Distances For Jumps And Trotting Poles
Distances
Taken from the BHS 'Manual of Horsemanship', here are the distances they
quote to be used between elements of a double, treble or combination:
Approach in Canter:
Pony
Horse
10 - 12'
21 - 24'
31 - 34’
11 - 14'
24 - 26.5'
34 - 36'
Between jumps 1 and 2:
Pony
Horse
Bounce
One stride
Two Strides
Between jumps 2 and 3:
One Stride
Between jumps 3 and 4:
One stride
9 - 10'
16 - 18'
30’
9 - 11'
18'
30 - 32'
19 - 21'
21'
20 - 22'
22 - 24'
Bounce
One Stride
Two strides
Approach in Trot:
Trotting pole distances:
Pony
Horse
4 - 4.5'
4.5 - 4.75'
Trot approach :
Canter approach :
9' from base of fence
18 - 20' from base of fence
Placing poles:
Average stride lengths:
Trot
Canter varies by size
Pony
3.25 - 4.75'
Horse
4.5 - 5'
9 - 12'
The larger pony distances will be about right for a 14.2hh, the smaller for
smaller ponies!
If your horse/pony is struggling to make the distances they probably have a
shorter stride than average, so you should bring the jumps/poles closer by about
6" at a time to see how he manages. If he's getting too close to the fence, move
them further apart by 6" at a time until he jumps them comfortably.
To work out distances without using a tape measure, you can use your foot/boot
and pace length. The length of your boot is approx 1', so four and a half "boots"
is about 4.5' which is average trotting pole distance for both horses and ponies.
And an average (man's!) pace is approx 3', hence 8 paces for a 24' (one stride)
double.
If you're going to be doing any amount of jumping and walking courses, it's
worth measuring your stride and working out how big (elongated?!) a pace of
yours equals 3'. Then you know that 4 paces = 12' = one canter stride (average).
This lets you measure out combinations etc without too much hassle.
If you do some gridwork with your horse and work out the distances he is
comfortable with, you can tell if you will have to shorten/lengthen/do nothing to
his stride for a double set for an average 24' = one stride.
A jump is just an elevated canter stride, so you can count on a jump arc as
taking about 12', and each stride in between as taking 12' also. The ideal take
off point is between one and 1.5 times the jump height away from its base, eg 3
- 4.5' from a 3' jump. So if you take off 3' from the jump, you land 9' from it.
Add 12' stride and 3' take off point for the next element, and hey presto! you get
the 24' distance for a one stride double!
In combinations approached in trot, you land shorter over the first element; the
horse will then tend to take a canter stride, hence the smaller distance for a one
stride double approached in trot. Because he is now in canter, if there is a third
jump he will need a greater distance from fence 2 to 3, which is why the
distances in the table get bigger each time you add an element, up to normal
canter stride distances.