Murdoch Minute No. 81: Reach for Your Horse’s Tail
By Wendy Murdoch Reprinted with permission. www.murdochmethod.com
minutes of warm up increases blood flow to your tissues. This makes the muscles more pliable, increasIs it cold where you live? Do you feel es the amount of oxygen reaching stiff when you mount up? Have you your muscles and at the same time been sitting at a desk or driving your prepares you mentally for your ride. car for hours before riding? Are you In addition it improves coordination still wound up from your day? Before and reaction time meaning that you you ask your horse to move it would will be able to respond to your horse be a good idea to consider spending much more quickly than when you a few minutes warming up your body are cold. in preparation for your ride. Here’s a simple exercise to get you going. In the winter months a good grooming begins the process. I take my Next time you ride notice if it is difhorse for a brisk walk on a loose rein ficult for you to get your leg across around the outside of the hill field the saddle. Are your shoulders tight? before heading to the arena. This Do you feel stiff in your hips? Riding allows him to warm up at his own when you are stiff will have a direct pace. The increase blood circulation effect on your horse’s ability to move warms his muscles, and the ligaand runs the risk of injury for both ment/tendon/fascial system, which of you. It is important for you to be has very little blood supply. This syslimber enough for him to respond tem becomes pliable from the body correctly so take a few moments to heat generated. Once the ligament/ warm up. This will benefit both you tendon/fascial system is warm it is and your horse. like a stretchy elastic system. If you ask your horse to work hard beWarming up is important for many fore this is warm you take the risk reasons. When you are cold your of tearing and damage because this blood concentrates toward the midsystem is stiff an unpliable when dle of your body leaving the extrem- cold. Even in warm climates warming ities, your fingers and toes. A few up is important but takes less time. 22 • The Sound Advocate • Issue 1, 2021
