Well its still raining, and so far I don't seem to be able to get to an event. hoping to do the novice regional final this weekend on Bob (Jays Gransun) at Tweseldown but if it keeps raining...its not looking good for the event to run...but maybe it will be sunny over next few days!!
So thinking positively I went jumping today with Robert Stevens...Really nice guy Robert and he has been very helpful as eyes on the ground, as well as Cressy Clague-Reading. Every rider needs eyes on the ground, even more so for jumping I feel, as there is no sheet of feedback in the show jumping arena. Going clear help us know we are doing well, but it does not help us identify how to get even better, or how to know when to move up or where the little details are just keeping us out of the ribbons.
"Jumping canter" is required for successful clear rounds, energy become even more important as the height of the fences goes up. Get a good enough canter and balanced rhythmic approach and your horse can jump anything! the more bounce and if in the canter, the more engaged the horse, the more it will be able to jump from any stride, and if you have rhythm a good stride will be easier to see. the best old fashioned method of counting strides between fences still works as a way to help a rider hear their rhythm and to learn to create a regular stride pattern , that will enable the rider to shorten or lengthen it when required.
So many students ask me, "how do I see a stride?" it is seriously the most commonly asked question in jump lessons, and the answer is always the same, firstly truly seeing a stride is a matter of time and practice, but don't worry too much about it because until you get into the seriously big stuff over 1.20m for eg., as long as your horse is balanced and has a jumping canter and a rhythmic approach he can manage to jump even if he is late or early to jump. Remember also that the horse can really only be half a stride wrong, and as long as he has his hocks under him he can jump well even from a slightly wrong stride.
The top riders seem to always get the stride right, or do they? is it possibly that as their horses are well educated on the flat and well ridden in a good jumping canter that when they get it wrong you hardly notice? Well there is some food for thought.
Now lets see if it rains this weekend after all. ;-)
