Training idea # 2: An advanced warm-up exercise for your horse

Previously, I explained a simple trotting exercise that is just the right mix of fun and challenging (Training idea # 1). Here, I will describe an advanced warm-up exercise that is my personal favorite.

See my adaptation of this exercise to a round arena and the very popular Clover-leaf exercise.

The basic idea is to work through a series of exercises at the walk with one bend and then switch to the other. If I start with a left bend, I will do a circle, shoulder-in and travers (haunches in) before switching bend with a leg yield or half pass and working the right bend (circle, shoulder-in, travers). If the horse is fit, I will probably also do shoulder-out and renvers (haunches-out). Because these are exactly the same things as shoulder-ins and travers (the name depends on where the rail is in an arena), I haven’t included them in the steps below.

Note: I used Dressage Lite for Horse Riders to create the images below. I am still waiting for the perfect riding pattern app. There is no need to use a dressage arena for this exercise–I never do! But the app has one, and they are useful to keep your figures symmetrical.

Shoulder-in, travers, renvers… huh?

I am not going to explain these in this post, but here is a quick explanation: The Difference Between Travers, Renvers, and Shoulder-In. Here is a description of shoulder-in/out, haunches-in/out, leg yield, and half pass (lateral movements) in Cowboy Dressage terms.

Don’t worry if you and/or your horse don’t know how to do these things. You can still do the exercise, focusing on the bend and teaching your horse to listen to your legs.

Coming soon: The Benefits of Teaching Haunches-in to your Horse.

Step 0: Warm up.

Spend at least five minutes walking first. Although this is a warm-up exercise, it’s physically challenging, especially if the horse isn’t in shape. Even just a few strides of a correctly executed shoulder- or haunches-in takes work for the horse to step under itself.

Step 1: Circle.

Start with a circle in the direction of your first bend. I usually do 10-15 meter circles.

After completing one circle, I will sometimes do another with a few steps of shoulder- or haunches-in. If the horse is green, I will ask for some stepping under, without pushing for a perfect execution. Most frequently I simple walk on the bend.

Step 2: Shoulder-in

Next, I use the circle to prepare the shoulder-in that I will ask the horse to maintain in a straight line moving away from the circle. In the figure below, you can see the basic pattern. How long the straight stretch is depends on the horse’s condition and where I am riding. (Trees or jumps will require some adjustment.)

In this demonstration, I start with shoulder-in, but you can start with travers or haunches-in. I usually teach horses to do haunches-in first, because it is such a useful aide for canter departures. It is also more intuitive for many horses, and feels (to me) more likely to encourage moving off the rear. But I cannot remember every learning anything specific about this (though I was probably taught at one time), so I may be wrong.

Step 3: Circle

When I reach the end of the straight edge (in the diagrams, it is 28 meters), I straighten the horse out and begin another circle identical to the first.

As before, I ride at least one circle at a walk, without asking for lateral movements. I let the horse stretch. After completing at least one and a half circles, I prepare to do the same lateral movement I began with (here, a shoulder-in) back to the original circle.

Step 4: Shoulder-in

To complete this first step, I ask the horse to maintain the shoulder-in (or travers, if that is what I started with), in a straight line back to the first circle.

Once back on the original circle, I allow the horse to stretch for about half a loop, and then return to a working walk.

Step 5: Haunches-in (travers)

Now the horse will do exactly the same pattern, but with haunches-in instead of shoulder-in (or vice-versa if I began with travers).

As before, you can use the circle to help your horse step into the straight line in a good position for haunches-in.

Step 6: Complete the haunches-in exercise.

This is actually two steps in one.

(1) When you reach the end of the straightaway, which should coincide with your second circle position, you will perform another circle. As before, let the horse stretch a bit and then resume your working walk. Prepare the second haunches-in straightaway, using the bend of the circle if needed.

(2) Return to circle area 1 with another haunches-in along the straightaway. Relax before step 7.

Step 7: Leg yield (or half pass).

After letting the horse relax for at least one circle, I change direction and bend with a leg yield or half-pass. It is much easier for horses to do a leg yield, so I generally start with that. Allow the horse to walk straight out of the circle as pictured below.

I begin the leg yield once the horse is well straight, because it means a change of bend. If I do a half pass, I may begin while still on the circle, especially if I don’t have a lot of space between circles.

Step 8: Change direction and bend.

By the time you near the second circle area, your horse should be ready for the new bend. With a leg yield, this will happen easily and naturally, because the horse will have had to change bends at the beginning of the diagonal. When I do a half pass, I straight the horse out as I near the end, and then move into the new bend on the circle.

Step 9: Repeat everything on the opposite bend.

Once you have changed direction, you will repeat all the previous steps on the other bend. In this example, we started to the left, so now everything will be to the right.

To summarize, the second set of exercises, as presented in this examples would be: circle, shoulder-in, circle, shoulder-in, circle, haunches-in, circle, haunches-in, circle. I always end with a circle, and let the horse stretch.

Final comments

It’s an advanced warm-up exercise, because it includes shoulder-in and travers (haunches-in). However, I use it from the very beginning with green horses. I just adapt it to their training level and condition.

You can turn it into an even more advanced warm-up exercise by asking the horse to complete half-circles of sustained lateral movements. I also add turns on the haunches (in the direction of the bend I am on), to which I spiral in. (See my Four spiral exercises to do at the walk.)

Eventually, once your horse can do the most advanced versions of this warm-up exercise at the walk, you can start doing it at the trot. You will want to use bigger circles.

Good luck and let me know if you have any questions!