Schooling warm up - ideas

Jojoeena

Jojoeena

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Hi, Just wondered if you had a set warm up routine when you school and if so if you'd like to share ?

I have a basic routine which generally consists of a short walk up the lane and back then twice large round the school, walk 20m circles at each marker, figure of eight, then essentially the same in trot and canter (20m circles at A and C only), changing the rein after each movement so each is repeated on each side. I then give a quick break on a long rein before starting the session properly.

This seems to work for us but until you try something else you don't know if that 'something else' is going to work better ... only I need some inspiration ...

Thanks !
 
I like to warm up with her stretching down & seeking the contact, will do this in walk, trot & canter, some transitions & circles. I will then give her a walk & then pick her up & work her properly starting off with some basic transitions then some lateral work, harder transitions, rein back then introduce some collection & medium and then some counter canter.

I don't ask her for all of the above in 1 session but that is generally the order I go through the work depending on what I ask for :)
 
you need to add in some sidways and some transitions within the paces.

so some leg yields in walk and trot, and once balanced in canter and for a more established horse shoulder in and travers.

lots of on and back.

even my 3yo is doing turn on the forehand and few steps leg yield in walk and trot.
 
Following - This is something I have been pondering recently, I often wonder if I'm doing the best warm up that I can - I generally do something similar to the OP which so far is working well.

At what point would you all introduce lateral work? During warm up or once warmed up?
 
Thanks all for your replies !

Kassieg - I stretch in walk but at the moment my youngster is still learning to stretch in trot and canter so I tend to work this towards the end of the session, not to mention at the beginning of the session it is generally prudent to have a better contact lol, it is as light and long as I dare !

PS - I generally start the lateral, baby SI and LY after the warm up but (same as Sprat) was wondering if some light lateral work would be beneficial in the warm up ? Also I tend to leave the transitions within the pace to the actual session rather than the warm up, hmmm lots of food for thought ! :-)
 
I do a short hack in walk to do my walk warmup (and cool down) leg yielding back and forth across the track. When I get in the school I do a 3 loop serpentine in trot but in each loop I ride a circle. This creates a change of rein and then I do it off the other rein. I then do a circle at A X and C on each rein, leg yielding in and out.

Other times I work my way through intro A and B to do my walk/trot warmup
 
Most days I either lunge first or in-hand work before I ride - but it's the same warm up really with a few tweaks depending on what I'm doing. Large circle or walk around the edge of the track then add in a few smaller circles (12m ish) with normal bend and then a few with pronounced inside bend then a few neck rein turns (outside bend) with lots of changes of direction along the way. First in walk and then in trot on slightly larger circles. Then I might do a little shoulder in, Travers and Renvers on a large circle. Obviously lunging is a bit different, we can get a type of shoulder in on a circle but not Renvers or Travers. Lunging we still use the whole school though, varying tempo and circle size and lots of changes of direction.

Cool down is pretty much the same exercises as warm up without the lateral and mostly in walk, especially at the end.
 
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