Why I Love Early Morning Rides Before Work

Before the city has properly woken, the horse and I have usually finished our warm-up. The roads are quiet, the arena lights feel unnecessary, and the only sounds are birdsong, hooves and the occasional stamp from the other end of the yard. There is nowhere for my attention to go except the horse in front of me. That focus has made early morning rides before work more than an exercise routine; they are the reset button that shapes the rest of my day.

I began riding at dawn because it fitted around the working day, but I continued because it gives the partnership a calm start. Eventing can be wonderfully chaotic, with nervous riders, crowded warm-up arenas, portable toilets, barking dogs and complicated competition schedules. A quiet ride before any of that begins reminds me what the sport is really about. Dressage, show jumping and cross-country all ask for different kinds of bravery, yet each one starts with the simple act of listening to the horse beneath me.

The quiet before the arena

The first benefit of getting out before sunrise is uninterrupted attention. At home, my phone is usually close enough to pull me into emails, messages and small household negotiations. On horseback, I leave it behind. A horse cannot be negotiated with through a screen, and even a minor tension in my body can travel straight through the reins. A dawn ride strips away distractions and brings me back to posture, breathing and the rhythm of asking.

That quiet also changes how the horse moves. There are fewer visual distractions from traffic, pedestrians and other riders, so the horse can look at a tarpaulin, shadow or plastic bag without treating it like a major cross-country question. I still approach odd objects calmly, but there is time to notice when the ears flick, the stride shortens or the breathing changes. It is easier to listen when everything else is quiet.

My hips usually know that I have been riding before I have properly woken up. Once I am home, I move gently rather than stretching forcefully, and I keep post-ride hip stretches handy for the days when the muscles feel tight. Ten quiet minutes with a stretch band can be more useful than trying to force the first few strides of the day.

Tack, coffee and a head torch

An early start requires a small routine. My alarm goes off with enough time to check the forecast, dress for the temperature and make a thermos of coffee. The first brew is stronger than I need, partly because it is dark and partly because the familiar smell makes leaving the house feel worthwhile. Breakfast can wait until I return, when I am warmed up and can eat something more substantial than a muesli bar eaten on horseback.

Before loading the tack, I check the horse’s breathing and eyes in the yard, then look over the girth, boots and bridle in the head torch beam. Reflective gear goes on when I might be near a road, and I tell someone my route if I am going somewhere unfamiliar. Darkness makes routine more important, not less. A quick check takes minutes and removes the chance that a loose buckle or carelessly closed gate will spoil the ride.

Once we are moving, the admin disappears. I keep the pace civilised on unfamiliar tracks, particularly in the dark, and avoid treating extra energy as a reason to gallop. If the route takes me near trucks or early commuters, I use verges where appropriate and make myself visible. The aim is a focused, safe ride, not a contest with the clock. Returning on time matters, but arriving home in one piece matters more.

Melbourne weather has opinions

Melbourne’s riding scene stretches from suburban arenas to the country blocks around the Dandenong Ranges, and each part has its own dawn character. In the outer eastern suburbs, dew settles heavily on the grass and the air can feel sharp enough to sting. Out toward the ranges, cold air settles in the valleys while hillsides catch the first sunlight. A forecast that looks mild at midnight may need completely different clothes by sunrise.

The seasons make early riding unpredictable. A winter departure can mean frost on the rails and a horse that needs ten minutes of walking before the muscles loosen. On a summer morning, the temperature can climb quickly once the sun appears, so heavy rugs come off and the route changes. I check both the minimum temperature and the timing of the warm-up. “It will probably be pleasant once we get there” is not much of a plan when the horse is already waiting in the yard.

Weather also puts some perspective on rider fitness. Riding uses more than strong legs, and general conditioning can make it easier to stay balanced, recover between efforts and avoid unnecessary tension. I keep rider fitness guidance bookmarked for general movement ideas, while remembering that individual advice from a physiotherapist or qualified trainer is far better than copying whatever an internet article recommends on a particular day.

A different horse at dawn

Horses have different rhythms within a day. Some greet the morning with an immediate desire to go, while others need time to accept the first request. By taking the first ride of the day at a quieter hour, I can meet the horse where she is rather than trying to force her into the energy of everyone else. There is less pressure to cover ground, and more opportunity to notice a stiff shoulder or an uneven stride.

This matters in eventing training. A horse that feels physically uncomfortable may object to a lateral movement, rush through a fence or become unusually sensitive to the reins. Starting with a calm walk and a few easy changes of direction gives the body time to wake up. I can spend longer on the horse’s response instead of simply increasing the difficulty because the clock is ticking.

Dawn also quiets the rider. Competition nerves can make the hands tense and the breathing shallow before the rider has even reached the start. A familiar early ride creates a pocket of control in that noisy process. The dressage arena, the show-jump warm-up and the cross-country course may be demanding, but every one of them depends on the same foundation: trust built through ordinary work on an ordinary morning.

Fitting rides around the working day

Early riding requires organisation because there is still a working day waiting at home. I plan tack, transport, feed and time in the same way I plan competition logistics. If the ride is near the yard, I can be back in time to shower and get to work. If the horse needs travelling, the float and parking are booked before I leave. A loose plan at 5:30 a.m. tends to become a much later start, and once the working day begins, the ride is often the first thing sacrificed.

Australian eventing has its own practical rhythm. Club memberships, nominations, entries and fees run through state associations and national systems, while some horses depend on commercial transport to reach their competitions. Sponsors, volunteers and local grounds make the whole thing possible, but preparation still comes down to a series of small bookings that fill quickly. For my own planning, I keep the competition schedule available so training can be matched to the events that matter.

At home, we call the first meal of the day brekkie, even when it is eaten at a desk after a muddy ride. That small routine signals the end of the early session and the beginning of the working day. Other riders in the yard often mention the traffic, school runs and early meetings they are facing, so the pre-dawn escape feels like part of a shared Australian rhythm rather than something extravagant.

A rhythm worth keeping

I do not need every ride to happen at dawn. Horses have days off, the weather changes and work can become demanding. The value comes from choosing the early ride when it genuinely supports the horse, my energy and the week ahead. A relaxed hack is enough; the session does not need to be dramatic to be worthwhile. Sometimes the best result is returning home with a clear head and a little more patience than I started with.

The habit has also changed how I think about consistency. A perfect plan often collapses, while a simpler routine is more likely to survive. Coffee, tack, a quiet road and ten focused minutes with the horse are enough to keep the partnership moving forward. The rest of the day can be busy without making the morning feel wasted.

If you ride before work, share your favourite pre-dawn route, early-ride ritual or horse-care tip in the comments. Save your favourite quiet starting point, put the kettle on and make tomorrow’s first tracks count.