Horse & Warm-Up Routine Match-Up

I never really appreciated the fact that different riders and trainers warm-up their horses in different ways, but they do. I can see variation just at Oak Hill Farm. It got me thinking about Leo and what warm-up routine works best for him. Sally was pretty clear that every horse needed an individualized program and it was my responsibility as Leo's rider to figure out the environment, schedule and routine that brought out the best in him. Warm-up is part of the program and sets the stage for the ride, but it's something I never really put a lot of thought into.

I can tell you what doesn't work for Leo:

• Demanding connection from the moment we enter the ring
• Expecting him to be immediately focused and attentive; and then nagging him when he's not
• Spending too much time at the walk at the beginning, asking for lateral moves like haunches out

There is a trend with Leo. He can't be asked for too much too soon. Because his tendency is to be resistant and put up a fight, tackling connection first always leads to trouble.

When I think about it, I don't blame him. Sure, when I go to the gym, I hit it hard right from the start...I don't ease my way into it. My body doesn't necessarily appreciate it but mentally I'm in the zone and prepared to workout. Horses, on the other hand, rarely have a say in when they get worked and what they are going to do. I show up and pull Leo out of the pasture whenever I want. I call all the shots: where we ride, what we do. If Leo needs a little extra time to get in the game, I think I can accommodate him.

Leo and I don't look "pretty" in our warm-ups. We get to trotting relatively quickly with steady rein contact but not a lot of demands in terms of his frame or headset. He just has to be moving nice and forward off my leg. If you see us warming up, Leo will likely have his head in the air and be looking around a little bit. The trotting, versus the walking, gets him loose and gets the impulsion going more easily. He's a spooker and always will be. Even though he has been ridden in the same ring and same field hundreds of times, he still spooks at everything. Annoying for sure, but manageable. As long as he is moving forward, I don't make a big fuss when we're just getting started.

After about one loop of the ring, focusing on a forward trot and steady rein contact, Leo will naturally start reaching for the bit and relaxing his back.

Using a combination of Ashley and Sally's perspectives, we work on suppleness and relaxation in his jaw first. Suppleness is obtained with bending. The bending encourages him to start to pay more attention and works well to distract him from spooking. Simultaneously, I work his jaw by squeezing & releasing the inside rein. This helps move the bit in his mouth and relaxes his jaw.

Gradually we ask for less bend and more connection on the outside rein; often using my inside leg to leg-yield out. Then stopping his lateral movement with the outside rein. All the while, Ashley has me encourage a forward trot. We use the forward trot to ultimately steady his connection in the bridle. Every time he hollows or resists the connection, we send him forward into a stronger trot. Leo likes going to work when the work is "forward" so we use this to our advantage. He will work hard and try hard for me - IF I have progressed the session in the right way.

I'd say everything I just described is my first 5-10 minutes of riding, combined with lots of changes of direction and maybe a little cantering thrown in. Once we obtain a fairly steady connection and Leo feels supple and loose, warm-up is over and I know we can successfully move into more challenging work and Leo will be a more willing partner - with a manageable level of opinion and debate as we proceed.