What is a leaving long distance and when is it safe?

A leaving long distance — sometimes called a leaving spot, a galloping distance, or a forward distance — refers to a takeoff point that is further from the fence base than the standard comfortable distance but that is still within the horse's scope to jump safely and with a complete arc. The distinction between a leaving long distance and a dangerously long distance is the horse's scope: a horse with significant jumping scope can safely leave from a distance that would be genuinely dangerous for a horse jumping at the limit of its ability. Leaving long is considered safe and sometimes intentional in several specific circumstances. For a bold, scopey horse on a straightforward fence well within its ability, a slightly forward leaving distance produces a jumping effort that is within the horse's comfortable range and may actually produce a better arc than a very close distance would for a horse that jumps better from a forward takeoff. In jumper competition where time is a factor in jump-offs, leaving long on straightforward fences allows the horse to maintain its galloping pace without compressing to a shorter distance, which saves time at each fence over the course of a jump-off. When a forward distance appears in the canter approach and adding a stride would create a dangerously close chip, accepting the forward distance and jumping it boldly is generally safer than attempting an addition that the distance does not support. The risk of leaving long increases with fence height and technical difficulty: at low heights on straightforward fences with a scopey horse, leaving long is a legitimate competitive choice; at greater heights, at technical fences with strict distance requirements, or with horses of limited scope, leaving long becomes increasingly risky as the margin between a safe forward distance and an unsafe one narrows.