Warming up...

[You Wont Forget Me]

I have noticed in the past few weeks that people dont tend to warm up as much as they should, meaning ive seen so many people the past few days come in to the arena on their horses/ponies jumping on to walk for a few seconds literally, having a trot around for 5 mins if that then right up to canter!!! i have always been told horses need a good 15 mins minimum to warm up obviously varies from horse to horse but 5 mins really isnt a warm up for any horse!! One girl once said to me 'i cant spend to long warming up as MY HORSE gets bored so i HAVE to jump on and get on with it' Really she should have said she gets bored as whenever i rode her horses they certinly didnt get bored! Anyway.....

I was wanting to know how long you warm up for when riding and what you do in your warm up???

I'll start....my warm up lasts about 20mins - i let them walk for 5mins on a long rein to stretch out before asking for a contact then do lots of circles, transistions and changes of rein

Thanks for any replies, will be intresting to hear

 

[JFTDWS]

I canter my old boy before doing any meaningful trot work. He loosens up better with a quick stretching canter than any amount of trot. Other horses it depends on what we're doing, but 15-20 minutes for jumping. Flatwork I don't really differentiate between warm up and work - spend the first few minutes (5-10) working loosely on a long rein then gradually ask for more contact and increase the complexity of movements over the course of the session - and have periodic stretches and such from there on in. But then I really only school my little lad who is young and not working at a terribly high level.

 

[elliegirl12]

My instructor has always told me to loosen my mare up in canter, this really loosens up her back, and to just sit off her back to let her use herself, then can concentrate on doing lots of transitions and circles and doing more collection/ harder work

 

[be positive]

For most horses there is no reason why they cannot warm up in canter, it is the degree of work expected that you warm up to. So I would usually walk then trot on a long rein getting the horse to stretch and soften, gradually pick up the contact and ask for more activity, if it suits the horse that could be in canter as it can help create more energy within the paces.
A lot of people seem to warm up for so long they never really get on with the work they have planned to do or the horse loses interest and makes no progress.
A good cool down is just as important, if not more so if the horse has worked hard, and this is often rushed or not done with any thought.

 

[Vodkagirly]

At shows/dressage I don't warm up for long, 5-10mins. Not what I would recommend for an aged horse with arthritis in hocks but he comes out the trailer with a fabulous look at me showy trot. 20 mins later he is bored and slobbing around dead to the leg.
Not what I would recommend but works for him (as long as helpful stewards don't try and accomodate and push our test back...)