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Now that you have your jumps positioned allowing three strides following and approaching as well as a minimum 20m turn, it is good practice to set your jumps in line. See previous tutorials if you have not read them yet. By setting the jumps in line with each other is not only visually appealing but it also promotes good riding. See picture 1 on how two jumps line up. When designing in Strides Course Design 2021 there is a thin black line showing the line of the highlighted fence in relation to the previous fence. This can assist you in jump placements.

Sometimes it is not possible to set every corner with jumps in line. Setting the second fence behind the first fence is a much-preferred option. See picture 2. In fact, the second fence will be a relatively easier fence to jump due to the longer run up to it. It gives you the option to build this fence a little bigger or wider. It can be a place for a spooky fence for young horses as they get more time to see it. This corner however does encourage the riders to turn immediately after the first fence, rather than balancing the horse before turning. This is ok if not set too many times in a course.

Setting the second jump in front of the first, makes a corner considerably more difficult. See picture 3. It encourages riders to turn too tight onto the second fence. Horses are likely to be crooked or lack impulsion at the second fence and they have less time to sight the second fence.

If this corner cannot be avoided, make sure the second fence can still be approached with at least 3 strides and is set either as a vertical or a skinny oxer. See picture 4. A wide oxer is just too difficult! If there are young horses in this class, avoid using spooky fillers in the second fence. This sort of corner can have its place in speed classes and jump-offs but make sure there is an option to take a wide turn.

Corners look much better and are usually better ridden and jumped if set in line with each other. Sometimes this is not possible. Having the second fence behind the first is preferrable, but should the second fence be set in front, make sure it is an easy fence to jump.

Next tutorial is about balanced rollback turns.

See the latest Strides Course Design tutorials, visit Strides Tutorial Series on our News page:

Tutorial 1 - 3 stride - 20m rule


Tutorial 2 - Roll back turns


Tutorial 3 - Quick corners


Tutorial 4 - Balanced corners


Line distances - Imperial vs Metric


Tutorial 6 - First Fence in a Course