The Feeling of Right

By Jennifer Klitzke

Effective dressage training comes through developing “the feeling of right” as it relates to the naturally gaited horse’s balance, relaxation, rhythm, connection, engagement, straightness, and collection.

This means discerning when the naturally gaited horse begins to move off course in order to restore the horse’s balance, relaxation, rhythm, connection, engagement, and straightness. It takes time to develop what balance feels like in each naturally smooth gait and feel the difference between a quality and impure gait from the saddle, to feel when the horse begins to rush or lag, go hollow, duck behind the bit, drop its back, fall on the forehand, get tense in the jaw, lack bend or rhythm, and the list goes on.

I began my dressage journey in 1988 riding hard trotting horses and competed successfully through second level until my aging dressage horse retired in 1996.

Over the next 16 years I moved to a hobby farm in non-dressage country and relied on the knowledge and skills gained through 12 years of regular dressage lessons.

Then in 2007, I purchased my first naturally gaited horse—mainly to save my aging body from the jarring sitting trot. I knew nothing about training gaited horses. All I knew is that I wanted SMOOTH, and out of default dressage became our method of training. I wasn’t even sure if dressage and gaited horses worked together. We would just have to find out.

While there are many similarities between riding trotting and riding naturally gaited horses, I quickly discovered how “the feeling of right” on a trotting horse is not the same as how it feels on a naturally gaited horse. I had leaned the feeling of feel balance, rhythm, impulsion, connection, straightness, and collection in trot, yet trot and flat walk feel entirely different. Adding to that is the head and neck nod!

I became perplexed with questions like: How do I develop “the feeling of right” between one smooth feeling and another smooth feeling? The flat walk, rack, fox trot, stepping pace, and running walk are all SMOOTH? Once I recognize a gait, what does balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, straightness, and collection feel like in each smooth gait? How do I ride a head nodding horse while maintaining an even contact with both reins?

I had 20 years experience developing “the feeling of right” on trotting horses and this gaited dressage thing was a whole new feeling of right to discover.

It became clear that I needed dressage lessons with my naturally gaited horse to develop a new sense of “the feeling of right.” Since gaited dressage instruction didn’t exist in my area, I began trailering my horse to gaited dressage clinics that came to my region each year. Receiving instruction from Jennie Jackson, Larry Whitesell, Jennifer Bauer, and Bucky Sparks began to give me a better feel for balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, straightness, and collection in order to develop discernment between the smooth gaits, and gait quality.

If you’re fortunate enough to live by a gaited dressage instructor, start taking regular lessons with your naturally gaited horse. If not, join a local dressage club to connect with dressage riders and find an open-minded dressage instructor who will teach you a balanced rider position and effective use and timing of rein, seat, leg and weight aids as you lead your naturally gaited horse into “the feeling of right” as it relates to balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, straightness, and collection in the smooth gaits.

Pursuing “the feeling of right” is an ongoing journey and thanks to the quality instruction I’ve received, I’m developing a better sense of it. You can, too!

If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Please contact me, join the NaturallyGaited Facebook community, and subscribe to the NaturallyGaited YouTube channel.