16/11/2024
Having a trainer in the warm-up arena at a horse show—whether for jumping or dressage—can be a double-edged sword, depending on your preparation, temperament, and relationship with your trainer.
Benefits of Having a Trainer in Warm-Up:
1. Focus and Guidance: A trainer can provide quick, targeted advice to help fine-tune your ride before going into the ring. They might notice things you’re too nervous to spot, such as your horse being stiff on one side or needing sharper transitions.
2. Mental Reassurance: For some riders, having a familiar voice in their corner provides confidence and calm. They can offer reminders of your goals, keep you focused, and help manage pre-competition nerves.
3. Adjustments for the Day: Sometimes, horses or riders behave differently under show conditions than at home. A trainer can suggest small adjustments to adapt to the horse’s mood, energy level, or external distractions.
Downsides of Trainer Presence:
1. Extra Pressure: Some riders feel more nervous with a trainer in the warm-up, worrying about judgment or trying too hard to meet expectations. This can lead to tension and overthinking.
2. Over-Coaching: If a trainer tries to “fix” things instead of focusing on warming up, it can derail your confidence or create frustration. Warm-up is not the time for big corrections.
3. Dependency: If you rely too much on your trainer, you might feel lost if they’re unavailable or if something unexpected happens during your round.
What Warm-Up Should Be:
The warm-up should prepare your horse and you mentally and physically for your upcoming class. It’s not the time to teach or train but to get your horse supple, forward, and responsive while sharpening your aids.
For jumping, it’s common to do a few practice fences:
• Start with a small vertical to build rhythm and confidence.
• Move to an oxer to ensure your horse is stretching and jumping properly.
• Avoid over-jumping; 4–6 fences at increasing heights is usually sufficient. Too much can tire the horse or overcomplicate things.
For dressage, the warm-up should focus on loosening the horse, achieving relaxation, and checking responsiveness to aids. Some riders use the warm-up to ride through movements they struggle with, but over-practicing can lead to tension.
Preparation Before the Show:
Ideally, most of the training should happen at home. At the show, the focus should be on reinforcing what you’ve already trained, not trying to “fix” gaps in preparation. This is where knowing your horse’s limits is crucial—if your horse isn’t ready for the level, a show will highlight those weaknesses, especially in a pressured warm-up.
The Bottom Line:
Whether or not a trainer’s presence helps depends on how they work with you. If they boost your confidence, keep instructions simple, and know when to step back, it’s hugely beneficial. However, if their presence adds stress or distracts you, it’s better to develop a self-reliant warm-up strategy.
Team Tom 🎩
