Why Warming Up Matters More Than You Think

Every horse is an athlete, and like any athlete, yours needs time to move from resting to working. Muscles, tendons and joints perform best when they are gradually brought up to temperature and gently stretched. Skip that stage and you are asking cold tissue to absorb the shock of trot, canter and lateral work – a recipe for strains, stiffness and long-term wear.

A proper warm-up does three things. It increases blood flow to the muscles, it lubricates the joints with synovial fluid, and it wakes up the horse's nervous system so his reactions are sharper and more balanced. As a rough guide, plan on ten to fifteen minutes of walking and suppling work before you ask for anything collected or fast. On a cold morning, or with an older or stabled horse, allow twenty minutes.

Start With Walking – On a Long Rein

The simplest and most underrated exercise is walk on a long rein. Begin in a relaxed, marching walk with the horse's neck stretched forward and down. You are not aiming for a collected frame here; you want the back to swing and the hind legs to step under the body.

• Walk for at least five to eight minutes before any trot work.
• Aim for a clear four-beat rhythm, roughly 100–120 steps per minute.
• Let the horse stretch down for the first few minutes, then pick up a light contact.
• If the horse feels tight in the back, walk over a few raised poles to encourage the hind legs to lift.
• On colder days, use an exercise sheet to keep the large back muscles warm.

If you are riding in an arena, use the whole space. Long sides and big circles are better than tight turns at this stage, because small circles ask the horse to bend before he is ready.

Loosen the Neck and Back With Gentle Stretches

Suppling exercises tell you whether your horse is genuinely relaxed or simply obedient. Start with large, sweeping changes of direction and a soft, elastic contact.

• Ride a twenty-metre circle in walk at each end of the school, asking for a slight inside bend.
• Change the rein across the diagonal, allowing the horse to straighten and stretch.
• Ask for three or four steps of leg-yield in walk, then straighten and stretch forward again.
• Introduce shallow loops along the long side to encourage the neck to bend both ways.

Watch for a horse that is stiff on one side. Most horses have a hollow side, and a few extra circles that way – ridden slowly and without force – will start to even things out. Never pull the neck into position; ask, then release and see if he keeps it.

Introduce Trot Gradually

When the walk feels loose and swinging, ask for trot. Begin in rising trot on a long rein and let the horse find his own balance. This phase warms the large muscle groups of the hindquarters and shoulders, and it is where most of the conditioning happens.

• Start with two to three minutes of rising trot on each rein, changing the rein regularly.
• Alternate rising and a few steps of sitting trot to check for tension.
• Include transitions: walk–trot–walk every few strides, keeping them calm and forward.
• Use transitions to sharpen the hind legs rather than to race.

If your horse snatches or leans, he is telling you the trot is too quick. Slow the rhythm, use a lighter contact, and give him another minute or two before you ask for more.

Add Lateral Work and Pole Work to Supple the Joints

Once the trot is established, you can add exercises that mobilise the joints and encourage the horse to carry himself. Leg-yield in trot, shoulder-fore, and small doses of turn on the forehand all improve suppleness and engagement.

• Ride shoulder-fore for a few strides on each long side, then straighten.
• Leg-yield from the three-quarter line to the track in a slow, purposeful trot.
• Walk over four or five raised poles, once or twice each way, to lift the back and open the stride.
• Finish with a stretchy trot on a long rein before you move on.

Keep each exercise brief and repeat it on both reins. Horses that are stiff on one side will improve fastest if you work that side a little more often, but never to the point of resistance.

Canter and Faster Work Come Last

Canter should be introduced only when the walk and trot feel loose and the horse is willing to stretch. Start in a light seat on a large circle, or in a jumping position if you are schooling over fences, and let the horse find a steady rhythm before you ask for collection.

By now his muscles are warm, his joints are lubricated and his mind is switched on. That is the moment to begin the real work of the session – whether that is dressage, jumping, or a hack with faster paces. Warm down afterwards in walk on a long rein for at least five minutes, then check for any heat or swelling in the legs or back.

Be patient and consistent. A good warm-up is not a chore before the interesting part; it is the foundation of every sound, happy and willing horse you will ever ride.