 There's always going to be a million opinions out there about how you should warm up your horses but at the end of the day, the only opinions you should hear out are actually the ones of your horses. What does that mean? Your warm up should be catered to fit each horse individually as well as yourself depending on what type of horse you have, his strengths and weaknesses and what yourself as a rider needs to do to give your horse the best ride that day. This might even change on a daily basis depending on how you or your horse feels and starts that day so don't feel like there is one way to warm up and one way only. Does Isabel Werth warm up every horse the same? Nope. Will you ever see Isabel and Laura warm up the same? Nope. What about Kent Farrington and Mclain Ward? Or even Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer? No they dont. Between you, your trainer (if you have one) and your horse should come up with an enjoyable, purposeful warm up that will prepare you for the best ride you can have that day! I want to share with you my top 3 warm up exercises for either dressage horses, jumpers or any discipline that would make great additions to your warm up routine! 1. Leg yield at the WALKOnce you've spent some time letting your horse walk nice a forward on a long rein. Start to pick up the reins and engage in a nice active, rhythmical medium walk. This is where you might pick up the trot and get going but I encourage you to take a minute a give the leg yield at the walk a try. This can be done on the long side or across the diagonal depending on what you and your horse are comfortable with. Focus on: keeping the rhythm of the walk, keeping the frame and topline nice a supple (your horse should be sightly bent away from the direction he is going towards), making sure when you apply the leg your horse moves over to leg yield. Common errors: too much bend in the neck or at the shoulder often happens (aim for a very slight banana bend through his whole body), too much hindend (if you have a mirror make sure your horse is either leading with the front legs or evenly stepping sideways), getting stuck (this often happens when your horse goes sideways too much. Think forwards and diagonally sideways). Benefits: Warms up the horses entire side body, stretches the hind legs, stifles and hammies, makes sure your horse is reacting to your leg aid, suppling the topline. 2. Figure 8 in TROTYou're ready to trot, pick up a nice trot rhythm with a nice frame (if your horse is a little stiff in the topline encourage the frame to be a little more through and round) and when you're ready (perhaps after 1 or 2 rounds) begin riding your horses in a figure 8. (Sidenote: many people will use the serpentine in the warm up which is great too. I like the figure 8 because its a little more shallow, smoother and has softer corners allowing all horses to get a nice warm up.) Depending on the size of your arena, you can determine the size of the figure 8 but ideally you would ride it like you were constantly changing reins across the long diagonals of a dressage arena. Jumpers, you can do this in any arena making the size of the figure 8 most comfortable for your horse. To challenge your horse a little more, you can play with transitions from trot to walk to trot once your horse is warmed up to wake up the hindquarters, engage your horse a little more and make sure you have an honest connection. Focus on: keeping a good trot rhythm, making sure your horse is trotting in front of your leg (aka make sure you don't feel like you have to kick every stride to keep going), a true connection and bend in the corners/round sides of your figure 8, using your legs to help you straighten the horse on the diagonals. Common errors: rushing or slowing down, drifting on the diagonals (if you feel your horse is bulging or leaning against one leg and drifting, correct this with your leg and make sure your horse is actively traveling in a straight line between both legs), cutting corners (make sure you use your inside leg to get the bend around the corners and your outside rein to support, balance and keep your horse with you) Benefits: tests whether your horse is traveling evenly between both your legs, supples your horse throughout the topline, warms up the spine, back muscles and muscles used for flexion, helps you and your horse establish a true and steady connection.  This is where your 1/4 line is in a dressage arena. Jumpers, you can do this exercise in your own arenas imagining a dressage arena and staying away from the fence line 3. CANTER on the 1/4 line or inside trackYou've warmed up your trot, perhaps you did the figure 8s, maybe tested out the transitions, now you're ready to get the canter going. Pick up a nice canter, maybe do some large circles to make sure your horse is in front of your leg and waiting for you, and then start to ride 1/4 line to 1/4 line instead of along the fence line. To challenge your horse you can ask for an outside bend on the long sides to really test his balance, attentiveness to your aids, and to keep his shoulders up. Add a little more of a challenge by playing with the tempo in this exercise. Extend and collect on the long side while still focusing on your straightness and balance. Focus on: riding your corners as well-prepared corners, making sure your horse is traveling straight on the 1/4 line (unless you ask for a lateral, be aware that your horse doesn't put his hind end to the inside or drift), keep the impulsion and engagement (make sure your horse is pushing from behind, that the inside hind is active, and you are using your core and squeezing the reins to half halt and keep your horse balanced). If you do the counter-flexion, make sure your horse doesn't do a flying change without you asking. Sit evenly in the saddle with your inside hip slightly open. Common errors: running through the corners (prepare each corner), drifting back to the rail (correct this not by more inside bend, use your outside leg to push him away from the rail and ask for a little outside bend to get him to lift the shoulders up and pop the bulging shoulder back in. This is a common error a lot of jumping horses will make on the flat), haunches fall in, tilting of head (make sure you have an even contact and not pulling one rein more than the other). Benefits: engages your horse from behind, improves straightness and balance, strengthens hind-end and encourages a more even push from behind, makes sure your horse is truly straight and listening to your aids.  Always pat and reward your horse when he's trying for you and doing what you ask So there are 3 exercises for all levels and all disciplines to try next time you warm up your horse! I do all of these with my horses and can feel how much it helps and improves the rest of my ride. Warm ups are meant to get you and your horse ready for the "work" section of your ride and also prevent injury. One of my favorite mottos to tell my students is to ride smarter not harder! I hope you all enjoy these exercises, please sign up for our newsletter to get updated on new posts and don't forget to check out the online store to purchase online 1 on 1 training with me (your arena, your horse, your ride, your own evaluation and training session with me)!
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2018 was a hugely successful year for myself in top international sport with 2 championships under my belt. The FEI World Cup Finals as well as the World Equestrian Games made 2018 a year full of dreams fulfilled and goals accomplished! However, 2018 wasn't just a year of highs for myself and my amazing horses, it was a year of many accomplishments for my students! Students of all levels achieved there own high goals and reached new levels of success around the world at various international competitions including Spruce Meadows, Wellington Equestrian Festival and several A rated shows across the USA. FEI World Cup Final Paris 2018 It was such a thrill to travel to many top events around the world for myself and with my students and know that together with the team, we all were part of a bigger picture. There's no better feeling than when your students comes out of the ring with a big smile, lots of pats on their horses neck and of course, a win or placing in the bag! This year has been nothing short of success so far with my group of students successful finished with WEF 2019 and many new additions to the team at KPF (Kent Farrington) stables also having great seasons with old and new horses. This year however, due to my beautiful blessing in my belly (i'm currently 20 weeks pregnant), I will not be traveling around the world for my usual schedule and instead will be based out of Wellington, Florida except when traveling for clinics within the US. This has enabled me an opportunity I have always wanted to pursue! If you're reading this and already know my riding history, then you know that my biggest struggle growing up was access to knowledgable eyes on the ground and help from knowledgable horse trainers. Being geographically restricted and financially limited meant a lot of my rides were spent alone working on things I had seen on videos or read in books. I know there are many talented and passionate riders out there who feel the same struggle and I want to use technology and creativity to help you! Presenting- Online Equestrian Coaching with Ellesse (that's me!)! Each session is easy to do yourself at your own barn and you don't need any fancy equipment to benefit! There are 3 easy steps to your session and you'll get a live audio recorded clip of myself going through your video so you can follow along as you listen to the comments as if we were sitting down together watching with a fruity drink in hand! Each student will also get a homework page which will summarize key things to improve as well as some exercises to practice at home before your next online coaching session! We are doing a pre-launch of limited number of sessions at a discounted rate to test and make the best possible experience for students and then once we launch, single sessions and packages will be offered at an affordable rate! I hope that this will open the doors for many riders out there looking to get encouraging and productive advice on their riding so that you and your horse can grow and progress together, while having fun at an affordable price from the comfort of your own barn!  Student since January 2018- High Junior Circuit Champion WEF 2019! There's no better feeling than when your students comes out of the ring with a big smile, lots of pats on their horses neck and of course, a win or placing in the bag! FEI World Equestrian Games 2018 It's time to bring my years of experience riding all types of breeds, disciplines and ages of horses, my experience at first level to grand prix level around the world, my knowledge and experience in showjumping around the world and my tips and tricks I share with my students to all the passionate riders out there that deserve the opportunity to grow, develop, succeed and have fun regardless of location and finances! Join me on this exciting journey and lets train together! I can't wait to meet you all and see you and your horses shine!! Click here to go to the main store front! There are a LIMITED number of sessions for sale for the PRE-LAUNCH of the site at a special price to test the service and make sure the final product is the best possible experience. Once these are sold out you will have to wait until the official launch! Introductory Single Ride Coaching- Dressage (first time students only)
$35.00
$25.00
For first time students only! Purchase your intro session with Ellesse and give online coaching a try! There are 3 easy steps:
Bonus: receive a pdf of "homework" for you and your horse to do before you record your next video to send to Ellesse Note: 3 day eventers, please select dressage if you'd like to focus on your dressage phase and test ridingor select the jumping intro if you'd like to focus on flatwork for jumping phase Disclaimer: By entering this website or purchasing or using our blog, e-mails, programs, services, and/or products, you are agreeing to accept all parts of this disclaimer. Thus, if you do not agree to the disclaimer below, STOP now, and do not use our website, blog, e-mails, programs, services, or products. We will not be held responsible in any way for the information that you request or receive through or on our website, blog, e-mails, programs, services and/or products. In no event will we be liable to any party or equine for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, equitable or consequential damages for any use of or reliance on this website or blog, e-mails, programs, services, and/or products, including, without limitation, any lost profits, personal or business interruptions, personal injuries, accidents, misapplication of information or any other loss, malady, disease or difficulty, or otherwise, even if we are expressly advised of the possibility of such damages or difficulties. Introductory Single Ride Coaching- Flatwork for Jumpers (first time students only)
$35.00
$25.00
For first time students only! Purchase your intro session with Ellesse and give online coaching a try! There are 3 easy steps:
Bonus: receive a pdf of "homework" for you and your horse to do before you record your next video to send to Ellesse Note: 3 day eventers, please select "flatwork for jumpers" if you'd like to focus on your showjumping phase or select the dressage intro if you'd like to focus on test riding and your dressage. Disclaimer: By entering this website or purchasing or using our blog, e-mails, programs, services, and/or products, you are agreeing to accept all parts of this disclaimer. Thus, if you do not agree to the disclaimer below, STOP now, and do not use our website, blog, e-mails, programs, services, or products. We will not be held responsible in any way for the information that you request or receive through or on our website, blog, e-mails, programs, services and/or products. In no event will we be liable to any party or equine for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, equitable or consequential damages for any use of or reliance on this website or blog, e-mails, programs, services, and/or products, including, without limitation, any lost profits, personal or business interruptions, personal injuries, accidents, misapplication of information or any other loss, malady, disease or difficulty, or otherwise, even if we are expressly advised of the possibility of such damages or difficulties. Single Ride Coaching- Flatwork for Jumpers
$35.00
Purchase your single ride session with Ellesse and continue your online coaching progress! There are 3 easy steps:
Bonus: receive a pdf of "homework" for you and your horse to do before you record your next video to send to Ellesse Note: 3 day eventers, please select "flatwork for jumpers" if you'd like to focus on your showjumping phase or select the dressage session if you'd like to focus on test riding and your dressage. Single Ride Coaching- Dressage
$35.00
Purchase your single ride session with Ellesse and continue your online coaching progress! There are 3 easy steps:
Bonus: receive a pdf of "homework" for you and your horse to do before you record your next video to send to Ellesse Note: 3 day eventers, please select dressage if you'd like to focus on your dressage phase and test ridingor select the jumping intro if you'd like to focus on flatwork for jumping phase As if we didn’t have it well enough here in sunny Wellington, we occasionally get blessed with a cold front of below 15 degrees Celsius here and there enabling riders to get giddy excited about pulling out the hidden away uggs, sweaters and scarves. While most of the hemisphere is actually freezing, we get a couple weeks of fantastically chilly weather allowing us to strut around the barn showcasing a little winter fashion style! I know riders anywhere else that’s having winter right now probably found another reason to be envious of the Winter Equestrian Capital! I’m sorry ;) kinda...  I’ve had my fair share of bone cold winters and snow! As promised on my Instagram post, here are links to each item of clothing in my post! The fleece tights eliminate that cold saddle leather shock when you mount, and keep you cozy the whole ride without overheating your booty. It is from For Horses USA and can be found here:- www.forhorsesusa.com/collections/womens-breeches/products/junie With the tights (and actually any pair of breeches) I like to wear my signature “ELLESSE” sweater. If you don’t know much about the brand it’s actually an Italian tennis brand! BUT they make super luxe feeling activewear! Here is where I got my sweater:- m.asos.com/us/ellesse/ellesse-funnel-neck-zip-top-with-back-logo/prd/8564987?clr=graymarl&SearchQuery=ellesse&gridcolumn=1&gridrow=19&gridsize=2&pge=1&pgesize=72&totalstyles=49    If your more of a vest kind of person here is a vest that matches the tights perfectly:- https://www.forhorsesusa.com/collections/womens-outerwear/products/ester?variant=39033999693  happy shopping! Share with me if you guys do end up purchasing something from these brands!! Tag me or mention me! I’d love to insta-stalk your profile! :)
So a few days I posted a video on Instagram of me making my grand prix horse, Triviant's, mash! A lot of you guys were curious about the recipe and I am more than happy to share with you what my approach is with making his mash and what supplements i choose etc. I hope its helpful and maybe something I give to Trivi is interesting for you and your horses! After all, i'm just trying to spoil my horse and allow him to be as comfortable and healthy as possible.  Literally the highlight of my day! I love making the horses mash and then watching their enjoyment as they slurp their buckets clean! Some of you may know I affiliate with the percent of kids that like to be called the international school kids! Now if you are in that group that i dont need to explain what the group is and what entitles you to a membership ;)
... but for everyone else its basically kids that grew up in countries other than their native country (normally due to a parents job) and went to a private school that followed a system like for example mine was a British International school meaning we followed the British education system and format as well as had British educated teachers while still incorporating the holidays and culture of the many other nationalities in my school. Yup, that means i can tell you all about Deepavali, Chinese New Year, Ramadan etc. It was a fantastic education system and i have no shame in saying yup. Best. Education. System. Ever. Anyway... :) I wanted to share with you all a fun article that featured me as a KLASS alumni spotlight! Maybe it will bore you but its fun to learn i guess that back in the day it wasn't all ponies and hours at the stables. That was like 90% :P Click on "Read More" for the article! |
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Website created by Ellesse Jordan Tzinberg
Photos copyright Ellesse Tzinberg. Email for use permission.
Photos copyright Ellesse Tzinberg. Email for use permission.