Hey all, just wondering as it's doing my head in! I seem to have mastered being a jockey on the flat but the jumps is doing my head in.....I use the mouse controls and every time I get to a fence a small green box shows up and I press the jump button and all is fine, but then at some fences a small c in a blue box shows up and I seem to always make a mistake when it comes up....and then if I see a red box with what looks like a small s its pretty much a guarantee whatever I do I will make a bad mistake or fall...99% the latter....any ideas? Or should I just resign myself to losing the race every time I see the blue or red box when coming to a fence!!

Anyone got any ideas, getting fed up of falling every race, can't read so4 instructions either as only have notepad on my pc and ain't showing up right!!

I can't do it either. I have read the instructions but if you come from a horse riding back ground they are backwards so a short stride has the description for being on a long stride and being on a long stride has the description of being on a short stride so I really can't get the hang of it. It needs to be changed badly. Also there are meant to be instructions on the SO website but I'm not sure if they've been updated yet...



Jumps races:

The jockey mode for jump races works the same at for the flat but with additional jump related controls. Horses, generally speaking can jump fences on their own pretty well. Starters orders 4 puts the emphasis on the player/jockey to assist the horse in getting over the fence or helping the horse avoid mistakes and maybe making the decision to forfeit a little ground in exchange for a safer jump! There is no clicking to make your horse jump and often you can simply let the horse jump on it's own and make zero input. Getting the jockey control right, especially over fences may take some time and patience.

The approach

For a short period before an obstacle a APPROACH INDICATOR will appear. This is a small square that can be either green, blue or red. This will indicate one of three different categories of approach your mount is felt to be making and quick input may be needed! Note that you can influence your mounts jumping by changing the jockey actions (moving the mouse cursor in the jockey mode circle). When the horse has jumped the mouse cursor will revert to where it was before the approach indicator appeared (so you don't inadvertently change the jockeys non jumping riding action).

1. Good stride (green). The horse is approaching the fence on a good stride. Generally you should make no input here so once the indicator appear quickly move the mouse to the centre of the jockey mode controller circle (indicating relaxed jockey position).

2. Short stride (blue). The horse is deemed to be approaching on a short stride which means the horse is taking off a little early. This increases the risk of a mistake or fall. In this case the best option is to try to get your mount to 'lengthen' and take off later. You do this by pushing the mouse upwards in the jockey mode control circle (as quickly as possible) so the jockey will begin pushing the horse on the approach to the fence. Choosing to take a pull when your horse is on a short stride is a bad thing as it may make your horse take off even further from the fence increasing the chance of a mistake or fall.

3. Long stride (red). The horse is deemed to be approaching the obstacle on a long stride which means the horse may be taking off later that you would wish (too close to the obstacle). In this event the best course of action is to shorten the horses stride by pulling on the reins (move the mouse down in the jockey mode controller circle). In this case doing nothing is risky
as is pushing the horse into the fence.

Safer jumping

There may be a occasion when you are happy to give away a little ground in exchange for a safe jump by steadying your horse into a fence. For example at the end of a long race when your horse is tiring or if you have a clear lead. As long as your horse is not on a short stride you can 'take a pull' on the approach by moving the mouse towards the bottom of the jockey mode controller circle. Your horse may end up jumping slowly but it will decrease the chance of a mishap.

Copied and pasted from the SO instructions, hope Mark doesn't mind. But it is WRONG from the point of view of a real horse but I assume it is correct in the game.

Right, I got you, thought it would be that but was unsure if I had to press another button or something...So for the red button, I have to pull the reins back and blue button, push the horse into the fence mccoy-esque! result thanks supercat!

Nick, be aware mate, sometimes on a blue mark to the fence even taking a pull doesnt stop you falling, i havent nowhere near mastered jockey mode i gave up of being tailed off alll the time.
But remember falling a lot cos i took a pull on blue, sometimes i wonder if kicking them into it and pushing will help?!

Think thats what supercat meant, you have to push them into the fence on a blue....it is tough, it's not too bad atm as all my horses are hold up horses so there supposed to be tailed off, then I always get them close....Managed to get a 2nd in the Hong Kong & Japan Cup and won a few group 3's over the flat and been 3rd in the fred winter at cheltenham over the jumps....But I seem to find the most satisfying is to win the big handicaps!!! Won ayr gold cup, stewards cup etc I dont care in normal games but I seem to find them a lot more satisfying to win as a jock...taken me a while though!

Keep at it though wardie....I've just won a 30 runner cox plate and it was bloody satisfying!!

I've won loads of flat races but I just can't get the hang of the jumps because of the instructions being backwards. The actual action you would take is right but because the long and short strides are mixed up I just can't get it. So I've given up, no doubt I'll have another go at some point but not for a while. Hopefully in SO5 this will be changed, although it was the same in SO3 so maybe not.