(photo taken from youtube.com)

Warming up and cooling down your horse is so important, but let's be honest, sometimes it can get a little boring. Here's some ideas on how to make your warm ups and cool downs more interesting!

You can get yourself warmed up or cooled down by doing some stretching and balancing exercises while walking your horse: drop your stirrups, circle your ankles, ride with one hand and do windmills with your other hand, gentle twists of your upper body... get creative! (only do these exercises while being lunged or on a horse you trust completely!)

Work on your horse's stop, walk, and back up. Vary the combination (example: walk five steps, halt, back three, walk 7, walk 4, halt back 2) This will start warming up the horse and also get his mind engaged. Make sure you walk a couple laps before starting this exercise to get the horse moving forward.

Have fun with walking patterns in both the warm up and cool down! Figure eights, serpentines, weaving cones... the pattern options are nearly endless and will help keep you and your horse engaged.

You can lunge your horse for 10-15 minutes at the walk and light trot to get him warmed up before riding. Lunging at the walk also works to cool your horse down. Or cool your horse down by taking the saddle off after your work out and riding bareback!

(photo taken from wordy.photos)

(photo taken from practicalhorsemanmag.com)

You can make a list of different warm up routines and pick a new one every day so you're never bored and don't have to think on the run.

Be sure to incorporate enough time (10-15 minutes) into your riding session for a good warm up and cool down. Try and imagine those two times to be part of your training/ride so it doesn't become a hassle, but part of the fun!

(photo taken from galleryhip.com)

"My horse's feet are as swift as rolling thunder. He carries me away from all my fears. And when the world threatens to fall asunder, his mane is there to wipe away my tears." -- Bonnie Lewis

~ Saddle Up