# Pole Striding?



## Scribbles (2 November 2008)

I have dyscalculia and so struggle with jump distances. So then, so I can write it down on a piece of paper and leave at the yard....

What distance should there be between trotting poles, between a jump and a placing pole, a bounce, and a  double?


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## Gucci_b (2 November 2008)

The distance in between poles on average is:

Walk poles - 0.90cm apart. 
Trot poles - 1.25 m apart. 
Canter - 3 m apart. 
One stride double - 5.5 to 6m when approached from trot and 5.5 to 7.5 when approached from canter. 
A two stride double - 11 to 14 m when approached in canter. 
Related four/five stride double - 18 to 25 m. 
Bounce from trot - 2.75 to 3.65 m 
Bounce from canter -3.65 to 4 m.


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## amage (2 November 2008)

See if you can get hold of Anthony Paalman's book Training Showjumpers. Has some great grids and training distances etc you could photocopy the relevant bits and leave them at the yard!


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## SillyMare (2 November 2008)

Trotting poles - about 4 1/2 feet is a good starting point (one and a half walking strides) - adjust slightly according to your horse.

Show jump strides should be 12 feet (4 walking strides) with 6 feet (2 walking strides) allowed for take-off and landing.

Bounce = just a landing and take-off so 6ft + 6ft (4 walking strides)

1 stride double = landing (6ft) + 1 stride (12ft) + take-off (6ft) so 8 walking strides.

No big maths needed - you can calculate any combination by keeping track on your fingers how many times you count to 4 when you walk through (remembering to allow for landing and take-off of course).

Does that make sense? Not as complicated as it sounds.


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## DuckToller (2 November 2008)

You didn't say if you are riding a pony or a horse - it makes quite a difference.

I use my feet for trotting poles - I step one foot right in front of the other, 4 for a pony, 5 for an average horse.  Just use three trotting poles  to start with to check it works for yours then add 4th pole. Our shetland cross only manages just over 3 of my size 7 feet! 

For one-stride canter double, standing with my back touching the pole, I walk one long stride for landing, then four normal walking strides for a big pony and five for a horse, then a further one for take-off.  So that's 6 in total for a pony and 7 for a horse.  

Start low and when you know the distance is working you can then go up.  Do be careful with bounce distances - they don't lend themselves easily to different size horses.  

Are you working out distances for yourself, or others as well?


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