The average ride in non-extreme heat and humidity should last about 30 to 45 minutes. No matter how much time you have to ride, I firmly believe that the warmup should take the most amount of time. A walk on a long rein followed by some basic trot and canter work on a medium-length rein is a great way to begin.

After that is complete, you can begin the targeted warmup. A targeted warmup is one that you create using critical thinking skills in order to improve on your horse’s specific weaknesses. Some examples of these weaknesses could be crookedness, reluctance to go forward, tension/stiffness, lack of engagement, et cetera.

By targeting the warmup to improve these qualities, you set the tone for whatever you’re hoping to practice during the “work” section of the training session, whether that is a complicated jumping track or more advanced dressage movements. This way, your horse is already engaging the correct muscles and having the correct reactions to your aids before being presented with something more complicated.

Having between three to five exercises to choose from is helpful so that the warmup changes somewhat during each session and avoids becoming a drill.

Useful Targeted Warmup Exercises for Specific Horses

Horse that drifts or pops out a shoulder:
◆ Square turns or turn on the haunches
◆ Shoulder-fore or shoulder-in
◆ Circles or figure-8s with focus on riding the shoulders

Lazier type:
◆ Lengthening or collecting of stride
◆ Frequent transitions
◆ Apply leg, use spur or stick if no reaction

Hotter type:
◆ Downward transitions
◆ Circles or figure-8s on a medium-long rein with a mild inside bend
◆ Ground poles (if he rushes the jumps)
◆ Collecting of stride and transitions from regular to collected gaits

Stiff horse:
◆ Circles and figure-8s
◆ Mounted carrot stretches after initial stretch warmup when muscles are warm
◆ Shoulder-fore or shoulder-in
◆ Leg-yields

Horse needing more hind-end engagement:
◆ Transitions on straight lines (with emphasis on even feel in the contact)
◆ Backing
◆ Sets of multiple ground poles or raised cavalletti
◆ Circles, figure-8s, and three-track movements (such as shoulder-in and shoulder-fore) with emphasis on encouraging drive through the hind end through half-halts and maintaining impulsion.

Three Skills

There are several important skills at play when designing and executing a targeted warmup.

First, you must understand your horse’s weaknesses (or your weaknesses as a pair) and how to improve them. This could be a great conversation to have with your trainer. Being able to narrow down what may seem like a huge problem to a few tweaks to the basics is a crucial step in becoming a more well-rounded rider.

Having placed the extra attention on these weaker basics during the warmup, you will be a step ahead when you arrive at the “work” portion of your ride. Using relevant exercises, your horse will become physically and mentally engaged in a way that will benefit his work. Rather than getting frustrated when your horse is rushing the jumps or lacking spring in his hocks, now you will notice those problems arising less and less each ride.

Instead of feeling stuck and asking your horse to perform the more difficult work over and over in a futile attempt to fix it in the moment, the proper preparation has been done to ensure success. This also allows you to avoid unneeded wear and tear on your horse, both physically and mentally.

The final component of a targeted warmup that adds value to your overall training regimen is that even if you and your horse are having a difficult time on a particular day, if you stop your ride after your targeted warmup, you will still have progressed a little further towards your goals.

Your Horse Show Warmup

In this masterclass video from Ridely, Olympic medalist Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum talks you through how she warms up her horses when she competes. Meredith explains that the most important thing about warming up is that you stay as calm as possible. Competing can be daunting and the warmup ring is often busy with other competitors, so it is important to control the nerves and stay calm. She emphasizes the importance of giving yourself enough time in the warmup and to get on the horse early.

Register for Ridely PRO to access 450+ other useful training videos.

There are plenty of times when things don’t go as planned with horses, but by having identified the skills you need to improve on to get to the next level, no session can ever be considered stagnant.

This article about training your horse with a targeted warmup appeared in the January/February 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Target Your Horse’s Warmup appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Lessons are a regular part of the lives of most equestrians, and because of this, we as riders grow accustomed to following directions given by our instructors as we travel around the arena doing schooling exercises with our horse. But what happens when you’re riding on your own?

The first and foremost goal for any rider should be to leave the horse better than when you got on. So many times, I see riders following the fence for lap after lap, throwing in the occasional circle, unsure of what they should be doing during their ride. Circles are OK, but there are so many other options!

Whether you’re familiar with the horse you’re riding or it’s a horse that is completely new to you, it will be beneficial to work on what all horses and riders need to be reminded of daily—going forward and straight.

All of the following exercises bring these concepts to the forefront and are best attempted once the horse has had a lengthy walk (10 minutes) and a lap or two to stretch out in each direction at the trot and canter. All can be ridden at the walk, trot or canter.

Centerline Schooling Exercise

The centerline is an invisible line that runs up the middle (center) of the arena, cutting it in half the long way. At the midpoint of the centerline is the letter X. X represents the location for change of bend, change of diagonal, and/or a change of lead.

In order for your horse to be straight from start to finish during this  and other schooling exercises, you’ll need to maintain control of his shoulder through the turn at each end of the arena. This is accomplished by ensuring that your abdominals are engaged and that your hands are held 4 inches apart while gently lifting up and back, which prevents your horse from leaning on his forehand.

You then add your outside leg to help him swing his body onto (or off of) the centerline. Keep even contact in both reins to prevent an accidental outside bend in response to pressure from your outside leg.

Remember to stay riding forward, since the slower a horse goes, the easier it is for him to become crooked. The centerline can be ridden as a change of direction, or you can maintain the same direction.

Long and Short Diagonal

The long diagonals of the arena run from corner to opposite corner and pass through X. Short diagonals go from halfway down the long side of the arena to the opposite corner, or vice versa. (See diagrams below.)

Riding across any diagonal is always done as a change of direction. The riding principles for traveling across a diagonal are very similar to those for traveling down the centerline, with a feeling of lift in the turns and a complete focus on straightness as you move across the arena.

During the centerline and both versions of the diagonal, you can begin to add transitions on the straightaway, working to maintain straightness, energy, and lift through each transition.

Three-Loop Serpentine With Your Horse

This figure begins and ends at either end of the centerline, crosses the centerline twice, and cuts the ring into thirds (see below).

It builds on what you have established by riding the centerlines and diagonals, but is more challenging, as the periods of straightness are shorter with the turns coming up faster. This requires increased organization in order to coordinate the turns, and when ridden in trot or canter, doing changes of diagonal or lead.

Half Turn in Reverse

This is a great way to switch up your change of direction. Most horses anticipate what they are about to be asked and are not often asked to turn toward the fence, so this is a good test of whether your horse is truly responding to your aids. (See diagram below right.)

Anywhere along the fence line, bring your horse off the rail with your outside leg. Ride a diagonal line for a few strides away from the fence, then begin shaping a half circle back toward the fence with your horse starting to bend around the new inside leg.

Because this is a change of direction maneuver, the former outside leg has now become the shaping inside leg, and the former inside leg will become the new outside leg, helping to push your horse around the turn to move forward and straight into the new direction alongside the fence.

Familiarizing yourself with these exercises is just the beginning. Allow them to become a part of your riding toolbox, trying them on a variety of horses and noting how different horses need to be supported in different ways. Soon you will become well versed at schooling any horse you ride to be forward and straight.

This article about new schooling exercises for you and your horse appeared in the January/February 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Stop Going In Circles with These Schooling Exercises for You and Your Horse appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.