Plan a Show Jumping Warm-Up That Works

A good show jumping warm-up should leave your horse comfortable, attentive and ready to use its body. Learning how to plan your warm-up routine for show jumping is not about copying a rider whose horse, fences and schedule differ from yours. It is about creating a sequence that prepares the mind, muscles and balance without spending the horse’s energy before the first fence.

Start with the practical constraints: when the warm-up arena is available, how many classes you have entered, what the footing is doing and how your horse feels that morning. Australian riders know a competition day can change quickly, with summer heat, humidity, storms and early starts all affecting the plan. Give the horse time to settle, but remember that extra exercise is not automatically better preparation.

Start with the horse and the clock

I begin by thinking about the horse I actually have, rather than the horse I wish I had. A horse that pulls, hunts or needs longer to settle may need a quieter flatwork phase and fewer fences. A confident horse that becomes overexcited may benefit from a shorter session with more space between efforts. Whatever worked at home last week is only a useful reference, not a rigid script.

Next, I set a time budget based on the whole day. For a straightforward class, many riders plan around half an hour of preparation, with additional time for a horse who needs longer or for unsettled conditions. Between classes, a brief ten- to fifteen-minute tune-up may be enough. These are guides rather than pass-or-fail targets, especially when class times, arena access and running orders keep changing.

The goal of the session also matters. “Make the horse ready” is too vague to guide the next ten minutes. “Walk calmly, find rhythm in trot, canter comfortably on the left lead and take a small fence without rushing” is much more useful. A clear sequence keeps a nervous rider from adding unnecessary work while giving the horse predictable information.

I also remember how results can occupy a rider’s attention. KC Scott’s reflection on the emotional letdown after a big goal is achieved shows why a familiar routine is valuable. When the last result is still swirling in your head, a structured warm-up provides something concrete to focus on and keeps your attention with the next horse.

Build the warm-up in stages

The first stage is about comfort and attention. Begin with relaxed walking and a little active movement before asking for collected work. Gentle flexion through the poll and neck, a supple back and an unhurried mouth help the horse feel available without demanding instant sharpness. I want the horse looking where it is going, but I do not want constant contact or a rider spending the opening minutes correcting every step.

The second stage establishes rhythm and adjustability. Working trot, some changes of direction and transitions within the gait help the rider check that the horse is using its body correctly. Cantering on both leads is particularly useful for show jumping because it develops the balance needed for turns and gives the rider feedback before fences enter the picture. Poles on the ground can encourage a shorter stride or a more deliberate canter rhythm, depending on the exercise.

The final stage introduces fences in a way that answers a question rather than proving a point. A small grid can help a horse who is rushing, while a straightforward fence on a familiar line can confirm that the canter is working. If the horse jumps flat, I adjust the exercise or pole spacing before adding height. If the horse is cautious, I do not make the fence dramatically bigger simply to create a stronger warm-up impression.

I keep the warm-up related to the course. Practising a much higher fence than the one you are about to ride can make the class fence feel less familiar, especially when the horse lacks confidence. The aim is to prepare the horse for the type of effort ahead, not to exhaust it. If the horse is already using its body well and staying attentive, fewer purposeful fences may be better than a crowded warm-up arena.

Read the course and use the space

Where possible, I walk the course before warming up, even if it means doing so briefly between classes. I look for the fences that require a particular lead, the turns where balance will be tested and the places where the rider might need to adjust the canter. Then I decide what needs to be rehearsed in the arena. Trying to solve every fence during the warm-up is neither possible nor necessary.

That is why walking the course twice before riding is such a sound habit. The first walk reveals the overall shape and asks where the horse must be balanced. The second walk turns that overview into specific preparation, such as cantering towards the first fence or practising a shorter stride before a tight turn. Between those observations, I watch how the arena is being used and what other riders are encountering.

At large events such as the Sydney International Horse Show at Sydney Olympic Park or Brisbane’s Ekka, warm-up arenas and holding areas can become busy. There may be several horses circling in the same space, uneven jumps or limited room for a full canter. At the Equestrian Sports Centre in Penrith, a familiar venue for many Sydney riders, familiarisation can still be worthwhile because the available space and surface will shape the session.

Aussie riders often say they will “give it a squiz” to a problem, meaning take a proper look. That is exactly what I want to do with footing and traffic. Can the horse canter in a straight line? Is the surface quick, deep or slippery? Do I have enough room to ride a useful fence? Australian competition includes local club shows, state events, national classes and invitation competitions, with AEC and state-branch rules providing the framework. Classes grouped by height and running orders affected by entries can make waiting time part of the plan.

Adapt the routine when plans change

The written plan should have a backup. If the horse is not tracking, the arena is crowded or the footing feels different, I simplify rather than escalate. A familiar exercise, a smaller pole or a short walk can restore confidence. When nerves make a rider tense, adding more fences usually creates more pressure; returning to something the horse already understands often gives both parties a steadier starting point.

A second class or a jump-off requires a different preparation from the first round. I do not need to ride the full course again. A brief tune-up can include relaxed walking, one or two canter transitions, an approachable pole or fence and a final check of the intended rhythm. Before entering, I slow my own breathing and release tension through my shoulders. The horse cannot interpret hurried instructions, and a hurried rider easily turns a small warm-up into a rushed one.

There is another kind of pressure when a vet watches the horse. KC Scott’s thoughts on an anxious vet glance are worth reading for anyone who hears every quiet comment as a verdict on their care. If your horse is lame, unusually reluctant or moving differently from usual, ask the vet and follow their guidance. Warm-up work should prepare a healthy horse, not disguise pain or uncertainty about its condition.

Weather can force another adjustment. Queensland heat and humidity may call for shorter efforts, water, shade and close attention to flies. A cold morning in the Hunter Valley or an alpine event can make long periods of standing around uncomfortable. I adjust the clothing, warm-up length and recovery breaks to those conditions, while keeping the sequence familiar enough that the horse still knows what is about to happen.

Finish well and learn from the session

I do not treat the end of the warm-up as the end of the horse’s preparation. After the final fence, I walk the horse until the breathing has settled and check its gait, attitude and any unusual signs. I look for rubs, swelling or a change in movement, offer water according to the horse’s usual routine and allow time in a quiet space when possible. Gentle stretching can be useful if it is already part of the normal routine, but it should never be forced.

The notes I make afterwards are often more valuable than the perfect session. I record the time spent, the exercises that helped, the fences that created hesitation and the one change I want to make next time. I also note the rider’s own experience, because a routine that feels manageable on one nervous morning may not suit the next. Progress comes from adjusting the routine to the horse and rider in front of you, not from completing every exercise regardless of the result.

That approach suits the wider equestrian community, where routines are shared among riders, grooms, owners, family members and Pony Club volunteers. At regional shows around places such as Gundagai, Warwick and the Hunter Valley, a simple plan can be easier to maintain than an elaborate one. It also travels well between arenas with different surfaces, budgets and expectations. I have even heard full-sized horses affectionately called “ponies”, but their preparation still depends on their own needs rather than their nickname.

Before you pack for the next competition, set the available session time, choose three clear goals and decide which exercises will help you reach them. When you arrive, check the surface and your horse’s response, then adapt without apology. A calm, repeatable warm-up gives your horse confidence and gives you something useful to focus on when the nerves arrive.