Strides between jumps I've confused myself!

[Lovemyappy]

I need some help remembering the exact feet to use for making lines. I know one stride is 24 feet. Does that 24 include the take off/landing? If I wish a 4 stride is that 48 or 50 or what? I need to make sure I have them dead on (and have a proper tape to make sure Im right) as we are working on makeing proper strieds and not adding in as we normally do.

As you can see I have compleatly messed myself up now in measuring out my distances!! Please help! :confused:

[~*sugarlump*~]

1 stride isn't 24ft. i thought a canter stride is about 5-9ft, and trot is about 4ft.
maybe wrong and completely misunderstanding though :p

[Lovemyappy]

isnt one canter stride 12 feet?

[eml]

Depends on your horse. In the UK BSJA simple senior courses are based on 12', ie take off 6', land 6' one stride 12' so a one stride double would be 24'from one jump to the other, a two stride double 36 etc. You would need to check what is used locally.

Probably more important to work on riding different strides, I like the exercise where you ride say a five stride related distance and then shorten the stride to get in 6

[Lovemyappy]

We go on a 12 Ft stride for our comp lines. Arena is too small for me to do a 5 stride which is why im doing 4 or 3 so that the ends do not come up to fast and make him back off. We dont have problems adding strides we need to take them out. if I leave him be a four stride will be a five and a five a six I need to work him on making a four a four.

[Lovemyappy]

one of my steps should = 3 feet so 4 steps for 1 stride... not including takeoff/landing which I would add one more step (3 more feet) so for a four stride that would be 54 feet? How far off am I?:confused:

[Lovemyappy]

ok I just read on another site that for a 4 stride line including takeoff/ landing 60feet would be inbetween. how many feet should i leave for take off and landing then as I had been told 1 extra stride for each

[Goneriding13]

Hi there,

A horse's stride is ususally 12 feet, so that would be 4 of your steps per stride. You then have to add 6 feet for take off and 6 feet for landing, another 4 of your steps.

So for 4 strides between a fence, that would mean 48 feet plus 12 feet for take off and landing, which equals 60 feet (20 of your steps).

You'll have to shorten the distance if you have a pony or are approaching in trot. If you keep the fences small to start with, your horse/pony will tell you if it's too long by putting in an extra stride. It's then up to you as to whether next time you push for the 4 strides or simply shorten the distance.

Good luck!

[slimjim]

Instead of measuring you may be better pacing it out...

The method the Whitakers use is 2 normal human strides from fence for landing, then 4 human strides for each horse stride then 2 human strides for take off if you want to make related distances...

By "normal" human strides i mean comfortable walking pace - not trying to reach the maximum distance you can with each step

Hope this helps

[ongo247]

Agree with slimjim. 2 walking strides for landing & take off and 4 for a stride. Easy peasy. You can use this either at home setting up or at shows walking the course - bit more professional than getting the old tape measure reel out.:)

[eml]

Depends on what you are doing.

The professional course builders use a measuring wheel but you would look a bit odd taking that around while walking the course, you need to be able to do both at the right time :D

[Lovemyappy]

I just needed to know the exact messurements so I could meassure and check how my stride is against it. once Im sure of my striding to it I wont bother. Last time I checked I was good then went and got myself all confused. And since I want to be 100% sure that I have it right and am not asking him to give me a 4 in a 51/2 or something needed to double check!


Thanks

I would also assume then that since a 4 stride is 60 feet (including takeoff/landing) I would just take out or add 12 more feet for adding or removing a stride?

[Lindsey_S]

The easiest way for me is to divide the number of feet in a line by 12, then subtract 1 to get the number of strides.

Therefore, a 24 foot distance divided by 12 is two, then take away 1, you get one stride.

And say a 60 foot line is a 4 stride line. (60 divided by 12 is 5, minus 1 is 4 strides)

Sorry if i just confused you more!! :o But thats how I was taught.;)