Expert:
Stacey Reynolds
Dr. Stacey Reynolds is a licensed chiropractor certified in Animal Chiropractic by Options for Animals and the International Veterinary Chiropractic A
Dr. Stacey Reynolds is a licensed chiropractor certified in Animal Chiropractic by Options for Animals and the International Veterinary Chiropractic A
The topic I wanted to touch on today is a proper warm-up and cool down for winter riding. Most of us are riding to improve the performance of our horses, prepare for the spring show season, or just keep them in shape. Since its winter, most of the horses are either inside or just standing around hoping to catching a few warm sun rays. The most important thing to do before schooling to prevent injuries in your horse it to have a good long warm up and you can even incorporate your schooling in the warm-up.
A good 10-15 minute warm up before a lesson or schooling will help warm up a horse's muscles and you can even incorporate circles, serpentine, walk-halt transitions, spirals, or any other shapes. You want your horse's muscles to be warmed up and loose in preparation for more demands being placed upon them. They have most likely been standing in a stall or outside in the cold, so they need a little more time to get their bodies warmed up. If they are blanketed or clipped or both, I would suggest initially using a wool cooler or quarter sheet so it won't be a shock to the muscles that have been warm under a blanket. Just remove it once the horse is warmed up. I always recommend stretching after the horse is warmed up. Warm muscles stretch, cold muscles tear! You can do a few isolated stretches just to limber up your horse even more. Human athletes do stretches to prevent injury, so it can only help your horse.
After schooling, be sure to stretch and walk your horse until dry. I suggest an anti-sweat sheet or wool cooler. I prefer wool just because I always seem to drop the polar fleece and it gets full of shavings or whatever else I drop it in! Lol. This is especially important! The weather is cold, its just like taking a bath and then going and sitting outside. Most horses grow a nice winter coat that is designed to keep them warm in any weather, but if its wet to the skin from sweat, there is no protection for them.
Winter riding should be just as much fun as riding in warmer weather, the goal is to improve the performance of our horses and keeping them injury free so you both can enjoy riding. Have fun!
