Trouble Remembering Courses

[easystride]

I am 32 and have just started showing in the hunter rings. I am having trouble remembering my courses. Any advice on how you guys remember them?

[eqrider1234]

make up names for the jumps or lines. I use flower colors alot of times or whatever the filler is, like coop or rolltop or bricks, anything you can remember, my trainer used to try the outside inside outside inside but it just doesnt work now its pink line purple line brick line coop line :lol:

[Acertainsmile]

Well your too young to have CRS disease, so thats ruled out :)... I agree, just try to go by the colors of the jumps. Have someone make up some courses for at home and practice!

[BridalBridle]

I struggled for decades. One of the most helpful things was to ride the course in my head stride by stride. Also I would walk around the other side of the ring so I could see the jumps from a different angle.
But to confess......I found Ritalin at the age of 40 and the courses have never been an issue since. I have been diagnosed by a psychiatrist when I explained some of the issues that came up when I competed and COULDNT GET MY DESK CLEANED OFF AT WORK!!! It's shocking how I can focus on the jumping and forget the numbers, lines and directions. Sorry it's a drug solution for me.

[Paint Hunter/Jumper]

For hunter classes its most likely gonna be either:

1) outside, inside, outside, inside

OR

2) inside, outside, inside, outside

:D:D:D:D:D

So if you think of it that way, it might be easier :) and learn one course at a time!

I show hunters too! And the best thing about the courses are how simple they are, and generally easy to remember.

[December]

I have noticed that many shows have all the lines jumping from only one direction (oxer at the end of the line and no ground lines going the "wrong way"). If this is the case at your shows it makes it MUCH easier because once you start there is nowhere else to go! Just never jump the oxer first in the line. Remember your first jump and whether it is going away from home or coming home, and the rest is a given.

Not sure if this is just our area or not, though!

[Whimsically Smart]

I have noticed that many shows have all the lines jumping from only one direction (oxer at the end of the line and no ground lines going the "wrong way"). If this is the case at your shows it makes it MUCH easier because once you start there is nowhere else to go! Just never jump the oxer first in the line. Remember your first jump and whether it is going away from home or coming home, and the rest is a given.

Not sure if this is just our area or not, though!

This is how it is in my areas too, makes it much easier, my trainer doesn't even need to tell me the whole course, just need to know which quarter line to start on and your good :)

[pony4me]

See post above. Same in my area too. If you can find the first jump in the course, the rest is pretty much a done deal. The only thing that can complicate things is a couple of extra single jumps in the ring. But most of the "beginner" course won't have those. If the jumps have flowers on them it's even easier. You always jump it from the flower side. What helped me is looking at a line, and then asking myself, "what do I HAVE to jump next?" Do that a few times with the whole course, and it should fall into place. Then pick a different starting jump, and repeat. Good luck!

[WELLthoroughBRED]

Try to stay later in the line up to go in, it always helps to watch some people complete the course before you do. Try repeating the course with your eyes closed. Picture yourself riding and doing the course! It also helps to say it out loud, and maybe have your trainer ask you multiple times before you go in, and right as you are walking into the ring. The more you repeat it the easier it will be to remember!

[theroanypony]

I have the absolute worst memory when it comes to remembering courses. I have yet to make it through an entire show without messing up at least one course. The main thing that helps me is to remember by lines. Inside, outside, inside, outside, inside. If you do try this, make sure you keep count of how many lines you've jumped while doing the course. If I forget to remember how many lines I've gone over, I end up forgetting a line or two.

I also make names for the jumps when studying the course. "The fallen plank" is one of my barn's jumps official name now because I call it that so much as I'm trying to remember the crazy courses my trainer makes us do.

[Bearhunter]

I agree with the poster that said to look at the ring from all angles because once you are in there the jumps look different from the other side. It can be confusing if there are additional jumps set up that are not part of the course but look the same or if the jumps have flowers on both sides. Also, prepare to go later in the division and only focus on one course at a time.

[GreystoneKC]

One of my students is having the WORST time with this! She is still new to showing and just doesn't see how "easy" hunter courses are (most of the ones around here are as everyone said - know the first jump and the rest is pretty much a given!). After her lesson this week I drew her out an entire study sheet of the main course options:
ABAB - outside diagonal outside diagonal
BABA - diagonal outside diagonal outside
AABB - outside outside diagonal diagonal
BBAA - diagonal diagonal outside outside
- noting the the first two are the most common and that quarter line or diagonal singles usually start the course. I literally drew little courses with numbers and directions and everything, lol.
- we also use the "look" of the lines, ie. purple flower line, rust line, grey stone line, roll top line and the numbers, 6, 7, 6, 7 to help.

Thankfully my kid was great with her courses today and did a great job!

[Destination Unknown]

I usually name them, like "gate" "outside line" Flowers" "single" things like that.
The fence numbers never work for me either. I also like to watch some people go before I do, that helps.:winkgrin:

[NEIGH-HAM]

I'm still looking for a GPS system for my helmet:lol:

I memorize the pattern as well as the fences.

Single to outside line to diagonal to diagonal to outside line to single.

Or however the pattern is.

[Hunter Mom]

It is nice when the hunter courses are simple. We joke that some of our horses just need to be told where to start, and they'll take it from there.

When I do the occasional local jumper day or a more complex eq course, I will copy down the courses on the back of a paper. I then sit ringside, usually on my horse so I have a different vantage point and go over and over and over my courses. The other girls & I will tell each other the courses, discuss turns, etc. By the time we're in, they're memorized.

[LShipley]

I look for the patterns of outside inside like everyone has said, although the bending line, or the course with multiple inside lines going the same direction can confuse me. The other thing I do, though, is start memorizing them as early as possible in the day, and keep going back throughout the day to look at the courses and quiz myself. If anyone else you know - maybe some kids from your barn? - is competing with you, bring them over to look at the course with you - the more repetition the better! Finally, my trainer quizzes me right before I enter the ring for each trip. Sometimes I get confused anyway ... but really, any way to repeat it to yourself as much as possible will help.

[lauraware]

i like to be able to say (outloud, or inwardly if i don't feel like getting funny looks, haha) the course without looking at the arena. if, without looking, you know exactly where the jumps are placed, you should have very little trouble finding them when you are in the ring. also, when you are on course, don't even look at all the other possible jump options. as you land from one jump and are turning your corner, focus only on the jump you are supposed to jump next (and if you can't remember which one it is, just pick one and go for it!)...don't let all those other ones distract you! another thing is to repeat your course to your trainer right before you go in the wrong. i have to do this haha, it's like a nervous habit.

also, the more courses you do, the easier it is to remember them, so keep going to horse shows :yes:

[nlk]

my kids are notorious for using condiments. Ketchup, mustard, radish...coordinates colors to condiments, althought don't ask about the radish...it was a green line... but they were the ones doing the course so I went with it.

[Aliascml]

I have this same problem too. It is usually only when I get nervous and/or when people are watching. It usually happens after I have already done a course or two. I like to memorize by saying...the gate to the diagonal yellow flowers to the outside line... etc. It sometimes helps and other times I still forget.

[WorthTheWait95]

When I started in the hunters I used the color trick but as others have said once you do it a few times it's second nature. I would often stay in the ring for back to back trips when there was a slow gate and instead of memorizing the courses my trainer would just tell me which jump was first (ie: brown vertical off the left) on the next course as I finished my courtesy circle. :lol:

It only didn't work once when but that was b/c I didn't hear him correctly and jumped the wrong fence.

For jumpers I usually go to the rings as soon as the course is posted and draw it on a napkin or whatever is handy to study for a few mins and imagine how I'll ride it stride by stride. Then after walking it I'll watch a trip or two (if I'm not first...if I am first I go up to the stands and do a play by play in my head while looking at it) and that will usually cement it for me.