How do you remember the course

[Anna**]

I've yet to do any competitions but I am working towards it. Having lots of lessons in both flat and jumping. The problem is when I'm jumping, my RI builds up a course so we start with a couple and then build it up to doing the whole course. The thing is i'm not very good at remembering what jump to do next. Its okay doing it this way because I've already got used to jumping the first few and then adding another and so on but last night she told me which ones to do as a course and I just can't remember. I'm sure I will forget what order to jump them in when I'm doing a competition. How does everyone else remember. Any tips greatly appreciated :)

[helenc]

Here's a reply I made to a post last week....

"There are several things you can do to help.

The way I do it is to focus on how many strides there are between fences & which way I need to turn after a particular fence to make sure I get to the next one correctly. I find that this helps to remember the course as you are not just focusing on the fence numbers but where they are & how to get to them, it can also help with nerves as you are thinking about something other than being nervous or scared.

It may also help to picture each fence in turn eg. fence 1 = blue & white upright, fence 2 = red & black spread, fence 3 = 1 stride double etc.

Take your time to walk the course & walk the actual route you are going to take whilst mounted, not just wander aimlessly around looking at the numbers.

Stop half way through walking the course & go through it again in your mind before carrying on & then stop again at the end & go through the whole course.

Watching other people go before you can also help but make sure you are actually learning the course rather than just watching someone go round, if you are a little nervous I would suggest not watching too many just in case a few people have knock downs or refusals at a particular fence as this can add to the nerves & you may end up over riding that fence & having problems of your own.

Hope this helps"

[joey_olop]

I also have this problem-then I start panicking when I enter the ring cos I cant remember where Im going!! Will be interested to read peoples thoughts on this....

[Miska]

I walk the course then stand back and look at it. i then visualise jumping each jump in turn (quite embarassing, as i nod my head at each jump as I tick it off in my mind)...I have picture meomry, so i rely on the colours and what the jump looks like. Then when I'm in the ring jumping I just try to remember what colour comes after the one I just jumped. My way is not very relyable...but it works for me.

[Tink!]

Watch all the other riders serveral times, note which way they turn, which fences they have problems with if theres a certain jump that throwing a lot of horse's of the track etc.
Walk the course properly, go round all the turns you would, count your strides between, bounce's doubles and triples, and just relax!!!

[Anna**]

Thanks for all you're replys, i've now got some ideas to try out. The more I do it the easier it will come I hope :)

[Rips]

Definately helps to walk the course and watch a few riders jump it - I find the best thing is just visualising going over each fence :)
Its still sometimes easy to forget, I've done it loads of times but don't panic - circle or jump on anyway, its all experience and you'll be less likely to do it again because you're likely to be digusted with yourself!

[Jenni]

i do the imagine riding it one as well.

i stand back so you can see the whole course, and use my finger in the air and do the course and for some daft reason i lif my hand as though going over the jump :D

i ve always been able to remember a course though. also drawing it out on a piece of paper can help if its a twisty course. nothing fancy, just straight lines where your jumps are.

[Rips]

One thing to look out for because its caught me out before - you know those plank fences which are sometimes a different colour on the back then on the front.... and if you've only been looking at the course from one angle and in your mind you've been memorising ' blue oxer, turn back and then white planks'

Then when you ride the course, you go over the blue oxer and turn back and are faced by 3 jumps, none of which are white because it is infact a red planks fence on the otherside :o :o

[griffytayherb]

i give each line or jump a name, like 'judge' or 'outside' for lines, or go by color, like 'brown' ,or the look, like 'bricks' or whatever. then you put it together and remember it. it could sound like... flowers, judge, stone, outside, brown. then if you remember that along with looking the course over, if you forget what comes next, run through the list. :)

[cocoshandyholly]

i walk it then visualise the course in my head and go over it over a few times it works for me
hope ot helps u :)

[jenren!!]

yea same here, walk the course twice if you find it hard to remember, if you're at a competition, then get there early and have a good pace around. Then visualize yourself jumping it and tell someone else the course, and tell yourself it. point the route out to help you. And watch someone else jump first, maybe put yourself at the bottom of the declarations so you can watch everyone else do it. It will soon click into place and you'll find yourself with a good strategy soon enough.

Oh and in case you do get lost, have someone there to shout it out for you (if theyll let you)

Jenny xx

[kirstie]

The only way i remember a course is by watching riders before (if its possible) then i find it easier to remember it, because i know were the short cuts are, were to slow down, speed up, were horses prehaps knock poles or refuse ! :)

[Sparkie]

At shows round here they always seem to have jump numbers, so I find that i can go round quite happily counting away. I usually remember the colours too.

[Herbie's mummy]

I don't do short cuts lol as i mainly do WH. So getting my turns is VERY important:D
I walk it twise. Then i stand in the middle pointing with my finger which is which, i jump back on then point again while i am on him and i seem to remember it quite well:)

[Harleyhorse]

The only way I remember coures it to think in terms of lines (quarter line, side of ring, diangal, short diangal, ect) that's the only way i can remember them!

[Hal]

Im a weirdo when it come to remembering the course... I think of it as a dressage test in a way... turn right to fence 1 and then 4 bouncy strides to the next..lol I always aim for perfect turns:rolleyes: :)

[jenren!!]

At shows round here they always seem to have jump numbers, so I find that i can go round quite happily counting away. I usually remember the colours too.

I dont know why shows have numbers to be honest. There's nothing more frustrating cantering round looking for the next fence by number, because you'll always find you've either missed it, turned a circle or cant find it at all. Better to know the course by the fence, rather than the number IMO.

Jenny xx