Dressage - when competing how long do you warm up for?

C

cobface

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 January 2010
Messages
956
Visit site
I gave my mare a really good warm up this afternoon before asking for any kind of contact, i worked her long and low for about 25 mins/half hour and she was so much more relaxed and really eased into a contact without putting up a battle :)
I think this has been my problem, i have been warming up for 10/15 mins then asking and TBH i think its been too soon for her.
So with this in mind how long do you warm up for? particulary at competitions as i normally give a little longer to warm up at a strange place as theres lots going on :)
Thanks
 
Depends on which horse I'm riding. I had an event horse who was did his best tests when he was straight off the lorry, a quick canter round, then into the arena.

Alfie is a tricky one. He needs time to have an argument, stamp his feet then decide he's playing ball. But warm him up too long then we get all toys thrown out of the pram again and it makes for an interesting ride!

Amber is odd in the sense she is better with just a 15 min warm up and her first test is always better than her second test. Alfie is the opposite - first test is usually 'flamboyant' and he's concentrating by his second.
 
After taking years to decide this about Meg, I have come to the conclusion that a 10 min walk-about, 2 or 3 transitions on each rein, then we are readly to go in. Too much longer or too much 'grilling' and she gets all sour and even more behind the leg than she normally is!
Other event horses I've known have taken anytime from 40 mins to 2 hours!! (with a break).
 
I aim for 15-20mins with lots of bending/transitions then watch a couple of tests, then a quick 5min before we go in. Mine is pretty forward going and prefers to look at what's going on around her, so a decent working in makes her focus a little better... that's the theory anyway! ;) The problem is when you move from warm up to arena, that's a new area to nosey/gawk at! :rolleyes:
 
With Dan, at the moment at least 25 mins, no more than 35 preferably. Seems very quite random, but it needs to be long enough that he relaxes and starts taking the contact & rounding, but not too long that he gets bored, stressed & tired. With other horses though it's taken at least an hour some times.
 
40-45mins. I spend the first 20mins in a long and low outline and just work on suppling him. Then I pick him up and step up a gear.

I usually only do 1 test, if I am doing 2 then I usually reduce the warm up time slightly so we don't run out of steam in the 2nd test.
 
welll varies. generally doing 2 tests in which case:
stretch in walk 8 mins ish
stretch in trot 2 mins ish
then long and low - circles & trans in walk and trot for 2-3 mins. Then a quick canter on each rein, Pick up into competition outline (stretching in canter? brilliant idea if i want to fall off!) and do a movement or two, work on suppling or outline if necessary. depends on the day! then do first test. depending on how long in between tests, I give a brief free walk then pick up back into competition outline, little trots and canters, plenty of breaks.

doing my first one-test outing next week - probably similar but spend a minute or 2 longer on each part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top