Non stride treble

[newforest]

Been introducing the cob to the idea that she can do bounces, but I feel my distance is now wrong.

Started her off just with simple canter poles set at her usual 7'6 stride. Raised them up to the 1ft crosses she is used to.
From there I raised the 3rd, then the 1st. (1'6 straight, 1' cross, 1'6 straight)
I left the 7'6 gap but now it looks too short to me.
Does anyone reckon 8ft would be easier for her. The idea is to teach her that its fun and that's it's easy.

 

[joosie]

I would try the shorter distance first and see how she handles it. I suspect she will work it out pretty fast! Bounce distances need to be fairly tight to be an effective exercise, they are meant to get the horse back on their hocks a little & if you widen it you may find she jumps flat as she has to "stretch" to make the distance.

 

[eml]

Conventional distances used in competition for bounces approached in canter is 10foot for ponies and 12foot for horses. I would go for higher jumps and longer distance and make the grid all the same or in strictly ascending height.