Many of us worry about how to see a stride when jumping and, as a result, we interfere with the horses canter. This then affects his rhythm and balance, which inevitably leads to a poor stride in front of the fence.<\/p>\n
So how you can break this cycle? The key thing when jumping is to establish a good canter rhythm \u2013 then the stride will follow.<\/p>\n
Up-and-coming international eventer Becky Woolven has a simple exercise that can help you achieve this, with just one pole.<\/p>\n
\u201cSeeing a stride is something that quite a few riders struggle with,\u201d says Becky. \u201cThis is a good exercise to help get your eye in.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCome to the pole in nice strong canter that you would have when showjumping. After the pole ride a 20m circle and count number of strides on the circle. Then come around again and try to get the same number of strides \u2013 which is easier said than done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Once you\u2019ve mastered this exercise you can make the pole into a small upright and try again.<\/p>\n
Remember, it\u2019s not about seeing a stride, it\u2019s about finding a canter. By keeping an even\u00a0rhythm your\u00a0horse will be able to\u00a0make his own adjustments in front of the fence.<\/p>\n