Werk werk werk

Conditioning work is soooo valuable and important for every horse in work! It helps build muscle, which creates strength, and from strength comes power and balance! The beginning of the week for my two guys is usually conditioning work, and we spend a good amount of time on flatwork. At the end of the week we play around over fences just to switch things up! The flatwork makes all the difference once you start jumping, and in my opinion personally, I think it’s leaps and bounds more important than the jumping itself! I always preach to my students that “the jump isn’t what’s most important, it’s how you get there and how you leave it that’s most important!” This is where the flatwork and conditioning comes into play. Being able to balance your horse correctly and have them push from the hind end and move over their backs unlocks so many other doors for your horse athletically. It’s vital for them to perform at their peak, and it also lengethens the longevity of their physical shape and ability to keep working and competing in a healthy manner. Yesterday (Monday) I got Zorro out and we did a brief conditioning workout routine! The inspiration for my routine came from Zoey Luna Equestrian (@zlequestrian on Instagram and Facebook)! Go check her out! She’s a phenomenal rider and trainer located in California! I follow this simple guideline listed below:

• warm up with walk laps in each direction for 5-10 minutes unframed

• 1 unframed trot lap to the left

• 2 framed trot laps to the left

• 1 unframed trot lap to the right

• 2 framed trot laps to the right

• 2 framed canter laps to the left

• 2 framed canter laps to the right

• 2 hand gallop laps to the left

• 2 hand gallop laps to the right

• 2 laps of extended stretchy trot to the left

• 2 laps of extended stretchy trot to the right

• cool down laps at the walk unframed

Don’t let the simple guide fool you! It can be harder than it looks! Obviously the more fit your horse becomes, the more sets you may do, however don’t forget to give your horse breaks every now and then to catch their breath and cool down some. Incorporating hill work and raised trot poles can also be great for conditioning rides! Soooo yesterday Zorro did this exercise in english tack and Echo did the same exercise in western tack today! With Echo we worked a little more on bending and medium sized circles as her ending exercise. Being a young horse, doing flat work and reviewing the basics is CRUCIAL for her, because once she starts over fences work, she can become quite excited and forward. Therefore it is extremely beneficial to always have a day strictly dedicated to reviewing what she knows on the flat and keeping her quiet, focused, relaxed, and willing to always come back to me immediately when I ask her. Being adjustable within each gait is huge for her as a youngster. It helps her to be patient and level headed between fences. I only asked her for one lead change today and she got it perfectly!!! Proud momma moment for me!! What’s one “proud momma” moment you’ve had in your recent rides lately? Or even over the past several years during your riding career! Leave a comment below so I can hear all about it!