How long do you spend in the collecting ring?

[DITZ]

I'm just wondering whether I'm overdoing the warming up and wondered what other people do in their warm up.

Usually when we enter the warm up he starts to get excited so I walk him round a few times then trot for about 5 mins then when I think he's calm enough I *try* and take him over a x pole. This is, I think, where our problems begin. My horse rushes when I trot him into it (but given its only a x I shouldnt need to canter?) so some excercises which have helped last year when we first taight him to jump were to get him to halt before the jump. So my idea is to get him listening not rushing but we just end up falling out which then makes me nervous and him more anxious then it all gets progressively worse from there and I end up spending AGES in the practice ring trying to calm down with no effect. When I canter him he gets faster and more excited.

I'm wondering whether I'd be better limiting it to say 10 mins of walk and trot only as it seems I'm winding him up the longer I'm in there. He's 16 and fit but I dont know what is a sufficient warm up and I hate to injure him.

What do you all reckon??

[eml]

It does depend on the horse. One of my daughters needs about an hour to work in but in outdoor shows we try to find a quiet corner to do the first 45 mins. The other is best kept out of the collecting ring until the last moment. We usually warm up at home and then just walk in the lorry park for 10 mins or so.

[showjumperchick]

i walk round 2/3 times then trot and canter for 10minutes, including lateral work if theres room, and lengthening/collecting etc. then prob spend another 5 minutes jumping. if im at a big outdoor show with plenty of space ill do all my flat work in the lorry park:p and then just jump in the collecting ring. if he wants to canter to the fence i would let him, maybe he losesa bit of confidence at a show and thinks he needs to canter to clear the jump?????

[DITZ]

yes i think its definitely a lack of confidence with him but he gets so bolshy. When you get anywhere near the practice fence he starts backing off, going sidewards etc and then just flies at it. Yet he's better in the arena. I noticed the other day that he's better if you canter him in but the practice ring at arena's a bit small for me to feel confident in - especially turning.

[galadriel]

Do you ever trot fences at home?

What do you do to warm up at home?

[DITZ]

aha thats the problem!! Because of lack of facilities I dont school in the traditional sense at home other than on a hack and that doesnt include any jumping. When the ground clears up (hopefully in a couple of weeks now) then normal service will be resumed and I can put some jumps uo in the field but I havent jumped him other than at shows since about Oct last year.:eek: