The YardForge Blog

• Indoor Winter Showjumping Course Design for UK Clubs (23 September 2026) — UK club indoor winter tracks: related distances in a short school, fair jump-offs, and a checklist for clear-rounds and winter qualifier nights. Free designer to plan.
• Twelve fences at Gassin. Eight teams to Barcelona (22 September 2026) — Bodo set 12 fences and 75 seconds at Gassin. France finished on four penalties. Eight teams go to Barcelona on 4 October.
• St Tropez this Sunday: four go, then three (18 September 2026) — Sunday's Longines League of Nations at Gassin is 12 fences, four then three. What UK club builders should watch before Barcelona.
• Lanaken this week: five-year-olds at 1.20 m (15 September 2026) — Lanaken opens Wednesday 16 September. Five-year-olds jump 1.20 m, not against the clock. Heights to use on a UK young-horse morning.
• Calgary this weekend: Palacios, 12 fences, then nine (11 September 2026) — Leopoldo Palacios builds the CSIO5* Masters in Calgary this weekend. Saturday 1.60 m Nations Cup, Sunday a two-round GP with nine numbered fences.
• Kronenberg this week: four youth Nations Cups on one ground (8 September 2026) — The FEI Youth Nations Cup Final starts at Peelbergen this week. Four GB squads, two Table A formats, and what to watch as a designer.
• British Showjumping Team Jumping 2026: what club organisers need (7 September 2026) — How BS Team Jumping 2026 worked for clubs: heights, team size, two-round format, course specs, and how to get clean plans to the ring.
• Horse Owner Management App UK: What to Look For in Horse Software (5 September 2026) — Need horse software UK? Owner app for records and reminders, plus when full yard management is the better fit. Free on YardForge.
• Alan Wade has LA28. What that appointment actually says (4 September 2026) — The FEI Board named Alan Wade as jumping course designer for Los Angeles 2028. What the official note says, and what club builders can take from it.
• Avenches this week: a CSIO4* Nations Cup for designers (1 September 2026) — The CSIO4* Longines EEF Series Final is in Avenches this week. Two identical Nations Cup rounds, a jump-off, and what UK club builders can take from it.
• Club Show Course Design Checklist (UK): From Empty Arena to First Horse (29 August 2026) — A practical UK club-show course design checklist: arena, heights, related distances, numbering, collecting ring, paperwork, and a calm build order.
• How to Design a Clear-Round Show Jumping Course in a Home Arena (29 August 2026) — Design a fair clear-round show jumping course at home: fence count, related distances, warm-up flow, and a simple plan you can reuse all season.
• How to Measure Show Jumping Related Distances Without a Measuring Wheel (29 August 2026) — Measure related distances for show jumping with a tape, stride walking, and a simple plan — when you have no measuring wheel at a club arena.
• Show Jumping Course Design Mistakes Beginners Still Make (29 August 2026) — The common course design mistakes that make club tracks ride badly — and how to fix distances, lines, and numbering before the first horse goes.
• A print pack for a one-day unaffiliated (28 August 2026 · updated 4 September 2026) — Which PDFs to print for a one-day unaffiliated: builder, athlete, judge. What to leave on the laptop.
• Showjumping course in a small arena: a 20 × 60 indoor that still rides (27 August 2026 · updated 26 August 2026) — By Alex Young A lot of UK indoor schools are 20 × 60 metres. That is a small arena for a showjumping course, not a championship ring. The extra 20 metres…
• Numbering a course without wrecking the collecting ring (25 August 2026 · updated 4 September 2026) — Where to put start flags, finish and fence 1 so the collecting ring still works. A short numbering pass before you print.
• A 70–80 cm club track that still rides (21 August 2026) — How to design a weekday 70 or 80 cm unaffiliated course that is not a circle of poles. Flow, one real question, and a jump-off that fits.
• British Showjumping Pony Distances: 128, 138 & 148 (21 August 2026) — Official BS related-distance tables for 128, 138 and 148 ponies. Why horse-column distances feel long on pony nights, and what to set instead.
• How UK livery yards invoice extras without a second spreadsheet (21 August 2026) — How UK livery yards invoice extras — farrier holds, extra hay, arena hire and holiday cover — without losing them in a second spreadsheet.
• Aachen this week: what the World Championship asks of a designer (20 August 2026) — The FEI Jumping World Championship starts 19 August in Aachen. Format, Olympic tickets, and what Frank Rothenberger's week means if you build club tracks.
• Related distances in a 20 × 40 school (19 August 2026 · updated 21 August 2026) — How to set fair related distances when the arena is only 20 × 40. What still fits, what to drop, and how to check it in the designer.
• September 2026 UK show jumping fixtures (18 August 2026) — September 2026 show jumping dates: Arena UK Festival, Chard, Wolsingham, Spruce Meadows Masters. Confirm on the official BS calendar.
• Free vs Paid Show Jumping Course Design Software (2026) (23 July 2026) — When a free show jumping course designer is enough — and when clean PDFs, 3D, AR or team seats justify paid software. BS/FEI validation, PDF roles and UK buying criteria without brand lists.
• Show Jumping Course Plan PDF: Master, Athlete, Builder, Judge (23 July 2026) — What belongs on a show jumping course plan PDF for UK clubs and BS nights: master, athlete, builder and judge roles, free watermarked exports, and how to print a plan the crew will actually use.
• School the aids, not the clock: how 2025–26 welfare rules are reshaping UK showjumping (22 July 2026) — British Showjumping 2025 baton and warm-up rules plus the FEI Jumping Rules 2026 revision — what they mean for home schooling and course design, with sources checked on the official pages.
• Summer Show Heat Protocols 2026: A Guide for Organisers and Course Designers (17 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — FEI Beat the Heat, heat-index decisions and fair summer scheduling. Practical heat protocols for UK show organisers, stewards and course designers in 2026.
• Equestrian Business Digital Tools in 2026: What Yards and Instructors Should Adopt (16 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — 2026 equestrian business trends: digital yard ops, online entries, course plans and AI-assisted tools. A practical stack for UK livery yards, instructors and small shows.
• Frangible Devices and Safer Course Design in 2026: Lessons for Designers (15 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Frangible technology is reshaping eventing safety in 2026. What course designers — including show jumping builders — should take from MIM clips, pins and fair fence design.
• Equestrian Social Licence in 2026: A Practical Guide for Yards, Clubs and Shows (14 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Social licence is the year’s biggest equestrian conversation. What it means in practice for UK yards, clubs and show organisers: welfare, transparency and fair courses.
• FEI HorseApp Vaccination Records 2026: What Owners and Grooms Must Get Right (13 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — From 1 July 2026, incorrect or missing equine influenza records in the FEI HorseApp can cost CHF 100 at inspection. A practical checklist for FEI athletes, owners and yards.
• Equine Biosecurity at Shows and Livery Yards: A Practical 2026 Checklist (12 July 2026) — Practical equine biosecurity for UK shows and livery yards — isolation, vaccination records, gathering risk, and digital health logs. Aligned with Equine Health Week priorities.
• Equine Wearables and Digital Yard Management: What Actually Helps in 2026 (12 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Equine wearables, GPS tracking and digital yard management in 2026: what sensors help, what is hype, and how UK yards combine data with practical software workflows.
• Horse Heat Stress and Hot Weather Management: A UK Yard Guide (12 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to spot horse heat stress, manage hot weather riding and yard routines in the UK, cool-down protocols, and when to stop work — practical checklist for owners and staff.
• UK Livery Yard Costs 2026: Full Livery Fees & What Owners Pay | YardForge (12 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — UK livery yard costs and pricing in 2026 — rising fees, staffing pressure, what to include in livery packages, and how digital systems cut admin waste without cutting care.
• Online Horse Show Entries for UK Organisers: Fewer Emails, Clearer Start Lists (12 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How UK horse show organisers can run online entries, start lists and results without spreadsheet chaos — checklist for club shows and multi-class days in 2026.
• Show Jumping Course Design and Horse Welfare: Fair Questions, Not Traps (12 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How modern show jumping course design supports horse welfare — fair distances, progressive difficulty, warm-up, and social licence. Practical checklist for UK designers and clubs.
• FEI Jumping Rules 2026: Schedule Changes Course Designers Need to Catch | YardForge (10 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — 28th edition for UK course designers and organisers — article renumbers, championship chapters, and a quick schedule checklist before you sign a plan. Official PDF linked.
• Course print packs and the Designs Library (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Group designed courses for a show weekend and batch-export master-plan PDFs. Not live show entries — that is Events / Show Manager.
• Drawing a Shape on the Course Plan (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Use custom arena polygons, curved path connectors, and trot-pole arcs to trace non-rectangular tracks.
• Ellipse and Oval Arena Layouts (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Approximate curved ends and indoor ovals when designing on a rectangular grid.
• Equine First Aid Kit: What Every Yard Should Have (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — What to keep in an equine first aid kit for everyday wounds and emergencies, how to organise it, and when a first aid kit is not enough — call the vet instead.
• Gastric Ulcers in Horses: Symptoms, Causes and Management (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Common symptoms of gastric ulcers in horses, what causes them, and the management changes that support treatment alongside veterinary care.
• Horse Worming Schedule: How Often to Deworm (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to build a horse worming schedule around faecal egg counts rather than blanket rotational dosing, and how to fit it into your yard's routine.
• Joint Supplements for Older Horses: What to Look For (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to choose a joint supplement for an older horse — the common ingredients, what the evidence actually supports, and how to judge whether it's working.
• Signs of Colic in Horses: What to Watch For (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — The early signs of colic in horses, why speed matters more than severity, and how a health log helps you describe what changed and when.
• Thrush in Horses: Causes, Treatment and Prevention (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to spot thrush in a horse's hoof early, treat it effectively, and prevent it coming back — plus why it belongs in your farrier and health records.
• YardForge Course Designer — Introduction (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — What the YardForge course designer does and where to start your first layout.
• YardForge Plans, Trials, and Payments (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Free, Pro, and School & Venue tiers — what each includes and how upgrades are verified server-side.
• Jumping Arena Size in Feet: A Practical Conversion Guide (6 July 2026 · updated 12 July 2026) — Show jumping arena size in feet for FEI and schooling arenas, with a metres-to-feet conversion table and what arena size means for course design.
• Show Jumping Events Calendar 2026: Major Fixtures to Watch (6 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — The major show jumping fixtures still to come in 2026 — from Hickstead to the FEI World Championships at Aachen — plus how to find shows near you.
• Stable Management Software vs Horse Farm Software (6 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Stable management software and horse farm software compared — what each term means, the features that matter for a working barn, and how to choose one platform.
• Best Show Jumping Course Design Software UK (2026): Browser, BS Checks & PDFs (4 July 2026 · updated 5 September 2026) — UK checklist for show jumping course design software: scaled arena, BS/FEI checks, strides, and printable plans. Compare browser, Windows, and subscription. Free to try.
• How to Use the Stride Calculator Effectively: A Step-by-Step Guide (4 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Get accurate results from the YardForge stride calculator every time — setting hand height, choosing line type and standard, reading stride zones, and saving horse profiles.
• Pole Training for Young and Green Horses: Building Confidence First (4 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — A step-by-step pole progression for young or green horses — from single poles on the ground to their first small fence, without rushing or drilling in fences.
• Pony Club Test Progression Tracking in the UK: A DC's Practical Guide (4 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How UK Pony Club DCs track test progression from E to H/A — rallies, attendance, standards and digital records without drowning in spreadsheets.
• Raised Pole Exercises for Strength, Balance and Hind-End Engagement (4 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Raised pole exercises that build core strength, hind-end engagement and proprioception in show jumpers — with heights, spacing and how to progress safely.
• Related Distances and Combinations: Getting the Numbers Right for Competition (4 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How related distances, doubles and trebles are measured for competition, common stride-count mistakes, and how to check every line with the stride calculator before you walk the course.
• Yard Management Software vs Spreadsheets: What UK Livery Yards Gain (4 July 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — Stop juggling spreadsheets and WhatsApp for your UK livery yard. One place for tasks, horse records, arena booking and invoices — see what YardForge replaces.
• Aachen 2026 FEI Worlds: Course Design Lessons for Showjumping Designers (3 July 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — What Aachen 2026 FEI World Championship tracks teach course designers — lines, related distances, and how to study championship courses at home.
• Bending Lines in Show Jumping: Distances, Strides and How to Design Them (3 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How bending lines work in show jumping — measuring the curved track, picking strides on the arc, inside vs outside lines, and designing fair bends.
• Hickstead's Famous Fences Explained: The Derby Bank, Devil's Dyke and More (3 July 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — What makes Hickstead’s Derby fences legendary — the 10ft6 Derby Bank, Devil’s Dyke and open water — and the course-design lessons behind them.
• How to Design a Jump-Off Course That's Fast, Fair and Safe (3 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — A course designer’s guide to jump-offs — picking fences from round one, building fair turn options, numbering the short track and setting the time.
• How to Sell Riding Lesson Plans and Training Guides Online (1 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — A practical guide for UK riding instructors on packaging lesson plans as digital products, pricing them fairly, and reaching riders beyond your own yard.
• Winter Turnout and Rugging: A Practical Guide for Livery Yards (1 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to decide rug weight through a UK winter, avoid overheating and rain scald, and keep rugging decisions consistent across a shared livery yard.
• Show Day Checklist: What to Pack and Prep the Night Before (30 June 2026 · updated 7 July 2026) — A practical show jumping day checklist — tack, paperwork, first aid and course-walking, organised for the night before and the morning of.
• Farrier Schedule: How Often Does a Horse Need Shoeing? (29 June 2026 · updated 7 July 2026) — How to set a realistic farrier schedule for shod and barefoot horses, what changes it with season, and how to spot an overdue visit.
• Laminitis Prevention: Spring Turnout and Weight Management (28 June 2026 · updated 7 July 2026) — A practical guide to reducing laminitis risk in good-doer horses and ponies — grass management, weight monitoring, and early warning signs.
• Designing Show Jumping Courses on Your Phone (26 June 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — You don't need a laptop to design a show jumping course. Here's how to build, validate and walk a track from your phone — at the yard, at the ringside, anywhere.
• Equine Yard Management Software: What to Look For (and What to Track) (26 June 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — How yard management software helps livery yards, stables and riding schools run smoothly — staff tasks, arena booking, horse health records, inventory and invoicing.
• How to Design a Show Jumping Course: A Step-by-Step Guide (26 June 2026 · updated 10 July 2026) — A practical, step-by-step guide to designing a show jumping course — arena setup, fence choice, related distances, rule validation, and walking the track before you build.
• How to Number a Show Jumping Course (26 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — Numbering a course is more than counting fences — it sets the track, the combinations and the flow. Here's how to number a show jumping course correctly.
• Show Jumping Course Design for Pony Club and Riding Clubs (26 June 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — Designing safe, fair, fun show jumping courses for unaffiliated club shows, Pony Club rallies and riding-club leagues — without a technical delegate on hand.
• Recording Hack Routes with GPS: Safer Rides for Livery Yards (24 June 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How to record, share and discover hacking routes with GPS — distances, terrain notes and community maps for equestrian yards in the UK.
• AR Course Walk-Through: Preview Your Show Jumping Course on Foot (23 June 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — How augmented reality course preview helps riders and designers see fence spacing in the real arena before poles are built — Android WebXR and 3D fallback on iPhone.
• Livery Yard Digital Management: A Practical Checklist for Yard Owners (22 June 2026 · updated 21 July 2026) — What to track digitally on a modern livery yard — horse health logs, staff tasks, notices, arena schedules and billing — without drowning in spreadsheets.
• FEI vs British Showjumping Validation: Course Design Rules Compared (2026) (21 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — FEI vs British Showjumping course design rules: combination spacing, unrelated fences, arena size, grades vs CSI, plus unaffiliated/schooling and Hunter validation for UK designers.
• Designing Gymnastic Grids: Stride Calculator Tips for Coaches (20 June 2026 · updated 4 July 2026) — How to set bounce, one-stride and two-stride grid distances for horses and ponies — and check them in a digital course designer before you move a pole.
• FEI Arena Dimensions: What Course Designers Need to Know (18 June 2026 · updated 12 July 2026) — Minimum arena sizes for FEI show jumping, how dimensions affect course building, and practical tips for mapping your arena accurately.
• British Showjumping Course Building Rules: Distances, Spreads & Combinations (17 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — BS course-building essentials for club and affiliated designers — Table of Distances, spreads, combinations, water, and a builder checklist.
• Polework Exercises Every Show Jumper Should Know (16 June 2026 · updated 4 July 2026) — Five polework exercises that improve a show jumper’s rhythm, adjustability and footwork — with pole distances for horses and ponies and how to progress them.
• Horse Health Logging: What to Record and Why It Matters (15 June 2026 · updated 7 July 2026) — Which horse health records to keep and why — weight, temperature, farrier and worming dates, vaccinations and behaviour changes that catch problems early.
• GPS Arena Mapping: Measure Your Arena by Walking the Perimeter (14 June 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — How to measure your arena accurately with GPS by walking the perimeter — real dimensions for course design without a tape measure or wheel.
• Show Jumping Distances UK: Related Distances & Walk Metres | YardForge (13 June 2026 · updated 6 September 2026) — Need related distances for doubles and lines? UK stride counts and walk metres for horses and ponies — free table and calculator on YardForge.
• Warm-Up Routines Before a Show Jumping Round (13 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — A collecting-ring warm-up plan that works — how long to allow, which fences to jump in what order, and how to time your round without overcooking your horse.
• How to Walk a Show Jumping Course: A Rider's Checklist (12 June 2026 · updated 4 July 2026) — A practical step-by-step guide to walking a show jumping course — counting strides, planning your track and lines, and reading distances, for riders of every level.
• Understanding Combination Fences in Show Jumping (12 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — What combination fences are in show jumping — doubles, trebles and bounces — the distances to walk between elements, and how faults are scored.
• Liverpools and Water Jumps: Riding Tips That Actually Work (11 June 2026 · updated 3 July 2026) — How to ride Liverpools, water trays and open water — training progressions for spooky horses, rider position, and how course designers use water fences.
• Choosing the Right Stride Length for Your Horse (10 June 2026 · updated 4 July 2026) — How to measure your horse or pony’s true canter stride length, what the standard 3.5m assumption gets wrong, and how to set distances that fit your horse.
• Preparing Your Horse for Competition Season (9 June 2026 · updated 6 July 2026) — A practical pre-season checklist for show jumping — fitness plan, vaccinations and passports, entries, kit checks and schooling milestones before your first show.