Defrosted and Ready to Ride! ????

We have defrosted—wahoo! I guess this does mean we see a return of the mud, BUT it is exciting to be able to start riding and making plans that stick again.

I thought I would jump into your inbox this Sunday with my tips on understanding and working with horses after an enforced cold weather snap. For some of you, this might have meant limited turnout; for others, it may have just been riding that was off the menu. BUT either way, there was likely less stimulus for your horse’s brain and body. I also know that, although not for all of you, for the most part, your confidence is comparable to your horse’s behaviour and ability to feel calm and listen to you—two things they can struggle to do when they have had a period of time lacking stimulation.

So here’s how I would treat a horse after such a time (or, for some horses, if limited turnout is a thing ALL winter, you might find these tips useful more long term) so that you keep their mental state ready to listen and preserve your confidence in doing so.

Note: This is also for them, as it is unfair to make a horse listen through increased force or ‘riding them through it.’ I often hear riders say, “If I was more confident, I would be able to just ride through it.” BUT I always reply, “But I wouldn’t want you to.”

Introducing Reset Days

The concept I want to introduce you to is what I call RESET days.

What Are Reset Days? Reset days are training days with a singular purpose: to re-establish calmness and connection. They aren’t about learning new skills or pushing boundaries—they’re about returning to a positive baseline

How to Use Reset Days

Access the state of your horse’s ability to relax and listen. Where are we starting from? This might be different if your horse has had some turnout, for example, compared to if they have been confined for a whole day or two.

If the horse was extremely unable to relax, I would class this as: if I went into the arena on a lunge line, it would just blow up. In this case, I would always pop something on the horse to prevent the blow-up—one, because you’re trying to create relaxation here and prepare the horse for coming back into work, and five minutes of madness is not the way; but also, injuries are not uncommon when a horse goes from standing to suddenly being allowed to blow off steam. My personal go-to is side reins, just used to discourage a full blow-up and give a little more control. I would go down to the arena with the lunge line and side reins (I probably should say and my own safety equipment!) and I would just lead the horse. If you walk around for long enough, the horse will relax into it… only then will I start to let the horse out to trot and continue the session… so that when I let the line out, I am fairly confident that, although we could get a little squeal, we are in a position to listen without a complete hoon!

Day two, I would start the same and expect the relaxation to come sooner. By day three, I would have the tack on too and expect to be able to ride after a short period of warming up…

And voilà, we are back to normal—no injuries for horse or rider!

Important Notes:

• Where I say, "know your start point," this is paramount, because for some of you it might not need day 1 and 2… your start point might be day 3.
• Recognise that you might feel your horse is in this state of "unable to fully relax" on other days—maybe the wind is up, and it’s bitter cold. It’s perfectly OKAY to adopt the above schedule anytime of the year!
• Know your horse. If they are always a dobbin out hacking, even when they are a bit fruity, then use that. Go for a few nice long, slow hacks with a trusty friend, using this in the same way as I’ve used the arena here.
• Disappointment is simply the gap between expectation and reality. Set yourself up to be content by expecting to use reset days… or even “reset warm-ups!”
• If you have something booked in (e.g., a lesson away from home) but you’re on day 2, just ask your coach (or if you’re alone, know yourself) to start a few steps back. Don’t go in with the expectation that it should all feel just how it was. It will do by the end of the session—but allow for a gradual build-up, and you will all have a nicer time. And stay in a trusting, confident partnership with each other. Horses are not machines, and just as a child might KNOW her 3x table, if she’s been pent up all day and then asked to do it at 3 PM when she’s bouncing off the walls, you might not get much cooperation… they’ve not forgotten; they are just not in the headspace to answer to the best of their ability.

So off you go… I call these days RESET days. The sole purpose of the training day is to RESET—not to learn or train something new. Just remember where we were. They are so important. I hope you enjoy them and implement them as much as I do.

Alex x

P.S. Your reset days don’t have to look like my example necessarily. Your horses are individuals. But this should give you the idea and principle behind it.