A warm welcome

Do you sometimes get a bit lost with what to do when you’re warming up or cooling down your horse? Maybe you’re concerned you’re not spending long enough warming up his muscles, or perhaps you’re not sure what exercises to include at the start and end of your schooling sessions. An essential part of every training session, the first and last 10–15 minutes of your riding time are probably the most important of all, and here’s why. 

Why warm up?

The main reason we need to warm up our horses is to help prevent injury, for example, through muscle strains. Warming up your horse’s body increases blood flow, which physically warms the muscles and increases oxygen supply to the muscle cells, resulting in energy production.

Warm-ups are also a way of mentally preparing you and your horse for the session, giving you both time to focus and settle into your work.

Did you know?

Warming up increases the elasticity of your horse’s tendons, allowing them to gradually stretch to the greater degree that’s required for more intense work.

Long and low

The idea of a warm-up is to start working the muscles your horse will be using during the session. As a result, this time should be spent mainly focusing on his top line (the epaxial muscles).

To achieve this, try working your horse in a long, low outline to make sure he’s using the trapezius muscle in front of his withers, as well as the top line muscles over his back and hindquarters.

There’s little gain warming up on a long rein as he will hollow through his back. At best, he won’t activate the muscles you want him to work during the session. At worst, your horse will get sore as he won’t have the correct muscles engaged to support your weight.

Find out more of Jess Campbell’s top tips for a great warm up and cool down in October Horse&Rider – on sale now!