Three Walk Exercises to Warm-Up Your Horse

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I'm doing a FREE webinar on the Training Scale! I hope you can make it: amelianewcombdressage.com/free-training-scale-webinar/

[@kathywarrack1800]

Great job! Your horse stayed mellow focused with you and not with the other horse that’s in the arena he’s all excited with energy.

[@alejandrakrause5650]

Thank you Amelia!!

[@cmtristram]

Another informative video Amelia, as usual I am a great fan of your work. However, the riding of the man in the background was quite awful and I was distracted by it and concerned for the poor horse!

[@florianeweyrich6430]

Very sad to see that kind of human behavior.

[@rachelmacgowan86]

I agree it was just awful to see - he's bullying the horse; the direct opposite of what Amelia does and shows us how to do

[@erikafloyd8129]

I have to admit for as long as I have been riding horses I have never had a discussion with any trainer what a warm up is or should look like. Im happy to know I am at least on the right track as I do a lot of this in my warm up. I just sometimes get stuck on the line between warm up and work. I really appreciate this video.

[@user-uf5gi4yz7p]

Thank you for this. My trainer believes the walk is EXTREMELY important! I recently started a lease on an older mare. She's a retired jumping champ, and learning some new things, like slowing down! I do a lot of work with her at the walk, to get her to see that there are other things in life besides galloping over fences as fast as she can. I'm tempted to get her pretty ribbons to give her when she does a beautiful walk! Help her learn! ;-) I have been giving her a long warm up, both since she's 26, and also because it can set the tone for the rest of the ride, getting her mind on other things. We do some leg yields, walk over poles, serpentines, etc. I love this video and will watch it again and again for advice and inspiration! I like how you let the reins get really loose, I'm also working with her on that, since when you shorten the reins, she anticipates a change of gait and the "show" beginning, so I will sometimes lengthen and shorten as we walk. Often at the end, I take my feet out of the stirrups and let the reins go really loose, and she takes that as the cue that the "show" is over. I love your videos! Very helpful!

[@imzadi83fanvids7]

Aw that's sweet of you. I know I feel bad that the school horse I ride has no ribbons on her stall but others do. Not that it matters to her, she probably prefers the treats I bring her. I'm hoping to find a "Best School Horse" ribbon somewhere but might have to have one custom made somewhere.

[@user-uf5gi4yz7p]

@@imzadi83fanvids7 What a great idea! I have ridden school horses for 20 years, this is the first time I've leased a horse of my own to love. I share her a little bit, she does have a real mom in another state, who leased her out to me, and I pay half her expenses, someone else pays a quarter, and then she is used for a couple of advanced lessons. If it weren't so expensive near me I'd pay all her room and board, but this is great for now, til I win the lottery or a rich uncle I don't know about leaves me money!! LOL. I actually bought a little unicorn decoration and put it on her stall. It says, "I believe in unicorns I'm proud of it" and it's shaped like a unicorn. Because she is truly a unicorn. School horses are worth their weight in gold. I learned so much over the years from them, but I had plateaued more than a little bit and wanted a different type of horse to ride (get away from "more whoa than go!"), and to ride more often. I get to ride her 4x a week and it's been so great. It's been just 3 months so far, but I'm hoping to lease her for the rest of the time that she's sound and young enough to be ridden. She's 26 but still full of spring in her step! She's been very loved and well cared for her whole life.

[@benitascott3533]

Thankyou once again Amelia! I always glean so much from your videos! You provide such clear & useful instruction; & always of a consistently high quality, production-wise ie sound & visuals - which makes a huge difference. I watch alot of different training videos, & find you really are a beautiful rider re position, movement & communication with your horses. You have a lovely humility too, never "showing off" or self-congratulatory, contrary to many. Truly impressive - lovely to watch 😘🐎🙏

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you so much!! Glad you are enjoying the content!

[@kimnenninger7226]

Thank you. I can absolutely use this on my ailing horses. It really was great that you went over the aids and timing for the leg yield. We can read this stuff in books but it was really great that you vocalized the timing.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks!

[@MrsC48]

I think this is a great warmup. So many riders at my barn get on, take up contact and go right to work. The horse just stood in the stall for 23 hours. Let the horse loosen up a bit.

[@lynnm.kleingardner8640]

Seriously? They are in a stall all the time?? 😢

[@MrsC48]

@@lynnm.kleingardner8640 Some are, yes. Thankfully, they have smallish paddocks attached. There are a few that don't allow their horses to go in turnout. That's sad to me.

[@lynnm.kleingardner8640]

@@MrsC48 absolutely 😔 sad

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Definitely! Correct warm ups help so much!

[@caroleinwv]

I love walk exercises! Thank you! I hope you are feeling well today!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you! I am getting better

[@imzadi83fanvids7]

Me too! I don't have a lot of stamina to do a lot of trotting yet, which is why I love dressage. There's still plenty to work on at the walk to improve my skills and make me feel accomplished.

[@julieheyrman]

Once again Amelia… Perfect timing! Thank you can’t wait to watch walking exercises you can do.🎉❤

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Yay!

[@emmacache]

"The halts are a good test of balance and connection with your horse."Thanks!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Welcome!

[@juliecramer7768]

Thank you. My horse is lame at the trot but not the walk. I told him we would just walk for awhile😊

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Good luck!

[@Lynne2106]

It was so helpful to see this again. It reminded me about what I can be doing to develop suppleness with my horse. It would be helpful to see a lesson on using the outside rein.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

I will add that to the list!

[@kbrollins77]

Very helpful, Amelia! I enjoyed a walk day with both my senior horses, and saw their rhythm and suppleness improve, and really appreciated the time to study my seat. So much better than the old wisdom which says "work the walk as little as possible, because it's so easy to ruin the walk". Thanks.

[@marylynnmorganbrubaker5681]

I second that Amelia! Perfect timing! Can’t wait. Thank you so much! Hermione will love it as well!🐴

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thanks for the kind words

[@ns_desu]

Hello! I admire your videos. Your explanations are great, and it's very valuable to see the described actions been done. And I've got a question. Is it okay to do leg yields during my first warm up? I used to jump with my horse, and we almost never trained lateral movements. Now I'm just riding, and looking for exercises to entertain my horse. We try leg yields after the first trot, and I like the way he moves after it.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Great question! Leg yields are a great exercise for warm up, and you can do them at the walk or trot!

[@horseclub.official]

Can’t wait!

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Me too!

[@durgananda452]

Nice..i love all your videos..so deliberate n clear n informative...for us...❤

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Thank you!

[@katrinemogensen4855]

I really like everything you are saying in this video

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You're right, the nose could be out more consistently in this video. Important to remember that every horse is a work in progress, and very photo or video is just one day in training :)

[@j.w.2093]

What are the covers on your lower legs? Are they just for chafing protection or show; or do they provide some ankle/knee support?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

They're my riding boots. They protect my legs from chafing and provide support

[@Lauren_Equitation]

This is interesting! I have always tended up to lock up my elbows, but not my hips. Also any tips of how to loosen up in the trot?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Focus on exercises that activate the Glute Med. It is that muscle and NOT stiffening your body that will help you move with your horse at trot

[@jennifermead5876]

Hi Amelia. Do you have any tips or videos to help with a horse that braces hard against the bit when halting from the walk? His neck becomes very stiff and he resists stopping. Many thanks.

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Here's a video to help you! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpSufXhsgLmmjtE

[@treelore5100]

with the leg yield my instructor says I have to keep outside rein open to make him go in that direction, keeping inside rein with a bit of contact toward the inside. Do you think he would be more responsive to a bit of contact to the outside rein?

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

You want to have steady contact on the outside rein to keep his shoulder straight, and use your inside rein to get a little flexion to the inside. Your inside leg is the aid that tells him to move over, and you outside rein will be there to keep him straight as you move him. Hope that helps. This video on the leg-yield might help as well: amelianewcombdressage.com/dressage-training/demystifying-the-leg-yield/

[@petravokjanneugebauer6078]

Hey Amelia .. could you explain difference between rollkur and collection? LDR ? thank you ..

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Hey! That's a big topic, but simply, Rollkur is hyperflexion of the neck from the reins for extended periods of time, whereas collection is teaching the horse to use their body properly and shifting their weight to their hindquarters by way of the Training Scale. I just happen to be doing a free webinar on the Training Scale this weekend, I'd love for you to come: amelianewcombdressage.com/free-training-scale-webinar/

[@cliziamascotto3366]

Which exercices would you recommend for a young horse learning self carriege in the trot and star contact Who started to sometimes loose the sequence at the walk that was 4 beats before starting work

[@cliziamascotto3366]

Stable contact

[@AmeliaNewcombDressage]

Lot of walk-halt transitions, and incorporating circles to make the horse slow his body down. The circle will do the work for you. Also, the rider must be very cognizant of the rhythm of the walk and adhere to it with their body

[@kirkhurry4237]

Give me boots size44 plzz❤😂❤❤