Do you have a tense, anxious and pacey gaited horse? You are not alone. I did too. Here’s what’s worked for me to find relaxation and break pace for a smooth gait. Long and low led me to dressage for the gaited horse.  

Long and Low to Break Pace and Improve Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

Have you ever asked, “How do I help my gaited horse break pace for a smooth gait?” You’re not alone. I asked this question back in 2007 when I bought my first Tennessee walking horse, Makana. She was just turning three years old with a few rides on her. I thought naturally gaited horses were born to be smooth. Yes, they are. However, I quickly learned that it was up to me to help my horse develop her smooth gaits with consistent training.

I set out to find resources for smooth gaited horse training. I purchased and studied gaited horse videos and books where I learned that many people ride their gaited horses using curb bits two handed with contact. This approach was new to me. As an avid dressage rider since 1988, I was familiar with riding two handed with contact using a gentle snaffle bit. A curb bit was only added to the snaffle bit (bradoon) at Third Level and beyond, but not used predominantly with contact.

I also attended naturally gaited horse clinics and took lessons with local instructors where I was taught to ride with low fixed hands. This was also a new concept for me. As a dressage rider, I had learned to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse with the snaffle bit contact. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be the same for the head nodding gaited horse?”

It seemed pace is a common theme among gaited horse owners—especially for those, like me, who own Tennessee walking horses.

Ingredients of pace

Pictured below, is me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana, early in our training. As you can see, we struggled with pace. Does she look relaxed: her expression, her body, her mouth? Notice the spurs and riding two handed with low, fixed hands using a curb bit.

Relaxation leads to smooth gait, yes. Just where do you begin to unravel the elements of this quandary and begin the journey to a relaxed smooth gait?

How to Break Pace for a Smooth Gait

Makana has had a consistent smooth gait for years now. Helping her find relaxation in her body and mind is key to break pace. This begins even before I start riding long and low.

Steps to relaxation

First of all, I stopped using equipment that cause tension. No more spurs, snug nose bands, and riding with curb bits two handed with contact. I maintained regular hoof trims at natural angles, double checked my saddle fit for comfort, and had the vet out annually to check teeth and float as needed.

Developing a language of communication

To relax my horse’s mind, I had to become aware of what created anxiety and worry to help my horse find relaxation. Here, we embarked on a journey to develop a dialogue of harmonious two-way communication using dressage for the gaited horse.

Watch: Introducing Contact In Hand and In Saddle

I began by teaching my horse how to acceptance and follow a mild snaffle bit contact starting with work in hand. Then the same exercises from the saddle at a halt, and then at a slow walk. We only progressed tempo as long as she was relaxed in her mind and body. If she became tense or worried, we would slow down or halt until she was relaxed again.

When we progressed in tempo to a free walk on a long rein. I had to learn how to follow her natural head and neck movement with relaxed arms shoulders and hip joints.

Becoming a relaxed and confident rider

Most important, I needed to face my fears and learn how to become a relaxed and confident rider in order to convey relaxation and confidence to my horse. If my horse is nervous and I react in nervousness, it only reinforces her worry. I need to become the relaxed leader of our relationship. This takes time. For me, this has been a work in progress. Because of intentionally working at it, I am a more relaxed and confident rider, and it has paid off in my relationship with Makana.

Long and low for relaxation

Gaited horse experts talk about the importance of lowering the horse’s head and neck to aid in relaxation. Why? Because relaxation is a key component for smooth gait.

In dressage terms, a long and low dog walk with contact is referred to a free walk on a long rein. This is a required movement in all dressage tests—Introductory through Olympic Levels. The free walk on a long rein shows the rider and horse in a posture of relaxation during the test. The pair leaves the arena at a free walk on a loose rein.

Long and low or free walk is only one of many positions a horse is trained in to develop full range of motion and quality gaits.

In a dressage test, the free walk is graded on a scale from 0 to 10. The latter score means a perfect free walk. In a quality free walk on a long rein, the horse is shown in a state of relaxation. The horse is ridden in an approved snaffle bit and stretches forward, down, and out while taking equally timed steps with over track. This means the hind leg hoofprint steps over the fore hoofprint as it leaves the ground. The more over track the horse offers is considered a quality walk. For maximum stride length, it is important to move the horse forward without rushing in a regular rhythm and tempo.

This quality position allows the horse to stretch through the back and neck to a seeking contact with the bit. The horse’s nose is ahead of the vertical. The back is in a neutral position, and the horse’s chest is up and not collapsed. Most dressage tests show the free walk on a long rein along a straight line across the diagonal. This challenges how well the horse remains between the rider’s leg and rein aids. This symmetry is also scored.

The rider maintains a light contact with the snaffle bit and follows the horse’s natural head and neck motion with relaxed shoulders and arms. The rider also follows the horse’s side to side belly sway with relaxed hip joints and a balanced and aligned (ear, hip and heel) riding position. The rider’s relaxation aids the horse’s relaxation.

Video: Free Walk on a Long Rein

Long and Low to Steps of Smooth Gait

As my horse develops a consistent free walk on a long rein, then I begin asking her for a few steps of flat walk or smooth gait. I stop and reward my horse before my horse begins to pace or trot or feel like a rough ride. Then we return to a relaxed walk and ask for the smooth gait again.

After a few smooth steps of gait, I halt and reward my horse. Over time, a few good steps of smooth gait lead to a circle and then a few minutes of smooth gait.

Why lower is not better

I used to believe that the lower the horse’s head and neck are stretched to the ground the better. Many gaited horse experts claim this is true in order to develop a smooth gait. I gave this a try for a couple years. It helped my horse become smoother; however, my horse developed the habit of traveling on the forehand. This became a new habit that has been hard to break. Plus, being on the forehand compounded the tripping.

In hindsight, why train long and low as low as you can go when long and low at a neutral position also breaks pace?

Consider balance when training long and low to break pace

Balance is an important concept in dressage. I began to study the science of biomechanics and balance, and the importance of engaging the thoracic sling (chest and shoulder muscles) from Dr. Hilary Clayton’s research and French dressage master Philippe Karl’s book: Misconceptions of Modern Dressage.

Clayton and Karl are dressage and biomechanics experts. Their writings helped me realize the struggles I was having with my gaited horse being on the forehand and when my Trakehner/Thoroughbred were moving into Second Level. Prolonged long and low trains the horse to travel on the forehand.

Moments of long and low are good, not miles. Long and low stretching is good, but lower is not better.

Here’s why. The horse’s head and neck weigh up to one tenth of its body weight and when propelled ahead of the horse’s legs naturally places the horse on the forehand.

Adding to this, when the horse’s poll (between the ears) is lower than the height of the wither, the horse collapses the shoulder and chest muscles. Training a horse in this unbalanced position means conditioning the horse on the forehand with undeveloped chest and shoulder muscles. Then when you want to teach collection, you have to retrain your horse to develop the chest and shoulder muscles and break the habit of leaning on the bit and traveling onto the forehand.

Long and low to riding in balance is like breaking the habit of slouching with good posture. Not easy to do.

Long and low out of balance

Pictured above is my naturally gaited fox-trotting horse, Lady, in a long and low position. Notice that she is disengaged from behind (not stepping under the rider’s position with her hind leg). Notice that her chest muscles are collapsed, and her abdominal muscles are not lifting her back to a neutral position. She may be relaxed, but she is not effectively developing her top line muscles in this position. She is traveling on the forehand, and behind the bit.

Long and low in balance

Pictured above is my naturally gaited horse, Lady, in a neutral balanced position on a long rein. This is called a neck extension. She is traveling in a relaxed smooth gait and stepping more under her body than disengaging behind her tail. Can you see the difference in balanced compared with the other photo?

Watch: Action Reaction to Neck Extension

Benefits of a free walk on a long rein from a balanced position

A free walk on a long rein from a balanced position produces many terrific benefits for the gaited horse including rhythm, relaxation, forward movement without rushing, and depth of stride to increase stride length, stretching the spine, and building the top line muscles.

Most importantly, a free walk on a long rein from a balanced position puts the gaited horse into a relaxed position that helps break up the foot falls of pace into four individual steps—the sequence of a four-beat smooth gait at a slower tempo. From this quality walk, ask for a few steps of smooth gait. Stop and reward your horse. Then repeat.

Dressage for the gaited horse breaks pace and teaches relaxation and balance

Today I train my gaited horses in a position of balance and relaxation from the start using dressage.

Dressage for the gaited horse develops the horse’s full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long-term soundness.

Dressage benefits the gaited horse:

• Relaxation of the mind allows for a more teachable horse. Relaxation of the mind means less anxiety and tension. Relaxation of the mind helps build a partnership of harmony between the horse and rider to promote trust. A relaxed horse is more attentive to the rider and less focused on distractions. This reduces the risk of spooking.
• Relaxation of the body allows for a more trainable horse. Relaxation of the body transforms tense muscles, a hollow posture, and pace into more flexible and maneuverable movement and smoother gaits. Relaxation of the body includes expression of the mouth, flexibility of the lower jaw and poll, stretching and flexibility of body muscles, a maneuverable posture, and lifting the chest and back. Relaxation of the body promotes smoother gaits—less pace, step pace, hard trot, and lateral canter.
• Stretching the spine and building the top line muscles increase the depth of stride and the length of stride.
• Developing symmetry through gymnastic exercises to help the horse become ambidextrous. These exercises promote balance, strength and flexibility traveling clockwise or counterclockwise for evenness of stride, length of stride, and depth of stride.
• Lateral exercises break up the pace and step pace for more even smooth, four beat gaits.
• Dressage develops the full range of motion, quality smooth gaits on cue and long-term soundness.

Our dressage program

I help my horses find balance at a halt and relaxation in the mouth, lower jaw and poll. Then instead of long and low (as low as I can go), I release to the neck extension to stretch the spine and top line muscles and flexions side to side. This stretches the neck muscles of the horse.

I do not ride my gaited horse in a free walk or neck extension the entire session. I ride my gaited horses like playing an accordion. The accordion stretches out and shortens to make high and low notes for a song. Similarly, I like to develop my horse’s full range of motion with big strides to develop the lengthening muscles and small collected steps to develop the carrying muscles.

We begin riding a free walk on a long rein to warm up and stretch the muscles. Next, we transition between lateral exercises at a slow deliberate walk with small steps (balance, strength and suppling) to a forward without rushing neck extension at a flat walk (lengthening muscles) for a couple minutes.

Our balancing exercises include the shoulder in, haunches in, shoulder out, renver, rein back, counter bend turns, counted walk, and half steps. Then we enjoy flat walk, fox trot, and/or canter exercises, and end with free walk on a loose rein as a cool down. This method makes transitions from Intro Level to Training Level to First Level to Second Level much more seamless.

Dressage with my naturally gaited horses is not only fun, but it has also created a great bond with each horse. Best of all, this method of training breaks pace and hard trot. I enjoy quality smooth gaits with all three of my naturally gaited horses.

How to teach the horse to lower its head

If your horse is just beginning to learn the basics with a snaffle bit and needs to start by lower its head and neck, here’s an exercise I learned from naturally gaited clinician, Bucky Sparks, which he calls “Stretch the Bit.” This exercise teaches a horse to discover relaxation by lowering its head and neck on cue at a halt. Once a horse discovers relaxation, they are more likely to seek it the next time you cue for it.

1. Begin this exercise at a halt. If the horse’s head is too high, lift your hands up and out to each side. This position touches the less sensitive corners of the horse’s lips. As I draw my arms out to the side, I feel a pull in my triceps which helps me to remember not to pull back.

IMPORTANT: Don’t pulling back or apply low fixed hands that press the bit into the horse’s tongue and causes pain. Pain causes tension in the mouth and lower jaw.

2. Release to reward: As soon as your horse begins dropping the head and neck, release the reins.

3. Repeat the exercise: Don’t get discouraged if it takes a couple minutes before the horse lowers its head or if the horse lowers and then pops its head back up. This is a common reaction when introducing something new to the horse as well as for horses who are tense or resistant. After a few tries, most horses discover relaxation and prefer it over tension and hollowness because it is more comfortable. Eventually the horse learns to remain in a lowered headset for longer periods of time.

4. Stretch and release at a walk: When the horse gets consistent with this exercise at a halt, you can begin stretching the bit at a walk on a large 20-meter circle. My horse found relaxation quicker on an arc of a circle than traveling on a straight line.

5. Add transitions and changes of direction: After a few circles, repeat the exercise traveling in the opposite direction. Switch directions every 3 or 4 circles. Then add some walk-halt-walk transitions to keep it interesting and “stretch the bit” and “release to reward” at a halt before transitioning to a walk. The transitions also help to improve the horse’s balance.

Watch: Stretch the Bit and Release and Reward

Notice that when the horse lowers, its head and neck are at the wither height.

Neck extension or free walk on a long rein is only a portion of my riding sessions as a warmup, break time and cool down.

As my horse advances in its training, I like to replace the “stretch the bit” with a more traditional dressage application I call “squeeze and release.”

How to Squeeze and Release to Lower the Head and Neck

1. Squeeze and release with the rein: On a 20-meter circle at a walk, I gently squeeze the inside rein with my fingers and hold my fingers closed until my horse gives. Then I immediately release the inside rein by opening my middle, ring and pinky fingers to reward the horse. I don’t drop the rein. I maintain a light contact with my thumb and index fingers. Each time the horse’s head pops up, I’ll repeat the “squeeze and release.”

2. Application of the inside calf after the squeeze and release: Once the horse is relaxed and understands this concept, I will touch and release my inside calf at the girth as my horse steps its inside hind leg forward. This encourages my horse to step deeper under its body with its inside hind leg. The timing of this cue is important.

Also, it is important to separate the timing of my hand and leg aids. I like to apply the leg aid after I release my hand aid. Combining my hand and leg aids is like driving a car with my foot on the break and gas pedal at the same time. This is confusing to the horse. Separating the timing of my hand and leg aids (even by milliseconds) produce clarity for my horse and leads to lightness of aids.

4. Inside leg to outside rein: Then I capture the forward energy into an ounce of contact with the outside indirect rein which I place lightly against my horse’s neck. The inside leg to outside indirect rein combined with the softening inside rein helps keep my horse in a consistent long and low frame on a 20-meter circle.

Watch: Squeeze and Release to Lower the Head and Neck

When my horse is consistent in the neutral frame (poll no lower than the height of the wither), I ask for a few deeper, more ground covering steps and more forwardness without rushing from the hind quarters to begin the free walk on a long rein.

How to improve long and low or free walk on a long rein

1. Awareness: Improving the free walk on a long rein begins by becoming aware of how the free walk feels and looks when it is moving well and when it needs improvement. Finding a riding coach who can provide timely feedback is a great way to learn this “feel.” This takes time, patience and consistent training, but the free walk offers such wonderful benefits to the horse. A balanced and engaged free walk teaches the horse to maintain a consistent relaxed tempo, maximum length and stride depth, even four-beat rhythm, and an extended head and neck position: all of which helps to develop the top line muscles.

2. Cueing deeper and longer strides: While traveling at a relaxed land neutral walk, the timing of my cue is critical. I press and release my right calf at the girth as the horse steps forward with its right hind leg (or as I feel the horse’s belly dip down on the right side). Then I apply and release my left calf as the horse steps forward with its left hind leg (or as I feel the horse’s belly dip down on the left). The application of my calf should encourage a deeper step beneath the body.

IMPORTANT: Don’t cue every step or the horse will begin to ignore the cues. I stop cueing as soon as my horse increases its depth of stride. Then I follow the motion of the belly sway with each relaxed hip joint. I don’t push my pelvis forward to drive my horse. I only follow the horse’s motion. To lengthen the stride, it is important not to use both leg aids at the same time since this shortens the stride.

If the horse ignores my calf aid, I will follow up a calf aid with a tap of a dressage whip applied to the same side I applied my calf to activate that hind leg while it is stepping forward. Timing is key.

Another way to encourage more energy and deeper strides in the free walk is to make a cluck sound as the hind leg steps forward. As soon as the horse increases the energy and depth of stride, stop the sound. If you show gaited dressage, using voice as a training aid will not be an option since the use of voice is not allowed during a test.

3. Following the movement with the seat: After cueing my horse for deeper strides, I follow my horse’s forward movement with each hip joint as each hind leg steps beneath under the belly. I become aware of the feeling of the horse’s rib cage lift on one side and lower on the other.  I keep my body still from the core but not stiff, tense or locked in the joints.

IMPORTANT: Follow not drive: There is a difference between following the motion a horse produces with relaxed hip joints and driving the horse forward with the pelvis. I have found that driving a horse forward with the pelvis is annoying to the horse. It tends to create extra noise and irritation to the horse’s back. I like to teach the horse to be light to the leg and hand instead of driving the horse forward with my pelvis.

4. Circles and straight lines: I like to teach my horses the free walk on a large circle versus a straight line along the rail. This way the horse learns to listen to my aids instead of following along the rail.

Once the horse is consistent on a 20-meter circle in both directions, I will add serpentines, figure eights, and moments of straight lines. If the horse’s head pops up, gets tense, hollow and pacey, I’ll return to the arc of a circle. Over time, the horse will learn to travel in straight lines across the diagonal in a free walk on a long rein. This is a required movement in all dressage tests.

Developing straightness for symmetry

Another benefit of riding circles versus straight lines is the outer muscles are stretching, and the horse extends the outside legs more because the outside legs are traveling on a larger circle than the inside legs. All horses tend to be stiffer on one side more than the other. Circles help the horse become more evenly flexible. This symmetry is referred to as straightness. Straightness in dressage does not mean riding in straight lines, rather developing the horse to become ambidextrous which is best done in a curved position.

Remember, after the horse is in balance at a walk, then lengthen the reins and release the horse to a neutral position. Keep the horse’s poll no lower than the wither height to help preserve the horse’s balance. And ride your horse like playing an accordion with lots of transitions to develop the full range of motion for quality smooth gaits.

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