A related distance is where a good ride is decided three strides early. Two fences set close enough that the ride to the first dictates the ride to the second, and the number between them is fixed arithmetic: 12 feet (3.7 m) per stride, plus a 6 foot (1.8 m) takeoff and a 6 foot (1.8 m) landing. Get the number wrong on paper and no amount of riding fixes it in the ring.
This is the complete reference: the line between a combination and a related distance, the full chart from one to six strides in feet and meters, the oxer and footing corrections that make those numbers true, and how to decide whether a line rides forward or steady before you ever leave the ground.
What is the difference between a related distance and a combination?
A combination is two or three fences set one or two strides apart and judged as a single obstacle; a related distance is two fences set three to six strides apart and judged separately. The distinction is not academic - it changes the rules. In a combination, a refusal at the second or third element sends you back to jump the whole thing again. In a related distance, each fence stands on its own in the scoring, even though the ride to the first still commits you to the ride to the second.
Beyond roughly six strides, two fences are generally treated as unrelated. The horse has room to rebalance, rebuild the canter, and meet the second fence on a fresh decision, so the exact stride count stops being a fixed requirement.
What are the standard combination distances?
Standard combination distances run from about 24 feet (7.3 m) for a one-stride down to a half foot shorter when the second element is an oxer. Combinations are set tight and precise because there is no room to fix a bad first jump before the next element arrives.
| Combination | Feet | Meters |
|---|---|---|
| One-stride, vertical to vertical | 24 ft | 7.3 m |
| One-stride, vertical to oxer | 23.5 ft | 7.2 m |
| Two-stride, vertical to vertical | 36 ft | 11.0 m |
| Two-stride, vertical to oxer | 35.5 ft | 10.8 m |
These use the 12 foot standard stride with 6 feet of takeoff and 6 feet of landing. Bounces and gymnastic grids use deliberately shorter schooling distances and are a separate topic.
What are the related distances from one to six strides?
The related distances run from 24 feet (7.3 m) for one stride to 84 feet (25.6 m) for six, adding 12 feet (3.7 m) for each stride you count. This is the core chart. Every number is the stride count times 12 feet, plus the fixed 12 feet of takeoff and landing.
| Strides | Calculation | Feet | Meters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | (1 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 24 ft | 7.3 m |
| 2 | (2 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 36 ft | 11.0 m |
| 3 | (3 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 48 ft | 14.6 m |
| 4 | (4 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 60 ft | 18.3 m |
| 5 | (5 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 72 ft | 21.9 m |
| 6 | (6 x 12) + 6 + 6 | 84 ft | 25.6 m |
Where the whole numbers matter most
Set your lines on clean stride counts and leave the half strides out of the design on purpose. A line that walks to four and a half strides is a trap - one rider rides a forward four, the next fits a quiet five, and the fence pays for the disagreement. When a line has to land between two counts, that is a decision you make deliberately for a jump-off, not a distance you set by accident.
How do you ride a related distance forward or steady?
You ride a line forward by adding pace to leave a stride out, and steady by compressing to fit one in, and the walk tells you which the line is asking for. A line that walks a touch long rides forward: open the stride from the first step off the landing, do not chase the last three. A line that walks a touch short rides steady: compress early and keep the leg on so the canter stays live instead of dying to a shuffle.
- Forward line: the distance walks long, or you want to leave a stride out. Lengthen from the landing, keep the rhythm, arrive without a scramble.
- Steady line: the distance walks short, or you want to add a stride. Shorten from the first stride, not the last one, and keep impulsion so the horse still jumps up and out.
- Toward the in-gate: horses draw forward on their own, so a line rides shorter than it walks. Sit up sooner.
- Away from the in-gate: horses back off, so a line rides longer than it walks. Add leg earlier.
- Deep footing: everything rides steady whether you want it to or not. Ride for the add.
- Firm, fast footing: the canter opens, so lines ride forward. Be ready to wait.
The walk gives you the number. The horse and the ground tell you how it rides.
How do oxers and footing change the numbers?
Oxers and footing shift the true distance by up to a foot per stride even when the tape says the line is standard. An oxer occupies depth a vertical does not, and footing changes how much ground each stride actually covers.
| Condition | Effect | Adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Distance into an oxer | Needs a closer takeoff for the back rail | Set about 6 in (0.15 m) shorter |
| Distance out of an oxer | Wider jump makes a longer landing | Expect it to ride forward |
| Deep or heavy footing | Shortens the stride | Set 6 in (0.15 m) per stride shorter |
| Firm, fast footing | Lengthens the stride | Standard or slightly forward |
| Small indoor arena | Compresses the canter | Set 6 in (0.15 m) per stride shorter |
| Large open field | Opens the canter | Standard to slightly long |
The corrections stack. A deep indoor oxer line away from the gate can ride a full foot (0.3 m) per stride shorter than the same numbers on firm grass toward home.
How do you use this chart when you set a course?
You build a line by starting from the standard number and layering the adjustments in order, so nothing gets missed. Work it as a sequence every time:
- Start from the standard distance for the stride count you want, from the chart above.
- Apply the jump-type adjustment - shorten into an oxer, expect forward out of one.
- Apply the environment - footing, arena size, and direction to or from the gate.
- Apply the horse - shorten for ponies and green horses, lengthen for big-strided warmbloods.
- Set the tape to that final number and place the fences.
- Walk it after you set it, because the tape sets the distance and the walk confirms the ride.
How does HorseGrid handle related distances?
HorseGrid Designer computes this entire chart live as you build. Drop two fences on the scaled arena canvas and the app labels the line with its stride count and distance in feet or meters, recalculating the instant you drag a fence. Set your stride length once for the horse or pony you are designing for and every related distance on the page adjusts itself, so you walk into the ring already knowing every number is rideable. Complimentary to download on the App Store.
Common questions
How many strides is a related distance?
Three to six strides, which is 48 feet (14.6 m) up to 84 feet (25.6 m). Closer than that is a combination; farther than about six strides the fences are usually unrelated.
What is the distance for a two-stride combination?
About 36 feet (11.0 m) vertical to vertical, or 35.5 feet (10.8 m) if the second element is an oxer. Shorten both for ponies and green horses.
How do I convert a related distance to meters?
Multiply the feet by 0.3048. A 60 foot four-stride line is 18.3 m, and the chart above lists both columns so you do not have to do the math.
Why should I avoid half-stride distances?
Because riders interpret them differently every trip - one rides the forward number, the next fits the extra stride - and the fence pays for the disagreement. Set clean whole-stride counts unless you are building a jump-off on purpose.