Surviving warm up rings

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

As the title says really - has anyone got any tips for surviving the hell that is warm up rings?
i HATE them to the extent the thought of going in them starts to make my breathing go funny. The thought of going into the ring and jumping etc doesn't really bother me (particularly when it is an enclosed menage) but the warm up rings freak me out.
It doesn't help that Hovis hates them too and so we feed off each other (last time i came off him was in a warm up ring). When i get him into the ring he does relax but unless i've warmed him up properly he can get a bit excited.
so any tips for him and me?
I've got a little baby class i want to go to in a few weeks time and the thought of the warm up ring is making me feel sick already.

 

[Gorgeous George]

I shall watch this post with interest, I find warm up rings terrifying too, especially when it's for jumping, people whizzing about. If it's jumping sometimes there is an arena available with no jumps so I warm up there and then just pop a couple of jumps in the warm up.

 

[Annagain]

Could you find a quiet corner of the car park and warm him up there instead, or at least lunge him there for a bit until he's settled/knackered, whichever works best! Or if it's a small class I assume it'll be on early, why not get there early so the ring is quieter and once you're done go for a walk around the show or down the road to keep him ticking over until it's his turn to go in.

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

KIDS on ponies whizzing round is the worst! As I jump embarrassingly small fences that tends to be the case that the warm up ring is full of kids. They think because you're on a horse you must be all big and brave and in control - urm no! i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think your solution is to have the sentence above printed onto a tabard thing....

 

[stencilface]

I try to avoid going unaff sj as my horse is a bit scared of ponies

Not that BSJA and BE warm-ups are perfect, (not by a long shot

) but they are much better with regards to kids/idiots, and I don't find them too bad.

My horse hates being squeezed inbetween horses so I try to ride him defensively (not aggresively) in warm-ups so these situations rarely arise. Maybe the fact that you don't like them is not helping though, I am polite in warm-ups but pushy enough (won't be pushed around by sj'ers entourages etc

) but never worry about going in.

Can you go to trailblazers or similar? They have never been too bad near me.

 

[stencilface]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think your solution is to have the sentence above printed onto a tabard thing....

[/ QUOTE ]

That might just work!

 

[Theresa_F]

I am very lucky in that Chancer only needs 5 mins warm up - I tend to walk him round outside first and then go in and do a short trot and canter and then he is in the show ring. He goes far better if I do this. That said, he is a sensible chap when in a busy ring.

With Cairo who being old needed more time, I was often on the largest horse in terms of bulk, plus he was invincible with a rider on and would plough down anything daft enough to try to play warm up ring chicken. I always pass left to left and am very considerate to others but I hate snobby folks on huge warmbloods who run everyone else down thinking they must have the whole ring. Kids might quake before them, but they met their match with Mr C, much to my amusement of seeing them suddenly realise that this horse was not moving off his correct track and the shocked expression of both horse and rider.

With Fleur - I used to put on red ribbon - she never kicked but would without much warning launch all four feet off the ground like a harrier jump jet. I also used to warn people for their own safety to keep their distance when coming past or risk 16.3 of warmblood on top of them.

Now, this weekend I am taking Farra to her first show and last night, well for a clyde, she had a rocket up her backside - so it might be fun and games.

Good luck and try to relax, put a red ribbon on and convince others that he is a big clumsy horse with no steering or brakes that needs lot of room for their own safety.

Finally a good swig of sloe gin or rescue remedy should help - personally I prefer the gin

 

[Kenzo]

A jousting lance tends to help

 

[trotonsir]

Try getting on & in the warm up while they are finishing the jump off/doing prize giving for the class before & then changing the course etc for your class, its usually quieter then cos people are tacking up or swapping ponies around. You can put your number down early to go, jump a few fences & get off to walk the course & just pop over one before you go in.

 

[MrsMozart]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think your solution is to have the sentence above printed onto a tabard thing....

[/ QUOTE ]

That might just work!

[/ QUOTE ]

Or an 'L' plate

...oh how I look forward to getting the chance to feel scared. Ho hum.

.

 

[MrStevo]

I posted about this on the competion forum yesterday after a "bad day" with my youngster terrifying me on two legs for most of it - the advice on there was pretty good (called settling a youngster at a show and its on about page 6 now! - not sure how to attach the link thing !)

 

[Hovis_and_SidsMum]

[ QUOTE ]
convince others that he is a big clumsy horse with no steering or brakes that needs lot of room for their own safety.


[/ QUOTE ]

He IS a big clumsy horse with no steering and NO brakes!!! no convincing necessary!
He just gets all snorty and sweaty and in a bit of a lather. Meanwhile I'm having heart failure and getting hot, sweaty and in a bit of a lather!

The problem is the venue i feel safest at in terms of being in the ring etc has the smallest of warm up areas so its horrible.

 

[BSJAlove]

my warm up routine consists of the whole, saying loudly to the person with me 'people in warm up rings only ever think of their selves and wont get far. the best riders are normally the nicest ones!!!'

its normally works after that, although i do get alot of snotty looks which i pass off with a smile

but to be honist, id rather come out of the warm up ring alive then have a crash and come out with a lame horse eh!

 

[Binkybex]

I want a tabard!

seeing as my mare attacks with the front end more than the back the red tail ribbon isn't very effective.

 

[cyearsley]

I normally select my venue carefully, some venues manage their warm up area better than others, also, take control and be assertive over others

i know it sounds harsh but it makes you feel better and I always yell "coming to the fence" when I intend to jump the warm up jump as it makes everyone look up and get out the way! Also, my horse gets excitable in the warm up so I just tend to settle him down, have a walk trot canter on each rein, pop the jump once maybe twice and go straight in and use either a smaller class or ideally a clear round if there is one there to warm up properly. Also, if you find a riding club with adult only members or not many children, then their events tend to be predominantly adults and the warm up area etc is normally much calmer (though you may still get the odd nutter

)

 

[fatpiggy]

Don't. I'm so glad my horse and I are retired. My experience is only of local riding club shows, but the collecting ring at one in particular was a nightmare. Nobody either knew or practiced the left-hand to left hand rule, kids galloping ponies across in front of you, grannies wandering about aimlessly, and silly boys riding their bicycles about in them.

 

[Bowen4Horses]

[ QUOTE ]
I just tend to settle him down, have a walk trot canter on each rein, pop the jump once maybe twice and go straight in and use either a smaller class or ideally a clear round if there is one there to warm up properly.

[/ QUOTE ]

small clear round course is a fab little warm up!

 

[Silverspring]

I would hope that since you are going to do a baby class that an appropriate level of people will be warming up and should be being sensible.

If someone is warming up that is not about to competing in the current or next class they can be asked to leave. Hopefully there will be a steward at the comp and you can report anyone behaving inappropriately to them!

I used to report people alot when I had my young WB at his first few shows. The only classes on were prelim and novice yet we had people in double bridles doing half pass and getting really rather to close for comfort.

The best thing to do is concentrate on your horse, how he feels and pretend like you're at home just doing a normal schooling session. Obviously you need to be aware of other riders but they have as much responsibility to get out your way as you do to them (and chances are you will be riding the bigger horse:

 

[Walrus]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think your solution is to have the sentence above printed onto a tabard thing....

[/ QUOTE ]

Could I get one of these for general hacking and schooling!

As for warm up rings, I hate them. Worst bit is when people start warming up over jumps much bigger than in the next class, since I was usually the groom I have had several evil eyes from pushy mothers as I pointedly put jumps back down so my friend could wam up her baby over something that wasn't 3 foot!

Deep breathing definitely and could you have a couple of group lessons at a local ridinfg school to get you and hovis used to at least being in closer proximity to other horses and working (in thoery they should be more organised than a collecting ring!).

 

[3BayGeldings]

QR

Put a very noticeable red ribbon in Hovis's tail (even if he doesn't kick) and hopefully it'll make people keep out of the way. Therefore if you have a bit more space maybe you will feel more relaxed? Good luck - hope you enjoy the jumping if not the warming up

 

[emma69]

Bring a pet instructor / mother / other scary imposing person and have them in the ring. I was borrowed by people for such purposes, to bring the warm up fence down to class height, to tell people rather pointedly that they were being dangerous / incosiderate / prats etc. I hate warm up rings so avoided them where possible - sumemr shows tend to have spare space around (although do check before using fields etc) and we would go off for walkies (hacks) or warm up somewhere away from everyone else. Indoor shows tend to be hell tho, tiny warm up rings, idiot horses who are spending the winter hunting so get excited to see horses en masse etc. I would get in and out in the shortest possible time! Luckily my nutter would already be warmed up from prancing about like a stallion since we arrived

 

[palomino_pony]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'm on a novice horse and i'm bricking myself so please stay out of MY way!

[/ QUOTE ]

i think your solution is to have the sentence above printed onto a tabard thing....

[/ QUOTE ]

That might just work!

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I have one too? Or possibly "Horse WILL jump you if you get under her feet...and I MEAN it!"

 

[JustKickOn]

QR, haven't read other replies.

I hate hate hate warm up rings too. I always find them very busy and I can't keep my concentration entirely on what horsey is doing

There is sometimes a quiet corner where you can warm up, just otherwise just make sure you've got breaks and look where you're going!!

 

[LadyRascasse]

red ribbon everyone knows what it means, i put and red and green ribbon in my mares tail (red=kicker (which she isn't) green=green horse)

 

[Sol]

I've often found people (especially at LOW level shows - expect novice horses/riders!!) tend to ignore the presence of people who are obviously nervous, or on horses that are clearly not schoolmasters and are still lacking some balance and such, so aren't going to be able to turn on a dime to get out of their way :/
My mare used freak in warm up arenas so I'd keep things as brief as possible, walk, trot, canter, change rein & repeat, jump 2-3 times and go into ring. If possible I'd work her at home before I left to take the edge off her.

Going to use this tip again - try some lavender!

I keep a bottle of Lavender & Chamomile in my grooming kit, it's really relaxing. I usually massage some into the horses neck before putting it onto the box (neck/chest area as the horse can't really lick it off here, and will get the scent still) and can also put some more on before you go in the ring. Also, you can put it on yourself! If you're using proper massage oils (as you'd want to if it was going on your horse too!) then you can put it straight onto your skin, or maybe a little on a tissue in a pocket or something. It's really good stuff, I've had horses nearly fall asleep because of it though! xD

Rescue remedy is also a great thing to carry, as are many natural remedies.....

But, when you get in the warm up ring, just try to stay calm. If you're walking, stick to the inside track out of the way, keep an eye out so you can avoid collisions (though other people should be watching where they're going too) and DONT be afraid to talk - let people know where you're going, especially if you're about to jump

Hope you get on ok! Just remember - there's probably a lot of people who feel the same!

 

[JLD]

I thought it was just me !! I now dont jump as the warm up rings terrify me- actually thats not quite true - the behaviour of my horse in response to idiots and small ponies charging up behind him terrifies me. He is cool as a cucumber in dressage warm up rings and ignores everything but in jumping warms ups turns into complete fruit loop and spins fly bucks and rears which is stupid as he is the safest most laid back jumper in the world and really babysits me round when we get in the ring !! he really cannot cope with anythimg coming up too fast and too close behind him and he HATES small ponies anywhere which as we jump about 2' means everyone else !! last tiem I did it I just did small clear round as warm up.

 

[Tnavas]

I hate warm up rings too - it seems that I'm the only one looking where I'm going, doesn't seem to matter how big an area you're in someone will be riding into your path with their heads down - in fact one year at a big Pony Club champs show two riders collided head on and dropped their ponies - neither was looking where it was going!

Will also be watching this thread.

 

[spookypony]

[ QUOTE ]
I want a tabard!

seeing as my mare attacks with the front end more than the back the red tail ribbon isn't very effective.

[/ QUOTE ]

Put the ribbon in the forelock instead??

 

[Angua2]

I am so relived that it isn't just me. My girly got so upset about the warm up ring on our first outing in a while, that it actually went through the saddle to me and I couldn't breath. It was so bad that I am actually considering using a calmer and a red ribbon for the next outing even though she is usually really laid back