Re: Warm up time on training rides

[Maureen Mathisen <mmathise@intergate.rbuhsd.k12.ca.us>]

Hi, 

Good luck on your rides--you"ll probably get hooked like the rest of
us!  

It has been my experience and those of the people I ride with, that it
is always a good idea to WALK (or jog lightly) your horse for the first
mile or two(or l5-20 milnutes) to limber up "all systems" and get ALL
the kinks out. It also helps you too--and is good to  to make sure all
equipment is "in place" before you start the faster work.Rocks or
pinching equipment may show up before it becomes a problem, and if you
trailered, it will get the muscles going.  My horses are always kept in
large fields(never in stalls) but it is still a good idea.  It is also
GOOD training because they need to know that some rides are for
training, not racing!(This can be the hard part with many horses, but
hang in there, ilt will pay off!)
Maureen