How to Improve Canter Quality Between Fences Using Data

What Makes a Good Canter for Jumping?

How Equestic Identifies Problems Between Fences

With the SaddleClip, every jump session is automatically analysed, helping you take the guesswork out of canter quality. In canter and jumping work, the app tracks:

• Canter and Jumping Direction: Rein-specific approach data (time on each rein)
• Impulsion per second: How your horse’s power changes throughout the ride
• Average Tempo: Measured in BPM (beats per minute) during the session
• Tempo Consistency: Percentage of consistency, including spread from minimum to maximum BPM
• Trendlines over 20 rides: See long-term changes and improvements in your horse’s performance.

Rather than relying on feel alone, you can spot:

• Where impulsion drops or spikes
• Which rein shows stronger approach performance
• How consistent your horse’s tempo really is
• How your horse is improving (or compensating) over time

In fact, Equestic data shows that 89% of horses exhibit over 5% asymmetry in landing, push-off or rhythm, most without obvious lameness or physical issues. These subtle imbalances, invisible to the naked eye, can have a huge effect on your horse’s jumping performance.

Designing a Data-Driven Training Programme

Once you’ve identified specific issues, you can create a targeted plan. Common data-led interventions include:

1. Adjusting Tempo

Use related distances and placing poles to reinforce a consistent stride pattern. Start with 18ft one-stride distances and adjust based on your horse’s comfort zone. Monitor tempo weekly using BPM (beats per minute) data from the app.

2. Rein Balancing

If your horse jumps more cleanly or confidently on one rein, spend extra time schooling the weaker side. Balanced turns, transitions, and single-fence approaches can help restore symmetry.

3. Symmetry Work

Incorporate transitions within canter, shoulder-fore, and pole grids to strengthen the weaker hindlimb. The SaddleClip’s symmetry graph shows percentage push difference between limbs, aim for less than 5% deviation between sides to reduce drift, improve jump shape, and protect long-term soundness.

Why Canter Quality Shapes Your Lines

One of the biggest benefits of developing a correct, forward canter is improving your ability to ride accurate lines in a course.

With a good, rhythmic canter, your horse is more likely to take off cleanly. But if the canter is too short, they may struggle to make the distance in a triple combination or related line. If the stride is too long, you might find yourself getting in deep and losing balance.

Using the Equestic SaddleClip, you can monitor tempo (measured in BPM) and make sure your canter stays consistent, not just by feel, but with real numbers.

That consistency gives you options: the power to add or leave out a stride when needed, and the ability to ride the course proactively, not reactively.

Training Tip: Build a Better Canter with Ground Poles

A simple way to improve stride length and canter quality is through polework. Start with poles set at 3 metres apart, gradually increasing to 3.5 metres to encourage your horse to stretch their stride. You can also place poles at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock on a circle. Riding directly over the centre of each pole encourages round, accurate circles and symmetrical turns.

Use the SaddleClip to track stride length, rein balance and tempo session-by-session. This adds consistency to your schooling and helps identify where your canter improves, or still needs work.

Understanding Rhythm vs Tempo

These two terms are often confused but represent different qualities:

• Rhythm is the footfall pattern, canter always has a three-beat rhythm.
• Tempo is the speed of those beats, measured in beats per minute (BPM).

Many horses appear rhythmic, but their tempo may fluctuate, especially when approaching fences. The SaddleClip tracks this precisely, alerting you to subtle changes that can affect your line or lead to late take-off.

From Data to Results: Training with Purpose

Armed with this information, you can design a programme that builds the ideal canter. That might include:

• Adjustability exercises – like transitions or poles at variable distances
• Symmetry work – shoulder-fore, lateral work, and strengthening grids
• Rein focus – riding technical lines on the weaker rein

Using the Equestic app, you can track progress session-by-session. Many riders reduce tempo deviation between reins by 5–8 BPM and bring symmetry scores below 5% imbalance over time.

Ride Smarter, Not Harder

The quality of your canter between fences doesn’t just affect style but it determines function. With the Equestic SaddleClip, every jump school becomes an opportunity to fine-tune your ride with purpose, feedback, and measurable results.