Dusting Off the Riding Cobwebs: Getting Ready for the New Season
There’s something about that first stretch of brighter evenings that makes you want to pull the saddle out, tighten the girth, and properly get going again. After months of mud, wind, frozen taps and rushed winter rides, the new season always feels like a reset.
1) Start With Your Horse – Not Your Ambition
Winter often means reduced workload, more time in the stable, heavier feed, and less consistent schooling. Before you think about competitions, fun rides or beach hacks, take a week or two to rebuild the basics.
- Full groom and check for rubs, mud fever, rain scald
- Leg check for any filled tendons or stiffness
- Saddle fit review (weight changes over winter are common)
- Gradual return to work: walk → trot → light schooling
Don’t rush this. A steady, progressive build-up now saves you from injury setbacks in six weeks.
2) Rider Fitness – Be Honest With Yourself
If you’ve had a quieter winter, your horse probably isn’t the only one who needs conditioning. Core strength, balance and stamina fade faster than we like to admit.
Even 10–15 minutes a day of bodyweight squats, planks, light cardio, and hip/hamstring mobility makes a massive difference in the saddle. The goal isn’t to be “super fit” — it’s to be safe and effective.
3) Tack & Yard Spring Check
Winter can be brutal on equipment. Now’s the time to deep clean leather, check stitching and billets, inspect girths and stirrup leathers, replace tired lead ropes, and clear out tack-room clutter.
This is also the season where small yard accidents happen: horses feel fresher, routines change, and people rush. A quick safety scan of tying points, yard surfaces, and worn kit is time well spent.
Quiet safety upgrade (worth considering)
Spring is when horses can be a bit sharper and yard handling ramps up. If you’re reviewing your set-up, it’s a good time to think about how you’d handle a sudden pull-back or panic moment. The ESR Bar is designed to allow a safe, controlled release under load — helping reduce the risk of rope-related injuries when tying or handling. View the ESR Bar in our shop.
4) Refresh Your Goals (Keep Them Real)
Spring is the perfect time to ask: what do I want this season to look like? More confidence? First show? Better flatwork? A calmer hack?
Write it down, keep it realistic, and break it into monthly milestones. Momentum beats motivation every time.
5) Ease Back Into Hacking
Brighter weather brings more traffic, cyclists, dogs off lead, and distractions. Start with short, familiar routes. Go out with a steady companion if your horse has been field-bound all winter.
Build confidence gradually. That’s how you create a safe, enjoyable season — not one derailed by a silly early accident.
6) Embrace the Energy – But Stay Grounded
The first sunny ride of the year hits differently. Your horse feels sharper. You feel lighter. Everything feels possible. Brilliant — but channel it with structure.
Spring isn’t about proving anything. It’s about laying foundations.
Ready to Ride Into the New Season?
Dust off the cobwebs. Polish the tack. Set the goals. Check the safety. Build the fitness. Then enjoy it — because after a long winter, we’ve earned these brighter evenings.
Shop: esrbar.com/shop
Facebook: facebook.com/esrbar.com
TikTok: tiktok.com/@esr.bar
