Warm up routine?

[nato]

Interested to hear if anyone has a set warm up routine they use when schooling or competing - I always know exactly what I want to work on in the 'learning' phase of schooling sessions, but have yet to find a solid warm up routine pre-learning/competing!

 

[Sammii1990x]

I am currently riding a mare that adjusts to schooling sessions very quick so I find that by mixing up my warm up not only keeps her interested but means that she won't be able to predict what i'm going to ask of her next. I like to do alot of transitions, serpentines and am looking to introduce weaving/suppling posts (as soon as the ground softens enough for me to put them in!)

I am very lucky that the yard is positions halfway up a mile long lovely bridleway so I tend to use either end of that for my warm up and cool down.

 

[nato]

I am very lucky that the yard is positions halfway up a mile long lovely bridleway so I tend to use either end of that for my warm up and cool down.

That's actually a great idea! I always find my horse is much softer out hacking than in the arena (maybe it's because I sit back more on hacks!) so I might start doing that before our schooling sessions.

 

[blood_magik]

I've only recently found a pre-competition warm-up that works for me and my horses - I try to keep it short and sweet as I have one that finds the collecting ring stressful and one that can get a little cocky once he starts jumping.
We do WTC on both reins then a cross pole followed by 3-4 uprights and that's it.

If I'm schooling, I'll jump a slightly bigger warm-up fence 2-3 times off of each rein before moving onto a course.

 

[dexnem]

Schooling: lots of work in walk, circles and halts and changes of rein. Trot on a longish rein on both reins, then collect and implement circles and collect/push on the trot. Then back to walk. Then trot with walk transitions, then canter a circle and a straight, sometimes canter across diagonal and ask for a change (never happens!). Trot to finish off with a figure of eight or similar.

Competing: here's where it falls apart a little as I never know how much to do. Usually walk on both reins, then trot both reins with a couple of circles, then canter both reins and pop a jump. Bring him out as I hate warm up areas and do a few transitions near the trailer. Then back in the area, canter and jump a few times and keep walking/ stop and get off until 2 people before my round. I really struggle with getting the timing right and wanting him to be energised but not overtired, and getting too much of a warm up before having to wait for 30 minutes before we go in. Difficult!

 

[Rosesandhorses]

Depends really on the horse but as a general rule I tend to do start with some stretching on a long but not loose rein in walk and trot, followed by picking them up and some more transitions up and down and then begin canter work. After a few canters I tend to do some lateral work and then begin to work on whatever I had planned for that session. Cool down is always a hack around the yard. With a lazy horse incorporate lots of sharp transitions to get their back end under them and with a sharp horse I may ask for less/more depending on whether they need their brain occupying only or keeping quiet.

Competing - with my current horse he really steps up his game when I'm out so I stick to the routine above to get him supple and engaged and then he just struts his stuff! Obviously this all completely depends on the level the horse is working at and what activities they're doing.