Spring Time Tips

Riders understand the importance of warming up as a way to ready the horse's mind and body for the challenges ahead, but there is more to a warm-up than simple preparation. Correctly done, prior exercise substantially benefits physical performance and helps prevent injury.

Oxygen Availability
There are many different things that happen when a horse is warmed up. The warm-up gets the heart rate going from a resting state. This can occur nearly instantaneously. During warm-up the horse's spleen contracts, and this releases red blood cells, that are responsible for transporting oxygen. More red cells mean an increased oxygen-carrying capacity. The more oxygen the animal can carry, the better the performance. Horses are unique in their ability to store red blood cells in the spleen. When horses exercise, the packed cell volume (PCV, the amount of red blood cells in a blood sample) can jump up to 70%.

This splenic contraction aids in the inborn "fight-or-flight" survival response so that the horse can sprint away from danger and sustain his speed for a long period of time. For horses, the warm-up naturally taps into this readily available source. By warming up, the release of red blood cells is complete, and they are fairly well distributed in circulation. You shouldn't be dependent on the splenic contraction to occur at the start of exercise, because there is a little bit of lag time between the start of exercise and when the contraction occurs and the red blood cells are distributed uniformly in the blood.

Body Temperature Alteration
The warm-up also increases the horse's muscle temperature. When we exercise we use different fuels within the body, such as glycogen and glucose. When they are utilized heat is also generated, which can raise the body temperature. Certain enzymes in muscles work better at higher temperatures. However, if the core (body) temperature gets too high, the body will shut down. Small increases in temperature of the muscle will allow for the enzymes in the muscles to work efficiently. Another benefit is that the hemoglobin (the iron-containing pigment in red blood cells) functions in oxygen transport more readily at higher temperatures within the muscles.

Energy Preservation
Energy stored in the muscle in the form of glycogen is used the most during the initial stage of exercise. Humans and horses are the same in this respect. There is only so much glycogen stored in the muscle, and if none of the other warm-up benefits we mentioned earlier have begun, the muscle fibers use glycogen for energy first.

You will want to minimize how much muscle glycogen you use right away. If you don't warm up to enhance the usage of glucose in the blood, you will run out of gas quickly. You want to warm up gradually so the circulatory system can adjust. Warming up slowly gets the glucose into the blood and saves the glycogen, which is an easy energy to get to, so you want to save it for as long as possible.

Musculoskeletal Benefits
Every stride a horse makes impacts the tendons. When a horse takes strides during the warm-up process, the collagen molecules in tendons pack together and water is redistributed within the matrix, decreasing the tendons' stiffness. Warming up allows the tendon to stretch to a greater degree without injury. Warming up also increases muscle strength. In human weight lifting, the athlete is able to life more after the first repetition. Like-wise, a horses' muscle contraction strength is increased by virtue of stretching out during the warm-up stage.

The best method of warming up is unclear. In the past, trainers and riders have adapted warm-up techniques from tradition or industry standards rather than scientific fact. Ultimately the type of warm-up is the rider's choice because he or she knows the horse best. You have to trust your experience. It varies so much between horses and between disciplines. One horse might only need a walk, trot, and canter to get the physical benefit, where others need more to get their minds focused on the task at hand. Knowing your horse is important, and so is realizing that warming up is both a mental and physical task.

Golden Rule of Warm-Ups
. Warming up for too long saps energy reserves that should be saved for competition.
. Warm up smart: An out-of-breath horse likely has used up energy reserves of glycogen that would have been best reserved for competition.
. Avoid overheating the horse. If the horse is too hot, its systems will shut down.
. The oxygen delivery system must be prepped for peak performance. This effect can be lost if the interval between warm-up and competition is too long (more than 10-12 minutes).
. Warm up the tendons and muscles to avoid injuries.
. Make sure the horse is mentally prepared and focused.