. Make them canter away immediately from the in jump and get close to the out jump. You want them to automatically step away, not wait and ask if they can add.

ETA: I re-read your post, and noticed the part about where you say he feels like he is rushing. Not clear if he is rushing or just feels like he is to you, but I would still do those exercises even if he feels rushy and work on getting a better canter so he does not. Try to get a long feeling and not an up and down feeling. Like I said, I think adding can become a bad habit on some.

That being said, if I ever start running shows, I am going to have some classes with no related distances. Lots of long bendings. I wish there were a place for the smaller shorter strided horses.

[HorsetrainerKC23]

The stride is there, its just very “rushed” so to speak

[Lucassb]

@HorsetrainerKC23

The stride is there, its just very “rushed” so to speak

Start without jumps, or maybe even without poles. Mark some points in your ring - dressage letters work great, but any marker you can easily see while riding works fine. Practice riding the marked distance on a “regular” 12’ stride and also lengthening to do it in one less, and collecting to do it in one more. You want to have an adjustable canter that you can dictate to the horse at any time without either of you becoming anxious about it.

Once you can reliably execute the exercise on the flat, add poles… and gradually make the exercise more challenging (cavaletti, then small jumps, then larger jumps etc.)

Keep in mind that not all horses have the ability to “walk the lines” at 3’6". If your horse is one of those - you may want to consider letting it stay at 3’.

[mpsbarnmanager]

@HorsetrainerKC23

Hello,

I’ve got a warmblood that I do the hunters with. He’s about 16.1, Belgian Warmblood, and almost 11 years old.
Im currently doing the 3’ and 3’3 but aiming for the 3’6. We struggle a bit with striding. My horse has a conformational flaw with being a little bit short backed so he doesnt have that big of a stride. We always seem to rush down the lines in order to get the correct striding. When I put in the add its much more comfortable and it flows way better (although we all know that wont get us anywhere in the ribbons). I REALLY need to work on lengthening his stride. He also doesnt really use his front end well (somehwhat choppy) so I also want him to move through his shoulders a bit better to help with a little bit better trot and more flowing canter.

Does anyone have any really good exercises to lengthen a horses stride at the trot/canter so that when we jump, were not flying down the lines? As well as getting him to move better through his shoulders. This is really our issue right now and I just cant seem to figure it out.

Thanks!!

Have a bodyworker out and make sure his shoulders aren’t stuck down. Tell her what you are working on. Also make sure your saddle fits well and you are placing it behind the point his scapula ends. If it’s on his shoulder he can’t use his shoulder well.

[retiredhorse]

Is he connected between the leg and the hand on the flat? Does he push and swing from behind?

I’m guessing if he feels rushed, he’s getting flatter and strung out when you ask him to lengthen, rather than going forward from behind and maintaining “bounciness”/adjustability.

I had a horse with a slightly limited stride in the 4’ jumpers. But even 3’6 lines could be a struggle if he wasn’t properly engaged/forward. What worked was A LOT of trot work, getting him to really engage behind and use himself. And making sure we had a good canted right away, so he was taking me to the jumps a bit, without running through the hands. But he HAD to take the connection when I put my leg on. Rode with 2 dressage whips for a few weeks to establish the idea of forward.

[atl_hunter]

What kind of maintenance does your horse get? Choppiness in the front end may be indicative of a problem. If the horse has always been “choppy,” then 11 years of “choppiness” can worsen and exacerbate the issue. For example, my “choppy” horse does better after coffin injections. He’s 17 and has a conformational flaw that has taken its toll over time. When I moved to my new barn, he couldn’t get down the lines. What we did was make him move forward on the step at the canter every time. Eventually, he wasn’t so tense - he relaxed. When he relaxed, his stride opened up even more - it was amazing. It took fitness, repetition, perseverance, time, and maintenance to make him comfortable and relaxed enough to not have to gun down the lines. There’s generally not a quick fix for this (unless it’s maintenance).

Good luck!