Before the first class — the segment of a competition ridden at a given level — begins, riders walk the course (the sequence of fences you'll jump) on foot. Those few minutes often matter more than the round itself: you fix the route in your mind, choose your lines, and count the distances between the fences. Here's what happens during that course walk, and how to get the most out of it as a beginning competition rider.
What the Course Walk Is
The course walk is the short window — usually about ten to fifteen minutes — when the ring opens before the first combination (you and your horse together) starts. Everyone riding in the class may walk between the fences on foot during that time.
You do three things at once:
- Memorize the route: the order of the fences, and where to go after the last jump.
- Choose your lines: how you ride toward each fence and how you set up the turn into it.
- Judge the distances: how many canter strides fit between two fences.
You don't get that time back. Anyone who walks into the ring without a plan ends up improvising at the canter — and that's usually where it goes wrong, around the third or fourth fence.
Learning the Route
Start at the start: find fence 1 and follow the numbering. Fences are numbered and often colored; watch the flags too, since you always jump with the red flag on your right and the white flag on your left. Jumping a fence the wrong way round means elimination.
Walk the whole route at least twice. The first time to get the order into your head, the second time to get a feel for the transitions between fences. Many riders then walk a third loop covering only the tricky sections.
While you're working through the numbering, also check:
- Where the start and the finish are (often marked with timing beams or flags).
- Whether there's a combination in the course — two or three fences right after each other that count as one but double your chance of a fault.
- Whether the same fence appears twice in the route, approached from a different direction.
Counting Distances in Canter Strides
Between two fences, you measure the space not in meters but in canter strides. One canter stride from an average horse covers roughly 3.5 meters; the takeoff before a fence and the landing after it each take up roughly half a stride on either side.
In practice, you count it like this:
| Step | What You Do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Stand with your back against the first fence, at the point where your horse would land. |
| 2 | Walk toward the second fence with even, large paces. |
| 3 | Count roughly four human paces per canter stride, plus the takeoff and landing space. |
| 4 | The whole number left over is the number of canter strides between the two. |
A distance that works out to, say, "five canter strides" you ride at a calm, even pace. If it doesn't quite work out evenly, you have to choose: a touch more pace to lengthen the stride, or hold back and add an extra stride. You make that choice during the course walk, not during the round.
Keep in mind that this is an estimate. The standard measure is less accurate on small ponies or long-strided horses; know your own horse and adjust your count accordingly.
Choosing Lines and Turns
The shortest route is rarely the best one for a beginner. A wide turn into a fence gives your horse time to see the jump and gives you time to control the pace.
Think through each section:
- The approach: which turn you're coming from, and whether there's enough room to come in straight to the fence.
- The turn-away: where you want to go after the jump, so you don't have to correct.
- The combinations: here the distance is fixed, so the pace you carry from the fence before determines whether it rides well.
In an ordinary class, speed gains you nothing as long as you stay clear; only in a jump-off or in speed classes does every second count. For your first starts, the advice is simple: ride wide, steady, and clear.
Common Mistakes
- Walking too fast. Rushing the course walk means missing a combination or forgetting the finish. Take the full time.
- Only looking at the fences. The space between the fences — the lines and distances — is what wins or loses you the round.
- Wanting the distance to be exact. You're counting a guide number, not doing a calculation to the centimeter. Your horse's pace does the rest.
- Letting go of the plan under pressure. Run through the route in your head while you're waiting, so it's locked in by the time you ride into the ring.
In Short
Walk the route at least twice, count the distances in canter strides with large, even paces, and choose wide lines that give your horse a clear view of the jump. Keep the pace steady and aim for a clear round before you think about speed. If you're unsure about the count for your horse, ask your instructor to walk the course with you once — that's the fastest way to train your eye.
See also: Glossary: course, fence, and fault points · What to Bring to a Competition · Level: First Competitions