All posts by Jennifer Klitzke

Relaxation for Gaited Horses

How Relaxation Improves Quality Smooth Gaits

How relaxation improves smooth quality gaits
Moments of riding in a long and low position helps the naturally gaited horse relax.

A key in improving quality smooth gaits for the naturally gaited horse is mental and physical relaxation. So, where do you start?

Barefoot Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse Flat Walk

In this post, we will explore:

Does Rhythm Produce Relaxation?

How Tension Affects the Horse and Rider

How Tension Affects Gaits

How French Dressage for the Gaited Horse Leads to Relaxation

How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact

How Relaxation in Mind and Body Creates Smooth Gaits

Does a Relaxed Rider Make a Difference?

Does Rhythm Produce Relaxation?

I began riding dressage with non-gaited horses in 1988. Back then we didn’t have videos, the internet, and the plethora of resources we have today. We were fortunate to have a traveling instructor to teach us.

The Pyramid of Training began with rhythm followed by relaxation. We believed that rhythm produced relaxation. So, for my first 20 years of dressage riding with non-gaited horses, I either lunged my horse until they relaxed (or worn out) or I rode them in 20-meter circles until they were relaxed (or bord). This is what was taught and what I did. I didn’t know there was another way.

Dressage training pyramid

How Tension Affects Horse and Rider

In 2007, I acquired a three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, Makana. I continued the dressage I learned with non-gaited horses. When she was young, Makana often worried about her surroundings and tensed her body. Tension created stiff movement. Was it quality smooth gaits. Not really. Mostly step pacing and a pacey canter.

Makana’s spooking certainly didn’t create relaxation in me. My tense reaction only reinforced her fear, step pacing, and perpetuated her worry. If I continued to ride her while she is worried, I felt like I was riding a stiff plank blowing in the wind, swirling around with each spook−praying to God that I stayed on long enough to establish rhythm in hopes of bringing about relaxation.

I wondered how long does a nervous rider ride a nervous horse through spooks and tension before rhythm is established and relaxation sets in for the horse?

If I could sweat it out, riding a step pacing stiff plank in the wind for an hour, was this really the best approach? What was I teaching my horse? Am I conveying anything positive to my horse through miles of tension? By working a worried horse, wasn’t I training my horse to be worried and reinforcing her fear with my fear? I certainly was reinforcing my fear!

Perhaps a relaxed rider could have helped Makana through her tension and spooking to rhythm until she relaxed. For me, it wasn’t working.

How Tension Affects Gaits

Does tension produce smooth gaits?

With my naturally gaited foxtrotting horse, Lady, when she was tense in her lower jaw, mouth, and poll, she tensed her back and that meant a rocky ride. Leaving it up to her, she’d grab the bit and blast off into a hard, hollow trot. If I pulled on the bit to slow her down, she trotted off even faster. She wasn’t having fun, and neither was I.

Perhaps after a few miles of a hard trot, Lady would have been tired enough to relax into a smooth gait. However, what kind of muscle memory was she learning if I were to lunge and/or ride Lady through the rhythm of a hard, hollow trot for miles until she wore out into relaxation? Wasn’t she just learning to run away in tension until she gave up? I had to find another way.

Barefoot and bareback naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at 17 years old.

How French Dressage for the Gaited Horse Leads to Relaxation

In 2013, I began studying French dressage and applying it with my gaited horses. I began learning ways to lead my horses into relaxation of mind and body.

I purchased French Dressage Master, Philippe Karl’s DVDs: Classic vs Classique, Classical Dressage Volumes 1-4, and The School of Legerete. I also purchased and study his books: Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and The Art of Riding.

Philippe-Karl-Legerete-DVDs-video-camera
My DVD collection of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl.

In addition, I purchased Another Horsemanship, by the late French Dressage Master Jean-Claude Racinet and a video produced by one of his students, Lisa Maxwell, Getting Started in Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as Taught by Jean-Claude Racinet.

Jean Claude Racinet's book and Lisa Maxwell's DVD
The late Jean Claude Racinet’s book Another Horsemanship and Lisa Maxwell’s DVD Getting Started In Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as taught by Jean Claude Racinet presented by one of his students Lisa Maxwell.

While Karl and the late Racinet teach dressage for non-gaited horses, I have found these methods work well for my naturally gaited horses and for me as the rider and trainer. The core of the French dressage philosophy is “respect for the horse” and the foundation of training is relaxation and balance (developed by the hand aid) and impulsion (developed by the leg aid) with separation of the “stop” and “go” aids. The ideal is to train the horse to be responsive to the lightest hand and leg aids.

Watch: How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact

This video shows How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact. The best ways to introduce contact is in hand. Then once the horse learns how to accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact, the same flexibility exercises can be applied in saddle at a halt. Then at a slow walk. The tempo may be increased as long as the horse remains relaxed. If the horse gets tense, bring the horse back to a slower tempo or a halt to restore relaxation.

Educating the horse’s mouth

Instead of lunging and riding a worried or tense horse for miles and miles in hopes to develop rhythm leading to relaxation, I have learned in-hand relaxation and balancing exercises. Then I proceed with the same relaxation and balancing exercises from the saddle at a halt and then at a slow walk. Progressively over time, I increase the tempo to a smooth gait and canter.

Anytime the horse begins to get tense or anxious, I slow down the tempo until relaxation is restored.

After establishing relaxation and balance at a halt, then exercises such as the shoulder in are added.

Through the work in-hand relaxation and balancing exercises, I’ve developed a better partnership of communication and trust with my gaited horses. I’ve found that learning these in-hand relaxation and balancing exercises make riding easier, since my horses already understand what I’m asking for. Within a few minutes of in-hand exercises, my horses are relaxed and ready for quality smooth gaits.

flechi droit
The Flechi droit on a 20-meter circle asks the horse to keep its body bent to the 20-meter circle while the head and neck bend more. This helps the horse find balance in the shoulders, stretches the outside neck muscles, and prepares the horse for balanced circles.

I might have an idea about what I’d like to work on during a riding session, but I am open to adjust these ideas to meet my horse needs. This way we have a productive ride.

Shoulder in on a circle
Shoulder in on a circle and pivot the fore help Lady engage from behind, lift her back and whither by activating her abdominal and chest muscles, and relaxing the jaw, tasting the bit, getting softer on the bridle, and accepting contact.

Anytime my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse gets worried, or my Foxtrotting mare gets tense in her body, I just ease down to a slow walk, halt or even dismount to work in-hand and restore relaxation. I don’t proceed until I’ve established relaxation of mind and body.

How relaxation in mind and body creates smooth gaits

For me and my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, Makana, we don’t pass “GO” before she is relaxed in her mind, then her body. And for my naturally gaited foxtrotting mare, Lady, we don’t proceed until she has relaxation in her body, and then her mind.

Without relaxation, there is no quality rhythm, no quality steps, no trainable or teachable horse to produce quality smooth gaits.

Thankfully French dressage has been the training philosophy I needed for my naturally gaited horses. Directing the horse to relaxation in mind makes a teachable horse−less tense and distracted and able to stay more focused on our time together. Teaching the gaited horse to relax its body leads to smoother gaits.

Ways to lead the horse into relaxation are:

  • Teaching the horse to accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact
  • Teaching the horse how to relax the mouth, lower jaw, and poll which will help the horse relax the back
  • Riding with a snaffle bit contact and following the natural head and neck motion with relaxed hands, arms, and shoulders
  • Developing a partnership of trust and harmony with the horse

Relaxation of the horse’s jaw and back are especially important for the naturally gaited horse. The gaited horse is more prone to pacing when there is tension in the mouth, lower jaw, poll, and back, and has learned bit avoidance.

My Tennessee Walking Horse has learned to relax her mouth, lower jaw, poll, and back. The step pace and lateral canter are gone. Now she has quality smooth gaits such as flat walk, running walk and saddle rack, and her canter is a quality three-beat canter.

natural Tennessee walking horse flat walk
Smooth, natural gaits such as the flat walk, running walk, fox trot and saddle rack are fun to ride! Shown above is a naturally gaited and barefoot Tennessee walking horse performing an evenly timed, four beat flat walk with a head nod.

For my foxtrotting mare, by relaxing her mouth and lower jaw helps her relax her back. The hollow, hard trot is gone. Now she consistently offers a smooth gait.

balanced fox trot with contact
Relaxation of mind and body has transformed Lady’s gait from hard trot to smooth gait.

Does a Relaxed Rider make a Difference?

Applying French dressage with my gaited horses in hand and in saddle has built my confidence as the trusted leader in our partnership. It has also helped me be a more relaxed rider when we increase the tempo to a smooth gait or canter.

Over the last several years, I have learned tools that have helped me become a more relaxed and confident rider. My relaxation and confidence lead my naturally gaited horses into relaxation of mind and body. From this relaxation in both me and my horses I can then help them produce quality, smooth gaits.

Neck extension at a flat walk
Riding my smooth gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana in a flat walk with neck extension. The neck extension allows the horse to both stretch its spine and build its top line while allowing maximum stride length.

Learn more about Dressage for the Gaited Horse

I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.

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Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Is Dressage Riding the Right Choice for You?

Is Dressage Riding Right for You?

There are many ways to train your naturally gaited horse. Is dressage the right choice for you?

By Jennifer Klitzke

You don’t have to show dressage to learn how to ride dressage with your naturally gaited horse. Dressage doesn’t require that you ride in an english saddle. Dressage doesn’t even require that you ride in an arena, but here are a few things to consider if dressage is a good choice for you.

10 questions to ask if dressage is right for you:

  1. Do you desire to train your horse in a manner that can prolong your horse’s soundness and riding career?
  2. Do you desire to teach your naturally gaited horse gaits on cue that break up pace and the hard trot for a smooth natural ride?
  3. Do you desire to learn and apply a humane training method with your naturally gaited horse that doesn’t use heavy shoes and pads, harsh bits, big spurs, and artificial training aids?
  4. Do you desire two-way communication with your horse?
  5. Do you LOVE the process of learning?
  6. Are you committed to riding your horse regularly, at least three days a week?
  7. Are you willing to learn how to become an effective and aware rider in order to communicate consistently with your horse in ways your horse understands?
  8. Are you willing to invest in regular lessons (two-four lessons a month for several years) with an experienced dressage or gaited dressage instructor?
  9. Are you open to an instructor’s feedback in order to improve your riding that will in turn help your horse?
  10. Will you apply what you learn between lessons in order to progress in your riding skills and sense of feel?

If you’ve answered “yes” to all 10 questions, you are a PERFECT candidate for dressage, and your naturally gaited horse will thank you!

My naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady and I practicing quality trot on cue to develop engagement and the top line muscles on a 20-meter circle.

Dressage isn’t for everyone, though. And that is okay. For those who ride once a week or once a month or for those who are unable to take regular lessons with an experienced dressage instructor, dressage isn’t going to be good choice.

Here’s why.

Dressage is a form of riding and consistent communication with your horse every time you are together

The main ways dressage riding uses to communicate with your horse are through your balanced riding position and effective use and timing of your reins, legs, seat and weight aids.

Effective rider aids and a balanced riding position can lead your naturally gaited horse into:

  • Relaxation of mind and body
  • Balance of the horse’s weight more equally on all four legs and posture in the chest instead of on the forehand
  • Forward energy from the hindquarters without rushing
  • Steady rhythm with even strides
  • Connection from the hindquarters, through the back to the bit
  • Contact with a snaffle bit teaching the horse to accept connection while also following the natural head and neck motion of the horse with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands
  • Engagement of the hindquarters to step deeper under the belly and activating the belly to lift the back to a neutral position
  • Straightness, meaning training the horse to be equally flexible in both directions
  • And ultimately collection to do really fun things like the counted walk, piaffe, and canter pirouettes after the horse has been physically developed

The effective use and timing of rider aids and a balanced riding position can develop these attributes and lead your naturally gaited horse to quality smooth gaits on cue and a partnership of harmony.

Trail riding with a gaited horse.
Trail riding with a gaited horse.

Unfortunately, becoming an effective dressage rider can’t be grasped in a two-minute Youtube video. It takes commitment and an investment of time and money–often years–of regular lessons in order to develop a balanced riding position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat, and weight aids. In fact, top dressage riders continue to take regular lessons, because dressage cannot be perfected and riders never stop learning. Dressage is a journey.

Learning dressage is an investment

Dressage lessons are an education. You can expect to pay $50-$75 or more for a 45-minute lesson. The more experienced the dressage instructor, the more you will pay for a lesson. Some instructors pay a facility fee to teach there. If you use a school horse, it will also cost. Traveling clinicians cost even more because of their expertise, insurance, and added travel and lodging expenses.

It also takes commitment to develop your horse physically for dressage. This means you need to ride your horse up to six days a week. Your riding sessions don’t need to be long, just consistent. This will help you and your horse progress. Riding three days a week can help maintain your horse’s training and conditioning. If you desire to advance with your horse, you’ll need to ride more often.

Developing the feeling of right

So much of learning how to become a dressage rider is developing the sense of feel. The best way to learn feel is with an experienced dressage instructor who can help you become aware of how it feels when the horse is moving well, what to do when it doesn’t feel right, and how to direct your horse back to the feeling of right. After you have learned how it feels with one horse, it takes time to discern the feeling of right when riding different horses.

Dressage riders learn to work through conflict

Sometimes progress is slow. Sometimes there are set backs. Sometimes it feels like you hit a brick wall with your training or you can’t figure how to overcome a bad riding habit or mental obstacles such as the fear of falling off. Dressage riders press on and overcome obstacles and work through these conflicts with their instructors.

Becoming a dressage rider is entering a relationship with the horse and learning how to work through conflict, discerning if you’re encountering resistance, if your horse is trying to tell you it hurts or it isn’t clear with your instructions. A dressage rider is always searching for resolution with day-to-day conflict and breaking through a recurring issue. When that happens it makes the struggle worth it!

Becoming a dressage rider and working through conflict with my horses and facing my riding fears have taught me to be a better and more understanding and compassionate person with people.

Dressage riders have a different perspective

What sets dressage riders apart from pleasure riders is their utter passion for learning and improving their riding and their horse’s development. A dressage rider can be consumed with enjoyment by just traveling in a 20-meter circle. A pleasure rider would say, “Boring!”

Why? To a dressage rider, every step of that 20-meter circle is a thinking, sensing and feeling world, and communicating with their horse through the reins, legs, seat and weight aids.

Oops, falling in. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, need more engagement. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, falling on the forehand. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, rushing a bit. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, getting tense in the jaw and back. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward.

Hurrah! Seven amazing steps in a row with balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, and deep even strides. The feeling is euphoric! Praise and release and enjoy the ride until the next communication to restore. No worries.

A word about showing dressage

Dressage isn’t something you do only at a show. The purpose of dressage shows are to perform before a trained dressage judge the effectiveness of your balanced riding position and the use and timing of your rein, leg, seat and weight aids. Together, this balanced riding position and set of aids communicate with the horse to lead the horse through the test requirements.

Dressage shows feature a series of tests beginning with Introductory level on up to Grand Prix–what you see in the Olympics–only with trotting horses.

Dressage isn’t something you do only at shows.

Every dressage test is written to evaluate flexibility in both directions. This checks for how ambidextrous the horse has become through its training. During the ride, a scribe writes the judge’s scores and feedback on the test. Riders can take home the test sheet with comments and scores. The test results confirm whether the rider and horse are ready to move up to the next level in training. Generally, if they are consistently scoring over 65%, they are ready to move up. Showing Gaited Dressage>

Naturally Gaited Dressage is More than Trot

For those who pursue dressage, here’s what you can expect

Dressage offers many benefits for your naturally gaited horse such as prolonging your horse’s soundness. Dressage teaches the rider to help the horse find relaxation in its mind, body and travel more balanced on all four legs, and activate the abdominal muscles to lift the back from a hollow to neutral position. Plus, dressage is a humane training method that doesn’t use heavy shoes and pads, harsh bits, big spurs, and artificial training aids. This helps the horse stay sounder longer.

Dressage offers benefits for the rider as well such as helping your naturally gaited horse break up pace and the hard trot for a smooth natural ride that is easier on the rider’s body.

Dressage is a two-way communication between the rider and horse through a balanced riding position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids.

So, if you LOVE the process of learning and improving your riding position and effective use and timing of your aids to help develop your horse, and you enjoy riding often, at least three days a week, dressage is a great choice!

stretching the outside muscles
Me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana practicing shoulder in on a circle, one of my favorite exercises to develop balance, connection, and softness.

Find an experienced dressage instructor

You’ll need to find an experienced dressage instructor who will school you in developing a balanced riding position and becoming effective with your rein, leg, seat, and weight aids at the proper timing. This will help you communicate consistently with your horse in ways your horse understands. You don’t need to find a gaited dressage instructor to teach you this.

For me, I took regular lessons with my dressage instructor for 12 years. I took two lessons a month. After each lesson, I kept a notebook and wrote down everything we worked, everything I learned, and I practiced what I learned until the next lesson. Many dressage riders I know take one or two lessons a week. If I had the money, I would have done the same, so I made best use with the lessons I could afford.

naturallygaited-Jennie-Jackson-dressage=as=applied-to-the-gaited-horse-clinic

My regular dressage lessons ended when my husband and I moved to a rural hobby farm. Not much dressage where I live, let alone gaited dressage.

Yet, I still take as many lessons as I can with dressage and gaited dressage clinicians who come to my state, like Jennie Jackson.

Bottom line, to learn dressage, you need to take regular lessons for a long time. Olympic dressage riders take regular lessons. Dressage is a riding discipline that cannot be perfected. That’s why I love dressage so much. Every ride is new. It never gets boring, because there is always something to improve, usually with me, and then my horse follows.

Find the right dressage instructor for you

If you have the option of choosing from several dressage instructors, I would watch how they teach and find the instructor who suits you best. Ask them questions about their teaching style and how their approach with a new dressage student and one with a horse that gaits instead of trots.

Every instructor has their own style and personality. Some are direct, firm and to the point, others are gentle and encouraging and instill confidence, others are driven to achieve and desire to see their students in competition, others are laid back, fun and could care less about showing. Some are better teachers than riders. Some are better riders than teachers. Some have a set curriculum that all students work through. Some meet the individual needs of you and your horse. Some have thick accents that make it hard to understand what they are saying. Some cost more than others. Some travel to your barn. Others require that you trailer your horse to their facility.

Getting to know your instructor can be uncomfortable. I remember a couple of my instructors spent our first couple lessons working in hand. I never even got on my horse! And this was after over 20 years of riding. I had to be open minded to hear what I was being taught if I wanted to learn from these instructors. One of my teachers is an instructor in training with Philippe Karl, and I needed to learn how to work in hand. It makes riding easier. I am so grateful!

Dressage is a partnership

Dressage is a partnership between the rider and the horse. We are in a relationship together. Sometimes a circle. Sometimes sorting cows. Sometimes on the trail.

NAWD Intro 2
Lady in her easy gait while showing NAWD Intro 2

Enjoy the journey!

What are your thoughts? Please reach out and send me a message or stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and “like” us on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Straightness Improves Even Smooth Gait

Straightness improves even gait
How straightness improves flexibility and even stride for quality smooth gaits.

What is straightness? Does this mean riding straight lines? Why train straightness with your naturally gaited horse and how does straightness improve even, quality smooth gaits?

Straightness Improves Even Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

It might be surprising to know that the quality of straightness in dressage isn’t about traveling straight lines. Straightness develops symmetry and an ambidextrous horse that is flexible and supple. Straightness is key to develop quality smooth gaits with even strides.

Did you know that most horses are born right sided or left sided? This happens as they develop in the womb curved to one side. The inside curve of the body contracts and the outside of the body stretches.

This foal development in the womb produces imbalances in the naturally gaited horse including, stiffer outside muscles in one direction more than the other; unequal use of shoulders; tilting the poll; and an unequal use of carrying and weight bearing of each hind leg that impacts rhythm and a steady head nod for naturally gaited Tennessee walking horses and Fox Trotting horse.

How to Improve Even Quality Smooth Gaits with Straightness

Improve straightness by discovering the stiffer side

One way to know which side your horse is more contracted is to notice which side the mane falls. It flops to the inside of the curve while the horse is formed in womb. After the horse is born, the mane continues to flop to the same side.

While riding a horse that hasn’t developed symmetry or straightness, you’ll notice that it is easier to ride a circle in the direction where the mane flops to the inside of the circle. When you reverse the direction, it will be harder for the horse to maintain a circle because the outside muscles are stiffer when the mane-flopping side faces outside of the circle. Often riders think their problem is with the inside bend of the horse. Rather, the real problem is the outside muscles are stiff and the horse is having trouble stretching to produce a bend to the inside.

In other words, a horse struggles to stretch its outside muscles which causes the symptom of not being able to bend to the inside of the circle.

Riders need to help their horses become ambidextrous by stretching the stiff outside muscles until their horses are equally flexible in both directions. Riding your naturally gaited horse on a 20-meter circle is a great way to begin—twice as much in the direction of stiff outside muscles.

Improve straightness by noticing shoulder imbalance

Another way asymmetry presents itself on a circle is when the horse leans on the inside shoulder one direction and falls out through the shoulder the other direction.

Improve straightness by noticing poll imbalance

Also, the horse’s head will tilt at the poll. A great sign is when the ears aren’t level. This usually happens when the horse is traveling with its mane-flopping side to the outside of the circle where the muscles are stiffer and need to stretch.

Improve straightness by noticing uneven rhythm

In addition, the stiffer side and more flexible side on a circle affect how the horse uses its hind legs. One leg bears more weight under the body and the other will push more from behind. This becomes noticeable on a circle. The horse tends to step shorter and under its body with the hind leg of the mane-flopping side while the other hind leg will push more from the non mane-flopping side. This uneven use of the hind legs produces an uneven rhythm.

Improve straightness by noticing uneven head nodding

This uneven rhythm on a circle really becomes apparent for naturally gaited breeds such as the Tennessee walking horse and Fox trotter. Why? Because there are more moving parts than the trotting horse. Not only do all legs move independently to produce a smooth, even four-beat gait, but these breeds have a head nod. It is much easier to create rhythm in the trotting horse breeds because there are less moving parts.

For the naturally gaited horse, the lack of straightness or symmetry really becomes apparent when riding on a circle. The horse might take a few consistent steps in a smooth, even four-beat gait rhythm and then lose rhythm, break gait, begin to rush, or have uneven hind leg steps.

Think of riding a circle as two circles not one

Part of the reason the horse loses rhythm on a circle is that the horse’s outside muscles are stiff. Another reason is that a horse is actually traveling on two circles: a larger circle with its outside legs and a smaller circle with its inside legs.

Here’s an extreme example, yet it illustrates the point that the outside of a circle is a bigger than the inside of the circle. Have you ever watched a drill team perform a circle in a straight line? You’ll notice that the horses in the center are barely moving. Each consecutive horse moves faster until you reach the end of the line. The end horse is galloping in order to maintain a straight line.

In order for the horse to maintain rhythm, it needs to lengthen and stretch the outside of its body to take bigger strides with its outside legs in order to keep up with the smaller circle of the inside legs. It will be easier for horse to travel on a circle with its mane-flopping side to the inside, because the non mane-flopping side stretches more easily. Switch directions and it will be more difficult, because the horse has to stretch its stiffer outside muscles and take longer strides to keep up with the smaller inside circle.

This is one big reason why circles are used so much in dressage to help horses become ambidextrous. As the horse advances in its flexibility, the circles get smaller to increase the stretching of the outside muscles. Twenty meter-circles become 15-meter circles to 10-meter circles.

If you’ve ridden your naturally gaited horse in a circle, you’ve likely felt the difference between one direction and the other. Now you know why. It is up to us to develop our naturally gaited horses evenly on both sides by stretching the stiff outside muscles using circles and lateral exercises Shoulder-in, shoulder-out, haunches in, and haunches out are great lateral exercises that stretch the outside muscles and also teach our naturally gaited horses balance in their chest and shoulders. Chest balance lifts the head and neck and the wither. The horse learns to carry its own head and neck and not lean on the bit and the rider’s hands.

In the end, straightness training on circles and lateral exercises will help our naturally gaited horses become more even in their strides, consistent in their rhythm and head nod, and stronger and more flexible in both directions.

In addition to lots of circles, below are three of my favorite exercises that help develop straightness, flexibility and balance: the flechi-droit, counter bend neck rein turns, and the shoulder-in on a circle. These exercises can be introduced to your horse in-hand and then in the saddle at a walk and later in gait.

Exercises for Straightness, Flexibility and Balance

flechi droit
The Flechi droit on a 20-meter circle asks the horse to keep its body bent to the 20-meter circle while the head and neck bend more. This helps the horse find balance in the shoulders, stretches the outside neck muscles, and prepares the horse for balanced circles.

Flechi-droit (pronounced fleshy-doowa)

The flechi-droit isn’t an exercise taught in mainstream dressage. It is a French dressage exercise. To me, the exercise looks and feels super weird, but the flechi-droit produces so many great benefits for the horse and coordination of aids for the rider.

  1. The flechi-droit teaches the rider coordination of the rein aids.
  2. The flechi-droit stretches the outside neck muscles of the stiff outside muscles which is important in developing straightness.
  3. The flechi-droit teaches the horse straightness in the shoulders, meaning the horse isn’t leaning on the inside shoulder or falling out with the outside shoulder.
  4. The flechi-droit is a great preparatory for circles. Developing straightness in the shoulders using the flechi-droit is crucial before introducing circles. If the horse develops a habit of leaning on the inside shoulder, the horse develops a habit of being crooked, not straight, and the rider develops the feeling of crookedness as the norm.

    When the horse is straight in the shoulders, the horse can be introduced to circles. In this way, the rider will feel if the horse begins to lose straightness. Then the rider can return the horse to the flechi-droit for straightness and try the circle again.

In the flechi-droit, the horse’s body travels straight along the wall or following the arc of a 20-meter circle and the neck is bent inward 45 to 90-degrees. The flechi-droit is introduced in hand at a halt and walk and then in the saddle at a halt and then a slow walk. Later the flechi-droit can be applied at a trot or gait once the horse and rider are comfortable in the exercise.

Counter bending

The purpose of the counter bend neck rein turn is to move the balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder. This will help the naturally gaited horse find lightness in the smooth gait.
neck rein turn out of balance
This is how NOT to do a counter bend neck rein. Crossing of the outside leg over the inside leg throws the horse out of balance. The purpose of the counter bend neck rein turn is to move the balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder. This will help the naturally gaited horse find lightness in there smooth gait.

Sequence of counter bending aids:

  1. Begin at a very slow walk
  2. The rider positions the horse’s head and neck slightly to the outside bend enough to see the horse’s eye
  3. Then the rider draws both hands to the opposite side and motions gentle sideways nudges with the reins at the timing of the inside front leg in motion to shift the horse’s balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder
  4. The outside leg steps forward while the inside leg steps into the circle as if the horse is extending sideways
  5. As the rider and horse get a good sense of the sequence and timing of aids, the tempo can increase
  6. Counter bend neck rein turns can be done in serpentines, squares, figure eights, circles and random turns as needed for lightness

I have been applying counter bend neck rein turns with my naturally gaited horses for a couple years now. We do serpentines, squares, figure eights, circles and random turns as needed for straightness and lightness. These exercises began at a slow walk, to a slow gait, and then we increased the tempo.

To my amazement, the counter bend neck rein turns have freed up my horses’ shoulders. My naturally gaited horses have become lighter in my hands, because they are less on the forehand and more balanced overall.

Think about it: if the horse is turning through the shoulders, they cannot be on the forehand or leaning on the bit, right?

Counter bends eventually improved the quality of our true bends–which actually are straightening around circles and corners since horse’s spine doesn’t actually bend. Horses spines move side-to-side with each step. How can the spine remain at an arc when it is in motion? It can’t.

Shoulder-in on a circle

shoulder-in on a circle
Shoulder in on a circle: this exercise checks the mobility of the horse’s hind leg stepping under its belly.


One of my favorite exercises for improving balance in the naturally gaited horse are shoulder-in voltes (shoulder in on a small circle). It is helpful to teach the horse this exercise in-hand and the introduce shoulder-in on a circle while riding at a “slow” but “active” walk.

Benefits of shoulder-in volte for the rider and horse:

  1. It teaches the rider the coordination of hand, leg, seat, and weight aids.
  2. It stretches the outside muscles of the horse’s body to develop equal flexibility in both directions.
  3. It strengthens the horse’s inside hind leg as it steps under its body.
  4. It produces balance when the horse lifts its chest and shoulders and engages its hindquarters to lighten the forehand.
  5. It produces softness.
  6. The shoulder in ultimately improves the quality of the natural smooth gaits as the medium walk, flat walk, running walk, and canter.

Watch the video below of me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking. While we perform the shoulder-in on a circle, I’ll explain the rein and weight aids, the importance of maintaining an even contact with both hands to the snaffle bit, while following the natural head and neck motion of the horse in walk, flat walk, running walk and canter.

Is your naturally gaited horse really stiff in the jaw and poll? This next blog post has many great exercises to teach your naturally gaited horse that will make the rest of your smooth gaited riding easier. Beginning lessons in Legerete>

I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.

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Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Rider Tension & its Effect on the Gaited Horse

Rider tension and its effect on the naturally gaited horse

An ear-hip-heel riding position helps us stay balanced with our naturally gaited horse, but did you know that inner body tension can send unintended messages to our horse?

Here’s my story…

Rider Tension and its Effect on the Naturally Gaited Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

I couldn’t wait to get back to the Schmitt Training Center and take lessons with Rick and Kari after the Ecole de Legerete clinic with Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux. I wanted to continue practicing what we learned.

This time I didn’t bring my naturally gaited horses with me. Rather I rode two of their amazing school horses, one of which is named Kahlua. Rick and Kari are wonderful teachers, and Kahlua is equally as good–(likely because Rick and Kari trained her).

Kahlua is a 23-year-old half Arabian who was the catalyst that brought Kari and Rick together. Over fifteen years ago Kari was having some training challenges with Kahlua and asked Rick for help, and they have been together ever since.

We began our lesson reviewing work in hand that Bertrand taught. We wanted Kahlua light and following the bit, not leaning on the bit or resisting the bit. Kahlua is a champ. She is light and responsive–much lighter than I have ever experienced. Now I have something to shoot for with my naturally gaited horses at home.

Kahlua taught me an important lesson about my inner body tension.
A balanced riding position is important, and Kahlua taught me another important lesson about my inner body tension.

While riding Kahlua at a walk, she began to slow down, so I squeezed and released my calves, clucked, and tapped her with the whip as I would riding my gaited horses. She moved forward for a few steps and began slowing down again.

While my riding position was aligned ear-hip-heel, Kahlua was telling me that my inner body was tense–like a half halt. My shoulders were tense, my back was tense, and my hips were tense. Kahlua slowed down because my tense body told her to slow down.

I mentioned this to Rick and Kari, and they were thrilled that I noticed this.

Interesting. I am not sure if I was tense because I was riding an unfamiliar horse or because I was taking a lesson OR if I am tense all the time and just needed a responsive horse like Kahlua to tell me so.

If the latter is true, I just wonder how much of an impact my inner body tension has had on my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse’s lack of forwardness and my naturally gaited fox trotting horse’s over-zealous desire to speed off? Could one horse be stopping because I am telling her to and the other trying to run away from my body tension? Hmmm…

Now that I am back to riding my naturally gaited horses, I am paying great attention to my inner body relaxation, because I clearly see how much of an impact it has on a horse’s movement.

My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in an active forward flat walk.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in an active forward flat walk.

Makana is moving more forward with less reminders on my part, and Lady is more relaxed, (but I still think she enjoys being fast if you ask me!)

My naturally gaited fox trotting horse performing a shoulder in on a small circle.
My naturally gaited fox trotting horse performing a shoulder in on a small circle.

I hope this is helpful.

What are your thoughts? Please reach out and send me a message or stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and “like” us on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

French Dressage for Gaited Horses

Ecole de Légèreté Comes to the Midwest

Connecting the dots by seeing Ecole de Légèreté live. I was both humbled and awestruck auditing a PHENOMENAL Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) clinic with Classical French Dressage Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux.

By Jennifer Klitzke

Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl certified Bertrand Ravoux in 2007 as his first Licenced Ecole de Légèreté Master Instructor. Bertrand only teaches Instructor Training Clinics in the USA and Europe. Yet owners Rick and Kari of the Schmitt Training Center in Sommerset, WI were fortunate to have Bertrand come to the Midwest for the first time. Not only that, but the lucky eight riders were not in the Instructor Training program. Even more rare was that one of the eight horses was a naturally gaited Icelandic!

As soon as I heard Bertrand was coming to the Midwest, I signed up immediately, as did dozens of auditors traveling as far as Missouri. I didn’t want to miss out on live in-person instruction about this form of dressage that I have been studying the last seven years through Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books: Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and The Art of Riding.

Philippe-Karl-Legerete-DVDs-video-camera
My DVD library of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl.

This Ecole de Légèreté clinic was composed of a diverse mix of horses such as an Icelandic, off-the-track Thoroughbred, Norwegian Fjord, Arabian/Holsteiner, Zweibrücken, Holsteiner, Dutch Warmblood, and an Arabian Saddlebred. Equally diverse were the mix of riders ranging from Intro level to Intermediare.

Bertrand’s kind and encouraging teaching style met each student and horse exactly where they were at in their training. He led both the rider and horse to relaxation and confidence, forwardness, straightness, and balance through the full range of motion: neck extension to collection to lateral bending.

For me, many dots were connected from studying Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books that only witnessing this form of riding in person can do. The only thing that could top auditing the clinic would be riding in it. And I am keeping my fingers crossed for future clinics and perhaps applying to participate in the three-year Instructor Certification program.

Throughout the Ecole de Légèreté clinic, Bertrand instructed each rider to lead their horse through exercises that helped achieve balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, straightness, and collection. If a horse became heavy on the forehand, he offered useful instruction for lightness in the bridle and exercises to lighten the forehand. If a horse became sleepy, he encouraged the rider to engage the horse through forwardness along the long side of the arena in a neck extension.

Each rider was instructed how to help their horse become light to the hand and light to the leg and to work their horse in relaxation,  balance, straightness, and forwardness through its full range of motion (laterally and longitudinally) to improve its quality of gaits. Watching the riders lead their horses through exercises in hand and from the saddle better helped my understanding of this kind and humane dressage method.

My biggest Ecole de Légèreté clinic takeaways

  1. The importance of rider clarity of the leg, rein, seat, and weight aids to help the horse’s understanding
  2. The importance of the rider training the horse to be light to the leg and light to the hand:
    • ONE leg aid means “go” and what to do if the horse doesn’t
    • The difference between a rein aid to lighten a horse that is leaning on the bit (demi-arête) and a rein aid to ask the horse to follow the contact (action/reaction)
  3. The importance of the position and use of the reins:
    • Always raise the hand(s) to communicate with the corner(s) of the horse’s lips which is less sensitive
    • Never pull the reins back and press the bit on the tongue which causes pain
    • The importance of the outside rein contact
    • The use of the inside rein to encourage the horse to soften the jaw, taste the bit, and flex at the poll
    • The neutral position of the hands close together and above the pommel with elbows relaxed at side
  4. The importance of straightness of the horse’s shoulders and what to do when one shoulder dominates
  5. The importance of working the horse’s full range of motion laterally and longitudinally, relaxed, balanced and actively forward as well as slow and engaged to improve the quality of gaits

Watching the naturally gaited Icelandic

I was so excited to watch how Bertrand instructed a naturally gaited horse during the four-day clinic and address the following issues:

  • This 15-year-old gaited horse was lateral in all of its gaits: pacey camel walk, a hard pace, and lateral canter. 
  • The horse leaned on the bit.
  • The horse was on the lazy side.
  • The horse was slouching its chest muscles which caused it to be heavy on the forehand. It leaned on its shoulders instead of carried its weight equally on all four legs. 

I was glued to how Bertrand addressed pace, laziness, and heaviness on the bit and shoulders (as my naturally gaited fox trotting horse and I struggle with the latter and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I could be more forward and responsive to the leg than we are). 

Bertrand’s instructions:

  1. Teach a lateral moving horse diagonal movements on cue:
    • The shoulder-in on a circle at an active yet slow walk is an excellent exercise to a diagonal movement. It is impossible for a horse to pace while performing the shoulder-in on a small circle.
    • A quality rein back is a diagonal movement. Teach the horse walk-rein back-walk-rein back transitions.
    • Lunge the horse over ground rails to establish trot on cue.
    • Trot is the diagonal gait. Teach the horse trot-walk-trot transitions and trot-canter-trot transitions.
  2. Teach the horse to be light to the hands.
    • It is the horse’s responsibility to carry its own head and neck. The horse is not to lean on the rider’s hands. The rider needs to teach the horse to be light.
    • Anytime the horse leans on one or both reins, the rider make a QUICK motion upward (not back) with one or both reins. This tells the horse to stop leaning on the rein or reins.
    • It is important that the motion with one or both hands is quick and upward to affect the corner(s) of the horse’s lips and not pull back which would hurt the horse by pulling on the tongue.
    • The idea is to make one quick motion upward, the horse becomes light, and the horse stays at the same head and neck position that the rider desires, no lower. If the horse leans on one or both reins again, then the rider makes another quick action upward with one or both reins.
  3. Teach the horse to be light to the leg.
    • Go means go. One leg aid means “go.” If not, the rider does not continue to squeeze and prompt the horse forward with the leg. No. The rider uses one leg aid and if the horse doesn’t move forward and stay forward, the rider lightly taps the horse’s hindquarters with the whip in a slow, rhythmic way, gradually increasing the tap until the horse moves forward. Eventually the horse will learn that one leg aid means, “go.”
    • For the horse that like to be on the lazy side, it means freshening up the horse with a REALLY forward gait, like trot, as fast as a canter forward. The rider posted to the Icelandic’s pace in a neck extension.
    • The rider encourages to the horse to take the rein contact into a forward neck extension straight along the wall. The horse extends its head and neck outward and down with the nose pointing forward. The poll is no lower than the height of the whither. The horse keeps an open throat latch (an open angle between the underside neck to jaw). The neck extension stretches the top line muscles of the horse, stretches the spine while engaging the horse from behind in forwardness and balance.
  4. Teach the horse how to travel in a straight line with the neck bent 90 degrees to the inside (fléchi droit) before teaching circles.
    • It wasn’t until this clinic that I understood the purpose for this exercise that I learned a few years ago when I took lessons from a student of Philippe Karl. This exercise teaches the horse to be balanced equally on both shoulders without collapsing to the inside shoulder. It is very important to establish this before teaching circles to a horse, otherwise the horse will learn to fall onto the inside shoulder.
    • This exercise also stretches the horse’s outside neck muscles.
    • Once the horse has established the bend in the neck and is traveling balanced on both shoulders, then the horse can be led into a small circle (volte) in a neck extension position.
  5. Teach the horse how to work its shoulders in balance.
    • For the horse that is heavy on the forehand (collapsing one or both shoulders), a terrific exercise is counter bending the horse and neck reining the opposite direction.
    • By neck rein, it means that the rider draws both hands to the opposite side of the bend. This teaches the horse to move the shoulders. If the horse isn’t moving the shoulders, then the rider makes side ways nudges until the horse moves. (Don’t use the inside leg unless you are cueing the hind leg to move over). 
    • This counter bend neck rein exercise can be done on a circle, figure 8, or serpentine changing the bend at each short side to the counter bend and walking straight between bends to the next counter bend loop.

Within the first 45-minute lesson, Bertrand had taught the rider how to lead her Icelandic into a natural four-beat walk instead of a pacey, camel walk. The naturally gaited Icelandic remained in a quality walk for the remaining three lessons.

Some progress was made in breaking up the hard pace, but it will take time. After all it is not realistic to expect a 15-year old hard pacing horse to learn a diagonal gait, like trot, in four lessons. I truly believe this horse can do it with the rider’s persistence in Bertand’s suggestions.

Friends, auditing the Ecole de Légèreté clinic with Bertrand, a Certified Master Instructor, was humbling, awe inspiring and educational. I wish I had photos and video to go along with this post, but photos and video were not allowed. Instead, I highly encourage you to purchase Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books. You will not be disappointed and if you live near an Ecole de Légèreté clinic, it is a must see!

Ecole de Légèreté 

I will continue to share approved photos from the Ecole de Légèreté community on the Naturally Gaited Facebook page. Make sure you “like” and “follow” to stay connected.

Stay tuned. I will begin sharing my application of what I learned in the clinic with my naturally gaited horses in future posts. I am especially excited to apply all that I learned with Lady, my naturally gaited fox trotting horse in helping her be light to the hand and help my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse be lighter to the leg.

If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us»

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