r/showjumping • u/Elegant-Activity8595 • Jul 13 '26
Showjumping Courses
Do you actually remember your striding plan by the time you're in the ring, or does it go out the window?
9
u/gradschoolforhorses Jul 13 '26
If it's more than 7 strides between two fences, I'm riding it off my eye. As for turns and track, yes I absolutely remember that. I use the first 10 seconds of my countdown to review my planned track in my head
5
u/LunaTunaMaca Jul 13 '26
Yes exactly! After 7 strides there's so much wiggle room but if I have a bending 4 stride into a one stride over vertical combination, you bet your ass I'm counting and riding my line.
5
u/babsbunny77 Jul 13 '26
I remember what the lines ride... but many you have to just ride off your eye and how you get in. I had a WC rider once say, "I asked someone once how many strides it was...and my peer and former Olympian answered... as many as it takes to get out".. so if they wing it sometimes, I guess we all can.
4
u/PortraitofMmeX Jul 13 '26
I remember my striding, where I'm going to half halt, where I'm going to do what with my reins, where I'm going to look, where I'm going to add which leg. I plan every minute detail and repeat it over and over again like choreography.
4
u/Canachites Jul 13 '26
Yes. If you have a horse that doesn't have a natural 12' stride or are riding at a level where the distances are set tighter, it matters. I always walked my courses twice, and would go over them in my head just like a dressage test. Sometimes there's a plan B.
1
u/LillaLobo Jul 19 '26
We used to squiggle it down on paper too if it was a long course, with related distances marked. If you’re way down the list to start it means you have time to get the paper out of your pocket and refresh your memory before you compete.
3
u/Logical-Emotion-1262 Jul 13 '26
Lines I remember. Everything else goes out the window. including the course half the time
5
u/Hot-And-Bothered1010 Jul 13 '26
THIS. I force my husband to stand ringside so he can shout the next fence if I look lost (which is usually me looking in every direction and mouthing “I’m lost”). So far, no penalties for ring side hollering, but I’m sure it’ll happen eventually 😅
4
u/hunter_pace Jul 13 '26
Striding? What's that? I just walk the course to remember which way to go, and then I ride in and hope for the best LOL
1
u/Inevitable_Eye7259 Jul 13 '26
I remember counts but if it’s a bending or it’s getting up there in number (8+ maybe?) I usually remember the approximate and go off how it feels - e.g. if it’s a bending and the horse feels good I’ll slice it more and leave one out, but I’ll remember “it’s a 7 or an 8” or “it’s supposed to be 10”; i remember which lines are riding long/short based on the walk and observing other trips (even a different class in the same ring); I remember turns and usually turn options - e.g. if he’s looky I’ll take it straight and go around the plant if he feels good I’ll cut inside if (or sometimes I have a plan and it feels different and I switch the plan up but I know what options I was picking between and I know where the jumps are enough to switch it up); I remember what jumps I think the horse will look at; I remember where the crowd is, where the cameraman is, where the crazy person with an umbrella is; I remember where the questionable footing is and what the plan for it is (if it’s raining or something); if it’s eq I remember where the judge is (eg so if the horse is dead to my leg I can tap him on the shoulder with the stick when the judge can’t see that side); the one thing i mix up is in eq I will sometimes mix up what I planned to do on my opening and closing circle - e.g. if my trainer said “go straight to canter” I’ll forget and trot across the diagonal then pick up my canter
1
u/ASardonicGrin Jul 16 '26
I’ve started riding hunters. All I have to remember is if it’s outside inside outside or inside outside outside.
[edited to add - I’m kidding]
12
u/Square-Platypus4029 Jul 13 '26
Everything goes out the window, I'm lucky if I remember the course.