While riders often pay a lot of attention to warming up their horses, they too often – or even systematically – neglect their own warm-up. As an athlete, it is essential to warm up before effort and stretch afterward.
For both the horse and the rider, these steps improve performance, reduce the risk of injury, and preserve long-term physical integrity. Our ambassador Felicie Bertrand explains why it is important for her. She shares her tips to be at your best every day and ready to go in the morning, which you can find at the end of this article! All riders can (and should!) repeat these movements before each session.
The importance of the rider's warm-up, according to Felicie Bertrand
“I am used to starting early in the morning. Summer or winter in Normandy, it rains a lot and it is cold, especially in winter. I therefore try to stretch before starting, because I find it hard for the body to compensate for all this effort. These stretches help me warm up, relax, loosen up, and prepare for the day ahead. I try to take the time to do it even if I cannot do it every day. I tend to think about it more in winter because cold and humidity increase stiffness.
I started stretching when my abductor problems appeared, about 4 or 5 years ago. I try to pay attention and stretch especially in that area to warm them up as much as possible. I saw a physiotherapist, and it helped me. So now I take care of it.
I have a horse that is a little stiff and needs a lot of walking first, so I start by warming up myself, then I warm up my horse, for example on the longe line. Then we continue together. I think it is important to warm up the most stressed areas, as well as the areas where pain appears…”
It should be noted that in horse riding, the sport begins well before getting on the horse! From the moment you arrive at the stables, you run between stalls, tack rooms, and arenas, carry heavy loads, and many grooms say that grooming is only effective if it produces a real “sweat.” In short, the rider uses cardiovascular, respiratory, joint, muscular, energetic, and mental functions for up to more than 10 hours straight on competition days! Not to mention professional riders, who may ride multiple horses across multiple rounds…
Why does warming up delay physical fatigue and optimize performance?
- It gradually raises heart rate and body temperature, allowing better oxygenation of all organs
- It improves blood circulation in muscles and vital organs
- It prepares the body to withstand impacts related to sports activity. During exercise, our muscles experience many shocks! It prevents the risk of injury and also painful soreness (see our article: Impact of Horse Riding on Rider Health)
- It makes nerves more sensitive, thus improving motor skills and resulting in better coordination between the brain (what we want to do) and the muscles (what we actually do)
Why do riders often skip their physical preparation?
- Lack of time
- Little or no knowledge of the necessary movements
- No space dedicated to this practice
- Inappropriate riding attire
How to warm up just before getting in the saddle in very little time
Without realizing it, grooming and tacking a horse are already excellent conditioning exercises. They raise the heart rate and involve movements that warm up our muscles. Additionally, here is a routine that can be done just before getting on a horse and takes less than 5 minutes!
- Neck: slowly turn your head in both directions (5 seconds each)
- Shoulders: hands on shoulders, draw large circles with elbows while breaking down the movement and bringing shoulder blades together (10 seconds in each direction)
- Hips: draw concentric circles in both directions (5 seconds each)
- Thighs/Knees: 4 lunges – optionally use a wall > see Felicie photo – no mat needed as knees do not touch the ground
- Ankles: point the foot and then the heel down, 2 or 3 times breaking down the movement (2 or 3 movements per foot, no more)
