How to walk a showjumping course effectively

The rider who rushes through the course walk, barely glancing at fences, then wonders why distances feel awkward. The competitor who walks diligently but still gets lost mid-round, missing fence four entirely. The nervous showjumper who sees only terrifying heights rather than rideable lines. These scenarios play out at competitions daily, and many could be improved with better course-walking strategies.

Course walking separates consistent, clear-round riders from those who struggle with distances, get confused mid-course, or make avoidable errors. Yet many of us treat course walking as perfunctory – a quick stroll identifying fence numbers before getting on their horse. This superficial approach misses the entire purpose: course walking is mental preparation, distance assessment, line planning, and problem-solving all condensed into ten to fifteen minutes of focused observation.

Professional showjumpers spend significant time walking courses, often multiple times, visualising rides, counting strides, identifying potential problems, and planning alternative routes. They understand that jumping is not reactive – you cannot see a distance from five strides away and suddenly create a perfect take-off point. Successful jumping requires planning: knowing where you want to be at specific points as you approach fences, understanding how distances ride for your particular horse, and having backup plans when things do not go exactly as expected.

This article looks at systematic course-walking strategies, transforming this critical preparation from cursory fence identification into tactical planning that dramatically improves your jumping performance.

NOTE: Here, we assume that you have plenty of time for walking the course. This is not always the case. After we run through the ‘ideal’ course walking strategy, we then look at the more realistic, time-constrained option.

First walk: big picture assessment

Initial impressions and flow

Your first walk should capture the overall character of the course without getting bogged down in details. Walk the numbered route at a steady pace, noting major features: is this a flowing, forward course with long galloping distances, or a technical course with tight turns and difficult striding? Does it reward bold, free-flowing riding or careful, controlled accuracy?

Observe the course designer’s intention. Flowing lines between fences suggest the designer wants forward, rhythmic riding. Sharp turns, angled approaches, and related distances requiring specific striding indicate technical demands. Understanding the designer’s challenge helps you choose appropriate pace and tactics.

Note the terrain. Courses rarely sit on perfectly flat ground. Identify uphill approaches, downhill landings, sloping turns, and cambered ground. These topographical features affect how distances are ridden – downhill tends to lengthen the stride, uphill compresses it. Noting terrain early prevents surprises mid-round.

Assess footing quality throughout. Are certain areas deeper, harder, or more slippery? Footing variations affect pace and security. Deep footing compresses the stride and requires more impulsion. Hard ground encourages a longer stride but offers less purchase for tight turns. Assessing as you walk can help you to plan accordingly.

“Also – I like closing my eyes and going over the course in my mind. When I coach younger children or people prone to losing tracks, I get them to repeat the track to me with their eyes closed and then tell me what colour the jump is and if it’s an oxer or vertical. I find this really helps them.” – Amelia Campbell-Horne

Fence construction and questions

During this first pass, note fence types and identify any that concern you. Is there a particularly spooky fence – maybe a water tray, Liverpool, or brightly painted filler? Which fence is the biggest? Are there any unusual constructions – skinnies, triple bars, Swedish oxers – requiring specific riding?

Look for optical illusions created by backgrounds. A fence sitting against dark trees can be hard for horses to judge. White poles against a bright sky create glare. Fences positioned where shadows fall can confuse depth perception. These optical challenges require confident, positive riding and sometimes approaching in specific ways to help your horse see clearly.

Identify the most influential fence – often not the biggest, but the one where mistakes are most costly. This might be a fence before a tight turn where you cannot afford to land unbalanced, or a fence in a combination where poor jumping affects the next element.

Planning preliminary lines

On your first walk, establish preliminary lines between fences. Walk from fence to fence following the most logical track. For most courses, this means using the space efficiently without cutting corners so tight you unbalance your horse or opening tracks so wide you add unnecessary ground.

However, note where alternative tracks might be advantageous. Perhaps the direct line between the fences crosses poor footing, but a slightly wider arc offers better footing. Maybe a turn could be made inside or outside, depending on your horse’s response to earlier fences. Identifying options during the first walk gives you flexibility later.

Stand behind each fence, visualising the approach from where you will come. Does the turn flow naturally, or does it require specific setup? Can you see the next fence on landing, or does it disappear behind a fence or arena feature? These observations inform how you ride each fence.

Second walk: detailed distance assessment

Understanding your stride length

Accurate distance assessment requires knowing your horse’s stride length. Most horses cover approximately 3.3 to 3.6 metres per canter stride when jumping. However, this varies significantly based on horse size, natural stride, level of collection, and pace.

Large horses with naturally big strides may cover 3.7 to 4.0 metres per stride at competition pace. Small horses or those with naturally shorter strides may only cover 3.0 to 3.3 metres. Your horse’s individual stride length dramatically affects how distances ride for you.

If you do not know your horse’s stride length, measure it at home. Set two poles 12 metres apart (four average strides). Ride through in your competition canter. Did you get four comfortable strides, or did it feel compressed (suggesting your horse has a longer stride), or open (suggesting a shorter stride)? This knowledge is fundamental to course walking.

Walking related distances

Related distances – fences positioned one to seven strides apart – require careful measurement. The standard method involves pacing from the base of the first fence to the base of the second fence, subtracting distance for landing and take-off, then dividing the remaining distance by your horse’s stride length.

Walk from the back rail of fence one to the front rail of fence two, counting your paces. Subtract two paces for landing after the first fence, subtract two paces for take-off to the second fence. Divide the remaining distance by four to give you an approximate number of strides.

Example: You walk 16 paces between two verticals. Subtract two for landing, two for take-off, leaving 12 paces. This suggests that for the average horse, this would be a three-stride distance.

For combinations (one or two non-jumping strides), the calculation is similar, but tolerances are tighter. A true one-stride combination typically measures 7-7.5 metres for average horses. Two strides typically measure 10-11 metres. Combinations set on the short or long side of these standards require adjustment – collecting for short distances, allowing forward movement for long ones.

“Another thing that really helps, especially when you’re practising at home, is paying attention to where your horse actually lands after a fence. The ‘generic’ two paces for landing doesn’t apply to every horse or every fence. Some horses land and travel further; others land shorter and take a moment to organise. If you know how your horse tends to jump and land, it makes it much easier to walk distances accurately and make better plans and decisions before you even get on.” – Luke Compaan

Measuring unrelated distances

Fences separated by eight or more strides are considered unrelated – you have time to adjust pace and balance between them. However, measuring these distances still helps. Knowing that the distance from fence three to fence four rides as eleven comfortable strides helps you plan pace: if you land from fence three and realise you are going very forward, you might get it in ten and need to balance. If you are a bit quiet, it might be twelve. This awareness prevents panic mid-round.

For unrelated distances, walk from the centre of one fence to the centre of the next, counting paces. Divide total paces by your horse’s stride length for an approximate stride count. This need not be exact – you just want to know roughly how it should ride.

“I love walking the course behind top riders, even at small shows. Or when I’m at big shows, I like walking behind Ronnie [Healy] so I can see the lines he walks. Top showjumpers are generally very intentional about what lines they ride.” – Amelia Campbell-Horne

Assessing combinations and lines

Combinations demand special attention. Walk each element, noting whether distances favour careful collection or forward riding. A combination set on a related distance – say, fence A to B rides better in four strides than three, and B to C is set for one stride – requires planning: establish the pace and balance for that four before the first element, maintain it through, and the combination flows smoothly.

For bending lines (fences not on a perfectly straight line), walk multiple tracks, assessing the stride count for each. The inside track might be six strides, the outside seven. Knowing this gives you options: if you jump the first fence poorly, you can choose the longer track and have more time to recover.

Identify any lines where terrain affects striding. An uphill line that walks as four strides might ride as five because climbing compresses the stride. A downhill line measured for five might easily gallop down in four. Account for these terrain effects in your planning.

“So, I think one important thing for me is paying attention to jump number one.

The first fence is important because it sets the tone for the round. When you walk it, look at the distance from the in-gate, think about whether you’ll need a forward or more collected canter, and check what direction you land and where you’re going to the second fence.

There is nothing worse than under- or over-riding the first fence and having the first rail down.” – Luke Compaan

Third walk: problem solving

Identifying potential problems

With distances measured, your third walk focuses on problem-solving. Where might things go wrong? Which fences are most likely to cause refusals? Where might you lose balance? Which turns are most likely to cause drifting or cutting?

Consider your horse’s tendencies. Does your horse tend to bulge left? Then, right-hand turns after fences need extra attention – you will need a strong right leg to prevent drifting. Does your horse back off at spooky fences? Identify which fences look spooky and plan assertive riding.

For technical fences – skinnies, corners, Liverpools – visualise the approach in detail. Skinnies require absolute straightness and accuracy. How will you establish that straightness? Perhaps by choosing your line ten metres before the fence rather than waiting until the last moment. Liverpool often need seeing early and a strong leg to prevent backing off.

Assess what happens if you make mistakes. If you jump fence seven long and strong, does that set you up poorly for the turn to fence eight? If so, you need exceptional control on landing from seven. If you chip in a short stride to fence four, does that ruin the line to fence five? Understanding these consequences helps you prioritise which fences demand your focus.

“I only walk the course once, but I do it exactly as I will ride it.”

Planning alternative routes

For every potential problem, consider alternatives. If the direct track from fence six to seven involves a very tight turn that your horse might struggle with, what is the alternative? Perhaps a slightly wider track adds two strides but is more rideable for your particular horse.

Some courses offer genuine route choices – perhaps fence nine can be approached from left or right. Which suits your horse better? If your horse tends to be strong and difficult to turn right, approaching fence nine from the left might allow easier setup despite being slightly longer.

In jump-offs, alternative routes become critical. Walk multiple options, noting stride counts and technical demands. The inside turn might be two strides shorter, but requires a very sharp turn immediately on landing. Can your horse do this? If not, the slightly longer outside track might actually be faster because you can maintain forward pace rather than having to collect sharply.

“I think another important tip is to know your horse.

Does your horse have step or doesn’t he? Does he jump left or right?

That tells you a lot about how you need to plan.” – Amelia Campbell-Horne

“Check where the start and finish flags are and also where the two-phase timer starts (where applicable). You can often save a few seconds by paying attention to this.” – Amelia Campbell-Horne

Weather and footing considerations

If conditions change between your walk and competition – rain making the ground slippery, sun drying out the footing, wind picking up – adjust your plan. Wet ground typically makes horses more careful and slightly shorter-striding. You might need to ride more forward to maintain pace. Deep or heavy ground is tiring; plan to support your horse more in later portions of the course.

Strong winds affect jumping significantly. Wind blowing into your face on approach makes horses back off fences; you need more leg. Wind from behind encourages horses to run; you need more control. Crosswinds cause drifting; adjust your line and use more supporting leg on the windward side.

Mental rehearsal and visualisation

Creating your plan

After walking and measuring, stand outside the arena and mentally rehearse your entire round. Close your eyes and visualise riding the course from start to finish.

Start before fence one. Visualise your approach: picking up canter, establishing rhythm and pace, seeing your distance, and feeling your horse jump cleanly. See yourself landing in balance, looking for fence two, maintaining pace, and turning smoothly. Continue through the entire course, fence by fence.

Make your visualisation detailed and realistic. Do not imagine only perfect jumps – also visualise yourself handling small imperfections. If you jump fence three slightly deep, visualise maintaining composure, rebalancing quickly, and riding fence four well regardless. This mental preparation for imperfection prevents panic when reality is not flawless.

Include emotional and physical feelings in visualisation. Imagine the excitement at the start, the satisfaction of a good jump, the focus required for the technical combination. Feel your legs supporting, your hands following, your eyes looking ahead. Engaging multiple senses makes mental rehearsal more effective.

“Personally, I watch people go before me to see how it rides.” – Megan Wright

Key focus points

Identify three to five key focus points throughout the course – specific moments requiring absolute concentration. These might be: establishment of pace before fence one, the turn to fence five where you must balance early, the related distance from seven to eight requiring specific striding, and the final fence where tired horses sometimes drift.

These focus points become mental checkpoints during your round. As you land from fence six, your mind triggers ‘next checkpoint: balance early for turn to seven.’ This systematic mental approach prevents the vague ‘just jump the jumps’ mindset that leads to reactive rather than proactive riding.

“I walk with my coach. His voice is then in my head the entire way round, and it keeps me on track.”

Walking with limited time

Prioritising when rushed

Competitions often provide limited walking time, sometimes only one opportunity to walk. When time-pressed, prioritise systematically rather than trying to do everything and doing nothing well.

First priority: walk the actual route to ensure you know the order. Getting the course in your mind correctly matters more than a detailed distance assessment. Walk fence to fence following the path you will ride, cementing the sequence.

Second priority: measure critical distances – combinations, related distances, and any fence that concerns you. You can estimate unrelated distances, but combinations and tight related distances demand accurate measurement.

Third priority: identify problem areas and plan how you will ride them. If time allows only a cursory assessment, focus on fences or turns most likely to cause issues for your particular horse.

“My top tip is not to walk with my best friend… She talks the entire way round, and I forget where I’m going. She always remembers her course, but I don’t, which seems unfair.” – Anonymous (for obvious reasons)

Using warm-up effectively

When the course walking time is limited, use a warm-up to finalise your plan. As you jump practice fences, assess how your horse feels today. Are they forward and scopey, or tired and careful? This information affects how you will ride certain distances.

If your horse feels very forward in warm-up and you walked a related distance as a forward five or steady six strides, you now know you will likely get the forward five. If they feel quiet, you will need to ride positively to achieve the five.

During warm-up, mentally rehearse your course again. Between practice jumps, close your eyes briefly and visualise portions of the course, reinforcing your plan.

“Another good tip, if you’re not too early in the running order, is to sit quietly and watch a few riders go before you. It gives you a chance to see how different horses are managing the distances and how the lines are actually riding. Sometimes what walked as one plan ends up riding slightly differently. Watching a few rounds can give you extra confidence and a bit more certainty in the plan you’ve made.” – Luke Compaan

Final thoughts

The difference between systematic, thorough course walking and perfunctory fence identification cannot be overstated. Riders who walk courses effectively enter the arena with clear plans, measured distances, identified challenges, and practised visualisations. They know where they will balance, where they can flow forward, which fences demand special attention, and what they will do if problems arise.

This preparation transforms jumping from reactive hoping to proactive planning. Instead of approaching each fence thinking ‘I hope this works out,’ you think ‘I planned to balance three strides out and see my distance here, so I am executing my plan.’ The psychological difference between these is enormous! Try this out for yourself, and let us know what you think!