09/17/2026
Great post, thought I'd share.
Muscle warms up fast - it's full of blood vessels and loosens within minutes of walking. Tendons and ligaments don't work that way. They have way less blood supply, so they need slow, sustained movement to actually warm up and be ready to bear load.
That's why 10–15 minutes of relaxed walking before you ask for trot or canter isn't just "being cautious" —-it's giving the tendon the time it physiologically needs, even after the muscle already feels warm.
A horse that gets this right stays sound. Worth the extra few minutes every time.