Stretching/warm-up routine for riders?

T

Thelwell_Girl

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 March 2010
Messages
4,156
Visit site
Following the advice of some HHO-ers on here, i thought it would be a good idea to have a little warm-up routine for myself before riding.

What do you do to get ready for riding? Are there any exercises you do that help loosen you up?

TG x
 
By the time I've walked down the field, caught Dan, grabbed Dimples and dragged Dimp down the field with Dan trying to eat him in the process, then been stretched between the two as Dimples stands on one side of the main gate, and Dan stares at him from the other side thinking 'Why wont that daft pony come through the gate?' and balancing the gate open, finally persuaded Dimples through the gate (usually mostly using brute force & ignorance) and got them to their stables, brushed Dan & shoved tack on him, faffed about persuading him to stand still so I can actually get on....
I feel fairly warm & stretched! :D

Sorry, I honestly have no idea what the best way to warm up for riding would be :o Google? xP
 
I think this is a real interesting point.

Athletes do a careful warm-up and stretch before competing (be careful though, dont stretch muscles until they have been warmed up... stretching cold muscles is a bad idea, can cause damage).

We take time to warm up our horses before we ask them to do harder work.

So it makes sense I think for the rider to warm up and stretch to release tension, make sure we sit correctly on our horses, and have a good leg contact.

Interesting that so few people seem to do this though. Maybe schools should teach it.
 
Sol - Good heavens! I've got a lot to do if I want to keep up with that kind of warm-up!!

Lobelia_Overhill - I know, I never used to... Starting Wednesday I will warm up before EVERY ride!

pakkasham - How can I warm up without stretching?
 
Star jumps?? xD

Yes, dimples likes to make me do my warming up (about the only thing he's good for!) especially if I attempt to work him in hand.... o.o e.g. Last time I tried to do that, I actually nearly fainted :o It was about 30 degrees though ;) I can let you have him to help you warm up if you like?? :D
 
Because I do some kind of sports everyday I do the same warm up routine, whether it helps riding I don't know- pulse raiser, stretches, pulse raiser.
If you have a horse that will let you, give a long rein and go off into walk. Bring your inside leg up and hold your ankle for about fifteen seconds. Your ankle should be about saddle height but if you can't get it as high as this no worries. Then repeat with your outside leg. Next, try bringing up both legs and doing it at the same time. After about 30 seconds rotate both your legs backwards and into their normal positions. Your seat should be deeper your balance better and it stops me from getting any achy legs :) Sorry for the long post :P
 
pakkasham said:
Are you anywhere near Edgware or Borehamwood ?
Click to expand...

Well, the yard is near Edgware... Why?

Sol said:
Star jumps?? xD

Yes, dimples likes to make me do my warming up (about the only thing he's good for!) especially if I attempt to work him in hand.... o.o e.g. Last time I tried to do that, I actually nearly fainted :o It was about 30 degrees though ;) I can let you have him to help you warm up if you like?? :D
Click to expand...

Yay for star jumps! We had the little ones doing those in gymkhana races last week... SO CUTE! I was a bit frightened when an 11 year old girl managed to wheelbarrow a full grown make vet student, then jumped on his back in the race! :eek::D

Ooer, I remember you saying!

Oh yesh, please post Mini D to London, kk thnx :p
 
aimeejay said:
Because I do some kind of sports everyday I do the same warm up routine, whether it helps riding I don't know- pulse raiser, stretches, pulse raiser.
If you have a horse that will let you, give a long rein and go off into walk. Bring your inside leg up and hold your ankle for about fifteen seconds. Your ankle should be about saddle height but if you can't get it as high as this no worries. Then repeat with your outside leg. Next, try bringing up both legs and doing it at the same time. After about 30 seconds rotate both your legs backwards and into their normal positions. Your seat should be deeper your balance better and it stops me from getting any achy legs :) Sorry for the long post :P
Click to expand...

If you dont mind me asking, what is your routine?

That sounds really good, I'll try that! My instructor got me to do it in a lunge lesson and I thought my legs might drop off, shows how inflexible my hips are, eh?!
 
My old RS used to have us on the horses touching our toes, holding our feet (like stretching them out backwards) swinging our legs from the hips and also our ankles and doing large circles with our arms - so I guess the same thing would work on the ground too??
And as someone has already said, by the time Kelly's dragged me to the field, jumped around, bolted with me and then I've had to muck her stable out, do her nets, feeds and waters...I think I'm fairly warmed up!!! x
 
1) Each for a minute: Jog, side steps, heel flicks, high knees, jog.
2) Moving from bottom of your body to top, rotate my ankles, calf stretches, lunges, arm stretches, rotate arms in circles from big to small then finally rotate my neck round in circles. Used to get a reallyyyyyy stiff neck from riding so added the neck stretches :)
3) Two minute jog.

Hey presto :D :)

Yeah, the first time I did it I nearly fell of because the horse decided it would be funny to take advantage of me with my legs in the air and a long rein! I wouldn't recommend having a dressage instructor screaming and shouting, posture, posture- dont forget posture! Whilst the horse tonks off and you have you feet almost on the saddle LOL :D
 
thelwell_girl said:
Yay for star jumps! We had the little ones doing those in gymkhana races last week... SO CUTE! I was a bit frightened when an 11 year old girl managed to wheelbarrow a full grown make vet student, then jumped on his back in the race! :eek::D

Ooer, I remember you saying!

Oh yesh, please post Mini D to London, kk thnx :p
Click to expand...

haha! Awesome xD

Sure, just need to find a padded envelope big enough for his ginormous belly.... :p (don't worry, he'd happily sleep on your sofa and help himself to the contents of the fruit bowl/fridge when he arrives :D)
 
aimeejay said:
1) Each for a minute: Jog, side steps, heel flicks, high knees, jog.
2) Moving from bottom of your body to top, rotate my ankles, calf stretches, lunges, arm stretches, rotate arms in circles from big to small then finally rotate my neck round in circles. Used to get a reallyyyyyy stiff neck from riding so added the neck stretches :)
3) Two minute jog.

Hey presto :D :)

Yeah, the first time I did it I nearly fell of because the horse decided it would be funny to take advantage of me with my legs in the air and a long rein! I wouldn't recommend having a dressage instructor screaming and shouting, posture, posture- dont forget posture! Whilst the horse tonks off and you have you feet almost on the saddle LOL :D
Click to expand...

Ooer!

Thank you, I'll try that on Wednesday, should warm me up properly!
Sol said:
haha! Awesome xD

Sure, just need to find a padded envelope big enough for his ginormous belly.... :p (don't worry, he'd happily sleep on your sofa and help himself to the contents of the fruit bowl/fridge when he arrives :D)
Click to expand...

Erm... Am I only getting the belly? I want the whole pony, ta very much!! :D

Aw, hes welcome to sleep over here and eat all our fruit any time :D
 
Nah, take all of him! Good riddance! :p Just his belly is most certainly the largest part of him at the moment, he NEEDS some exercise! (I admit, I don't bother, he's too much like hard work!)

Good good, he'd eat just about anything in all honesty.... ;)
 
Thats cool, I shall take delivery of the aformentioned horse and/or pony in 1 days time. Please have hime reddy for my collecting van to come and be collecting. Thanks you. PS how much is horse/what colour/what breed/what age/ what does he eat blah bleh blurh! :p
~

Bwahaha :D In truth, Team G is welcome in London any day, and mini D can certainly eat his fill of whatever he likes (juts not my meringues!)
 
I definitely dont have the money to join a gym! But it is a good idea, and I'll see if I know any gym instructors who could help (maybe in exchange for cake :D)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top