BY CINDY HALE / PHOTOS BY LESLIE POTTER
cantering over poles on the ground set at jump distances will help you gauge whether to lengthen or collect your horse’s stride for an actual course.
Getting the right counts in a line can often seem like the ultimate test on a jumping course. Lines are two or more jumps set apart by a measured distance, and are meant to be ridden in a specific number of consistent, even strides. Any deviation is usually considered a fault in hunter and equitation competition. If you and your horse struggle with lines, here are some tips to help solve the problem, courtesy of hunter and equitation trainer Susan Smith of Norco, Calif.