The YardForge Blog

• British Showjumping Youth Rules Explained (12 November 2026), Riders aged 12 and under out of shows with paying spectators from 2029, height limits by age, and who can jump a pony at a British Showjumping show.
• Nine into the jump-off in Verona. Then 33 seconds (10 November 2026), Vezzani set 13 fences and 16 efforts in Verona. Nine jumped off. Vogel won in 33.02s. Try that first-round shape at home, at a height that suits your horse.
• Show jumping faults and penalty points explained (plain English) (6 November 2026), Plain-English guide to show jumping faults and penalty points for UK club and unaffiliated nights, including knockdowns, refusals and what a clear round means.
• Free printable horse show entry form and schedule template (UK) (6 November 2026), Free printable horse show entry form and schedule template for UK club and unaffiliated days, plus a soft path to online entries when you are ready.
• Show jumping course for a 40 × 60 arena: club track and jump-off plans (4 November 2026), Two show jumping course plans for a 40 × 60 arena: a 90 cm club track and a jump-off, with BS distance guidance and build notes.
• Show jumping calendar 2027: UK and international dates (4 November 2026), Month-by-month show jumping calendar for 2027: UK shows, FEI events and World Cup legs, with sources and quarterly updates.
• Livery yard management: a week-to-week guide for UK yards (4 November 2026), A practical UK guide to livery yard management: daily rotas, weekly jobs, monthly invoicing and the records every yard should keep.
• Fourteen fences in Lyon. Then three hundredths (3 November 2026), Santiago Varela set 14 fences and 17 efforts in Lyon. Fourteen of 40 jumped off. Epaillard beat Vogel by 0.03s. What to copy indoors.
• Verona next week. World Cup, then the Playoffs in the same hall (30 October 2026), Verona’s World Cup is 5–8 November. The GC Playoffs follow in the same hall 19–22 November. Times, heights, and notes for UK indoor builders.
• Sunday in Lyon. Second indoor World Cup of the winter (27 October 2026), Equita Lyon hosts the second WEL World Cup on Sunday 1 November at 15:30. Friday's Grand Prix rides at about 1.60 m indoors.
• El Jadida's first five-star. Sixteen efforts indoors (20 October 2026), First CSI5* indoors on the Morocco Royal Tour. Vezzani set 13 fences and 16 efforts. Four clears, a second round, notes for UK halls.
• Herning tonight: 1.30 m ponies in a World Cup hall (17 October 2026), Herning opens the FEI Jumping Ponies’ Trophy tonight at 1.30 m in the Boxen. Heights, speed, and why club pony relateds still need their own table.
• Sunday in Oslo. First indoor World Cup of the winter (9 October 2026), WEL 2026/27 opens in Oslo on Sunday 11 October. Thirteen legs, seven scores to count, London in December. Last year's 23.30 m indoor line.
• Twelve fences in Barcelona. 71 seconds. Then a jump-off (6 October 2026), Santiago Varela set 12 fences, 15 efforts and 71 seconds at the Barcelona LLN Final. Twelve clears in round one. Germany won the jump-off.
• Twelve fences in Tokyo. Saudi Arabia on zero (2 October 2026), Louis Konickx set 12 fences and 15 efforts on both Tokyo team rounds. Saudi Arabia finished on zero. Individuals start Saturday.
• Barcelona on Sunday: all nine come back (29 September 2026), Sunday's League of Nations Final in Barcelona brings all nine teams back for round two. Twelve fences, a water, 400 m/min. Watch 14:00 local.
• Run a Winter Show Jumping League: UK Club Guide (28 September 2026), Run a winter show jumping league for your Pony Club branch or riding club: heights, points, entries, course plans, results and a week-by-week checklist.
• Konickx in Tokyo next week. Team day at 1.45 m (25 September 2026), Louis Konickx builds Asian Games jumping in Tokyo from 1 October. Two team rounds at 1.45 m, 15 efforts, then two individual tracks.
• Indoor Winter Show Jumping 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.
• Show jumping course in a small arena: a 20 × 60 indoor that still rides (27 August 2026 · updated 26 August 2026), How to build a show jumping course in a 20 × 60 indoor arena: a fence plan that rides, related lines that fit, and a free stride chart to check them.
• 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), What a free show jumping course designer should include: 2D design, BS/FEI validation, plan PDF export and UK buying criteria, without brand lists.
• Show jumping course plan PDF: what is on it | YardForge (23 July 2026), What goes on a show jumping course plan PDF for UK club and BS nights: the cover, plan drawing, course table, materials list and course check, the watermark during beta and printing tips.
• School the aids, not the clock: how 2025–26 welfare rules are reshaping UK showjumping (22 July 2026), 2025 British Showjumping 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 17 September 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.
• The Designs Library (7 July 2026 · updated 21 July 2026), Search saved course designs and open any layout in the designer.
• 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.
• 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 | YardForge (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.
• 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.
• 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 on Foot (14 June 2026 · updated 6 July 2026), How to measure your arena accurately with GPS by walking the four corners, real dimensions for course design without a tape measure or wheel.
• Show jumping distances table: metres and strides for doubles | YardForge (13 June 2026 · updated 5 October 2026), UK show jumping distances table for doubles and related lines: stride counts and metres to walk for horses and ponies, plus a free calculator.
• 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 a standard table stride 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.