Seeing a stride to a fence

Hi, and thank you for your question. It can be really frustrating to feel that way, but once the groundwork is right, it usually sorts itself out.

In jumping, your pace, line, rhythm and the balance of horse and rider all decide how you meet a fence. Start by schooling your lines: ride long, accurate lines and keep riding forward through the turns. To do that, you need to sit centred over the horse, with your weight balanced for the curve, the speed, the type of fence and the horse itself.

Practise finding the gears within each pace. You have at least three, but ideally five or six, and you want to move between them while keeping the drive from behind. You need this to regulate the pace and make sure the horse is in front of the leg and wants to go to the fence and over it.

Another important point is to keep your eyes up. A common mistake is to look down at the saddle. Make sure both your hips and legs are active so you can support the horse into a steady, even forward drive. Be brave about focusing on your position, your line and your pace.

The very best of luck!