Welcome to Trainer Tuesday! Each week we ask trainers a question and gather their answers for you. These trainers have a range of experience, backgrounds, and focus points of their programs, so the answers have as much variation as you would expect and also probably much more similarity.
This week’s question posed is: How do you warm up older horses before a workout, a lesson, or to show?
Here are their answers:
“There are several ways to help an older horse warm up and loosen up before a lesson or a schooling session or a show. Like any athletic activity, proper warm up is essential for a productive ride. Especially for older horses that have a lot of mileage.
Generally, a nice turn out is very helpful, as it encourages movement in a natural way. A nice hand walk for 10-20 minutes is very effective. If you are fortunate enough to have a walker, even better. You can also tack walk your horse under saddle.
If your horse is good with longeing, a W/T/C at the end of a longe line can be very effective also. But not a mad gallop in the cross canter–that is never a good option in any situation.
Another good way to warm up an older horse is to start in the canter. Generally, the canter is an easier gate for many horses to warm up in than a trot. A couple of laps in both directions at the canter with the rider in a half seat can be very effective.
Each horse is an individual so it’s usually best to tailor your pre-ride warm up to what works best for the horse you are riding.” -Lyman T. Whitehead
Read more from Lyman and listen to him on The Plaidcast here.
“Before I ask an older horse to take contact, I let them canter long and low for a bit. I find the canter really allows them to stretch out their muscles and legs. One other thing I’ve been using recently is something that helps warm up their topline, like a back on track sheet. I really find it helps loosen their muscles throughout their body.” -Johanna Hyyppa
Read more from Johanna here.
“Every horse is a bit different, but with the older ones we typically try to keep them moving throughout the day as much as possible. Before work or competition, we will give them some extra time at the walk. Then, we will trot a bit on a loose rein to allow them to stretch and loosen their body without pressure. Once they feel loose in their bodies, we get to normal work.” -Geoff Case
Read more from Geoff and listen to him on The Plaidcast here.
“Pre-ride Bemer blankets, long walk under tack and a loose trot and maybe even a canter first to get the blood flowing. Then settle back to the walk and get them put together. At the shows where they aren’t going in the turnout and/or walker every day nice hand or tack walks before help a lot. Mental and physical warm up.” -Susan McArdle
“Warm up starts with grooming and good curry massage brushing. In colder weather, have coolers on. Be sure the tack is not cold, and once mounted, walk for 10 minutes, then trot with loose contact getting the horse swinging at the trot long and thinking forward. Gradually start to raise the balance into steady contact and start incorporating big circles changing direction using a large track to reverse. After trotting in both directions, canter in two-point–sinking into the tack for large circles.” -Diane Carney
Read more from Diane and listen to her on The Plaidcast here.
