HELP! Takes 30 mins for Mare to warm up & soften

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showpony

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So this is starting to bug me, now mare is only young.... warm up consists of lots of walk and trot , flexing, lateral work, bit of canter etc but takes her 30 mins to really relax into the contact...now half of the 30 mins is on a loose rein obviously but she will just wont soften until half way through a session...

Any tips as at this stage, as don't want half the time spent on getting her to soften.. Oh & she is the same when my instructor schools her..
She is ridden in a Fulmer so nothing harsh...
 
Mine takes about 30 minutes too, 10 yo medium horse. And yes the majority of my work is the warm up. I tend to do 10 mins of specific work in addition to my warm up (which includes lots of lateral work)
 
I would say 30mins is about normal.

If its any consolation when I used to do dressage on Andy we'd do a 90min warm up in total.
 
My 16 yo a novice eventer is exactly the same, takes me 20-30mins at home to get him totally paying attention and through and probably almost 40 mins at an event, although I usually allow 45 in case of a crisis! I wouldn't worry too much.
 
hahaha, my mare is 8 and takes 30 - 45 mins to go well... ive given up trying to lessen this time as everyone i moan about it to just says "welcome to the world of mares" :rolleyes::p
 
You have no idea how much better this thread made me feel :) Riding my mare pretty much always starts with 30-45min of warm up / negotiation or (if she is in a particularly difficult mood) arguing. She will work beautifully, but only when she decides she's ready to do so.
 
Ahahaha so glad it's not just me!!!

My horse takes a good 30 mins to warm up and work properly - she is 21 but I have had her since she was 12 and she has always been like it!!!!!
 
Oh dear Lord thank God for this thread as mine is the same and I bought her when she was 4 and she is now 7 and we STILL have to do a good 30 mins warm up.......... Mind you her warm up is now getting better and softer quicker..................
 
Mine warms up beautifully but then in his first test will throw his toys out and become tense!!
However long the warm up (tried 15 minutes to a couple of hours!!) the first test is tense and its the second one he relaxes in!!
Thanksful most places run a test we can "throw away" as our warmup.... doesn't make a difference if I ride my warm up as a test either!
(He's 18 !!)
 
Hiya- My mare is exactly the same however she does have physical reasons why she needs a long time to warm up due to old scar tissue in sacroiliac/ hind suspensory damage- but she does take 20-30 mins to work on a good soft and consitent contact. I use lots of transitions acute and normal, I canter quite early then use medium trot/ canter then start the 'real work' and generally she is ready!
 
Now I feel a bit better! :D My 12yo takes a good 20-30 minutes to soften and listen. I always get to my lesson a good 20 minutes early to trot round and get him working properly and the same at events. Dressage at BE/ODE is always 'interesting' though irrespective of how long I warm up - if i could get half the softness out of him in these as we acheive in lessons or at home I would be delighted! :P :D
 
My 8yr old can be like this too. I have found it's lessened by being 100% consistent with my routine, and she relaxes a lot quicker. If I change the way i warm her up, we're back to 30mins+ before we get nice work!!
 
to the original poster if you don't have time to do 20/30 mins of warm up stretchy things just go for a nice hack! most horses working at a level require stretching collecting for half an hour before they 'work' also breeding also plays a part. warmbloods have a make me attitude before they get to I will do attitude.
 
My mare takes 20-30 mins depending on what mood she's in (20 year old tb training medium) although it has been much quicker since I started using a massage pad.
 
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