troubleshooting: I can't feel my strides

[pheobs]

I have a really bad habit of chipping my jumps. I just can’t seem to feel my strides well so I end up coming to the base of the jump before I expect to and taking it way too close. It’s not enough of a problem that causes my pony to knock rails or refuse, but it can sometimes result in some uncomfortable jumps for both of us. I mean, it’s not like this happens every time, but it happens enough that I need to work on the problem.

This is only something that happens in our stadium rounds, never in XC strangely. My mare and I started Training level this show season with some Prelim towards the end of the fall. This is the first time I’ve shown at “higher levels” the larger jumps have me alittle intimidated sometimes, so the only thing I’ve thought of that could explain my problem is that I am trying so hard to have her elevated for the jumps that I end up holding her for too long.

Anyways, any advice on how to get better at feeling my strides? This winter I’m taking a step back with my girl and really trying to get our foundations strong.

[Highflyer]

Lots of practice cantering poles on the ground!

[cuse]

Gridwork should help as well, as it sets the striding for you and you can concentrate on getting the feel right, which will probably help you to get used to the newly increased jump heights.

[babecakes]

You can work on your feel for stride distances, but, now think about the whole approach to a fence premise … practice gymnastics so you, your horse learn the striding and you can learn to wait for the fences - then back off your control of the approach 5 strides out and let your horse see his own distance. The whole idea is that the rider helps set the horse’s balance up before the fence but then has to let the horse learn to think for themselves and do their job.

Another way of thinking about this to convince yourself to not interfere is the way the horse’s eye works. The horse has already seen the fence 5 strides out and figured his striding. As he gets closer to the fence he can’t see it. He’s jumping from the memory that his eye saw 4 strides ago - then when the rider hangs on to him and messes with the distance he ends up chipped to the fence.

Counting strides out loud to fences, over and over, that helps keep the rider breathing and relaxed and busy with something else beside the worry.

There is a big difference between being a control freak and being an educated rider, who partners with the horse and can help the horse out when he needs it.

Do you think that you can sit and wait and trust your horse? There’s your exercise.

[merrygoround]

^ Well said!

[pony_grandma]

And this http://eventingnation.com/home/ride-the-canter-not-the-distance/

http://practicalhorsemanmag.com/article/never-miss-another-jumping-distance-11617

[PaintedHunter]

If you always get there in XC but not in stadium, my uneducated guess is that you aren’t getting the correct, consistent canter that you need in stadium, whereas in XC it’s easier to maintain a consistent pace. I know this is the case for me.

[bornfreenowexpensive]

Also jumping with related distances marked off. So set a couple of cones at the point that should be 3 strides from your takeoff. Get used to cantering through the cones and thinking 3.

The biggest thing is keeping a consistent canter. If the canter stride length is constantly changing…it is really REALLY hard to develop a feel for your stride and distance to the fence.

[ccr0009]

Practical Horsemen, shared by Eventing Nation, just came out with a wonderful article about riding the canter over the distance.
I suggest really focusing on the quality of the canter. When I teach, I tell my students about a pyramid where the base is made of forward (engagement/impulsion/ummph), second layer comes balance, third straightness, and so on. Consider the lower foundations as your first concern and build up. (Stealing ideas from a Jim Graham lesson 7-8 years ago; he had several other layers)
I’m not going to get on to my students at first for getting close to a base or even when the horse jumps out of stride. The issue comes from having an unbalanced canter OR a position that falters right before the fence. You’ve probably ridden enough fences to know 1 to 2 strides out ‘oh crap’ I don’t see anything. That’s where issues come in when arms straighten, leg comes off, and you hail mary lean forward probably thinking if I get out of my horses’ way he’ll be better off. Unfortunately this cuts off impulsion and balance and you’re left with a scrappy jump.
Focus on a steady rhythm and a position (VERY KEY) that has a steady leg, soft arm with bent elbow, tall in your chest, and a soft hip. So even when you have a fence that is close you’re able to ride along and land with the horse still with you and in front of your leg.
(I’ll cover position since canter has been mentioned) For me, I would rather you first feel as if the horse jumps out in front of you, so maybe you’ll be slightly behind the motion. Rather than leaning ahead, a far worse cardinal sin. So don’t now go to the extreme sit hard on the horse’s back, leaning back, then throw yourself forward o/f. Instead, keep a soft half-seat that just maintains the hip angle before and over fence.

[Trrr-ot]

crooo9
I want to double like your post, esp about the “Oh crap” moment where your arms straighten, leg comes off and the hail mary lean forwards trying to get out of the horse’s way! Just had a wonderful lesson cantering a circle over a pole working on exactly what you described. Steady leg, soft hip, sit tall, bent elbow. Keeping my horse equally between both arms if that makes sense.
Wonderful lesson!

[Wordplay1832]

You can always work on your eye on the flat as well! You could be riding a circle and start counting when you think you are three strides away from the wall, or set out a cone on the ground and canter towards it and pick the number of strides away you are and count down.
I think it’s important to practice it with your SJ type canter and XC canter as well, as especially at Prelim, the jumps come up much faster on XC and it also has questions that require more variations of your canter than Training and below, so you need more canters in your tool box, and your eye needs to adjust with those.
One thing to remember, is that it’s not your job to dictate the takeoff spot for your horse, especially since, like someone mentioned above, they cannot see the jump when they are close. What you need to make sure is that you have the correct rhythm and balance a few strides out, and then maintain what you’re doing so the horse can do their job. Then when your horse starts to jump, you can close your hip angle a bit and get into your jump position. I’d much rather be left behind than jump ahead. Once you let the horse figure it out rather than overthinking your spot, I think it’ll be easier for you to see since you won’t be worrying about picking the spot!

I struggled with it a bit this year when riding a horse with a much longer stride than I was used to. I don’t think it was that I wasn’t seeing the correct take off point, it was just a matter of how much stride length and what type of balance was going to get us to the most comfortable spot for her, and for different types of fences.

[jetsmom]

One thing that wasn’t mentioned is if your horse throws his shoulder or hip out on turns, the distance that was there will change. Make sure you are riding your turns with the correct bend/straightness.

[KateKat]

Like mentioned, I’m sure you have a better quality canter on XC and therefore the distances just “show” up.

Definitely practice with ground poles. Lots and lots of them. One of my favorite exercises that I try and do often is setting say a 6 stride line with poles, then riding it in a normal 6, forward 5, collected 7, normal 6, etc etc. Really helps you get a feel for when you’re on a 14 ft stride versus a 12 versus a 10, and so on.

I also often count out loud, just to help keep a consistent rhythm.

[somanyhorses]

I too have this problem at times and it is frustrating isn’t it! and sometimes when it starts to happen, the more you think about it and try to fix it, the worse it gets! As so many of the great posts above state, the canter is the key to your success. Whenever I am having a session that involves lots of chippy distances I go back to some good advice I once had, to count 1 2 3, 1 2 3, 1 2 3, to the 3 beats of the canter. Sounds like weird advice, but I have found it helps me get my canter rhythm back, and stops me obsessing over whether I am on the correct distance as I come out of the corner. It’s hard to interfere with your horse’s striding when you are chanting 123, 123 etc. I do a few laps of the arena just cantering and counting, then casually come at a fence while still counting, and this is usually enough to get me back on track.

[Lusoluv]

Tons of great advice and tips in these posts. Use whichever one helps you connect with your horse the best. But as a trainer once said, “Ride the stride, not the fence”. We get so focused on the fence that we forget the correct turn or stride quality to get the horse there successfully. Then we start thinking we have a problem with our “eye” when it’s really a problem with a quality stride.

[Wonders12]

You’ve gotten much better advice here than I can give.

But I do want to mention that if you are chipping jumps consistently, some horses will learn that and go to it more often. While you’re working on all these exercises, your horse may need a tune up as well.

[emirae1091]

I have the same issue, down to chipping in SJ but fine on XC (I’m sure for the exact reasons list). So, following with interest.