When you first get on your horse you warm him up don’t you? You ask him to start gently moving, warm up and wake up his muscles to prepare him for the work you are about to ask him to do.
What about you? Do you wake up your muscles before you ride? Ok you may have done some yard work so you are not physically cold but have you activated and prepared the specific muscles you are about to use to ride your horse? Thought not.
In terms of specific warm up these are individual to the riders needs.
However there are some common muscles we all use when riding that will benefit from being activated before you get on. It should only take a couple of minutes and can all be done at that yard in your riding gear.
I’ve collectively referred to the muscles as the areas they refer to so it makes it relevant to what you are doing it for.
Seat muscles-Stand side on to a wall, lift the leg closest to the wall up, knee bent at 90 degrees. Press the leg right from the outer hip to knee into the wall for 30 seconds, release and then repeat 3-4 times. Then change leg. If you have a block or foam roller handy you can put this against the wall to press against as this makes it slightly easier to get a good press.
Rein Contact.
Stand in a door way, point your elbows into your sides and press your forearms against the doorway-keep your elbows pointing in. Push for 30 secs repeat 3-4 times.