Dressage helps horses develop quality natural gaits, whether the horse trots, tolts, fox trots, or flat walks.
Dressage is More than Trot
By Jennifer Klitzke
How many times have you heard someone say, “Dressage is only for horses that trot?”
Coming from over 30 years of dressage riding non-gaited horses, much of my focus had been on the quality of the trot. Before buying SeilTanzer, my German warmblood in 1989, I had looked at over 50 dressage prospects to find the best trot I could afford. Back then the trot seemed to define dressage, especially in the show ring.
Eighteen years later I bought my first gaited horse, Makana. Dressage was the only training method I knew, so out of default that’s how I trained my Tennessee Walking Horse from the age of three. I didn’t encourage a trot, rather I focused on developing relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, and engagement to establish her full range of motion for quality smooth gaits. This proves to be extremely helpful as my Walking horse has more gaits than my trotting horses ever did.
When my naturally gaited horse turned five I began to bring her to schooling dressage shows. Ironically, this is where I realized the true essence of dressage. While each judge said they had not evaluated a gaited horse in the dressage ring, each commented on the qualities of rhythm, relaxation, harmony, balance, engagement, connection, straightness, rider’s position and effective use of aids. And that’s what dressage training is all about. Dressage is more than trot.
Dressage is a French term for “training of the horse and rider.” In fact the United States Dressage Federation recognizes the dressage training pyramid in the development of the horse. Not one element in the dressage training pyramid is “trot.” All horses whether they flat walk or trot will benefit from progressive training which develops rhythm (with energy and tempo), relaxation (elasticity and suppleness), connection (acceptance of the aids and bit), impulsion (energy and thrust, straightness with alignment and balance), and collection (engagement, self carriage, lightness of the forehand).
So whether your horse is a scopey warmblood with lots of hang-time, a backyard pony, or a smooth-gaited Walking horse, dressage training will improve the quality of its natural gaits, and you’ll develop an amazing connection with your horse that is both enjoyable to ride and watch.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
I’ve ridden my gaited horse at shows and clinics and through state parks. Now I wonder if starting my Tennessee walking horse over jumps would be different than a trotter?
Starting a Gaited Horse Over Jumps
By Jennifer Klitzke
Fearless, carefree and adventurous. I’ve always aspired to be an event rider, yet fear has held me back. Reflecting on the last few years with Makana, my Tennessee walking horse mare, I’m beginning to see how our experiences have prepared us for reaching this aspiration. We’ve trailered to numerous shows and clinics, ridden through several state parks, a gaited trail trial, and now to face the jumping phase.
Starting my naturally gaited Walking horse over fences wasn’t something I wanted to tackle on my own. So, we trailered to hunter/jumper barn North Run Farm in Delano, MN for professional coaching from long time instructor Len Danielson. He began our lesson by having us walk over ground rails, jump standards, and getting acquainted with flower boxes before jumping over them.
Coach Danielson says, “The trick to jumping is to never scare them.”
One advantage to having a hard trotting horse is that you can introduce a horse to fences at a trot. Since my Walking horse lacked a trot, I had to bite the bullet and do all of our jumping from the canter from the get-go. Yet I was very pleased with how calm and level-headed Makana handled her new experience. She seemed to enjoy herself as much as I did.
Here’s a few pointers Coach Danielson offered when introducing a gaited horse to jumps:
Start with walking over a ground rail, then add a second, and a third. Get the horse relaxed, take breaks, and repeat the exercise at the canter.
Keep jump sizes to ground rails and 12″-heights to build the horse’s confidence.
Keep calves on the sides of the horse to encourage forwardness and remember to grab mane so I don’t bump the horse in the mouth with the bit while jumping over the fence.
Gradually work up to a ground pole placed 16 to 17-feet before a 12″-fence to encourage one canter stride before the jump.
School these exercises once a week and the other riding days just have the horse hop over something during the riding session.
Thanks to Coach Danielson, we are on our way to making my eventing dreams come true. Who knew that I would begin this journey on a horse that doesn’t trot!
North Run Farm offers numerous year-round schooling shows, both jumping and dressage that are open to gaited horses.
Video:Starting a Tennessee Walking Horse over Jumps
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
I’ve ridden my gaited horse at shows and clinics and through state parks. Now I wondered, “Can my Tennessee walking horse jump over fences?”
Can Gaited Horses Jump?
By Jennifer Klitzke
Fearless, carefree and adventurous. I’ve always aspired to be an event rider, yet fear has held me back. Reflecting on the last few years with Makana, my Tennessee walking horse mare, I’m beginning to see how our experiences have prepared us for reaching this aspiration. We’ve trailered to numerous shows and clinics, ridden through several state parks, a gaited trail trial, and now to face the jumping phase.
Starting my naturally gaited Walking horse over fences wasn’t something I wanted to tackle on my own. So, we trailered to hunter/jumper barn North Run Farm in Delano, MN for professional coaching from long time instructor Len Danielson. He began our lesson by having us walk over ground rails, jump standards, and getting acquainted with flower boxes before jumping over them.
Coach Danielson says, “The trick to jumping is to never scare them.”
One advantage to having a hard trotting horse is that you can introduce a horse to fences at a trot. Since my Walking horse lacked a trot, I had to bite the bullet and do all of our jumping from the canter from the get-go. Yet I was very pleased with how calm and level-headed Makana handled her new experience. She seemed to enjoy herself as much as I did.
Here’s a few pointers Coach Danielson offered when introducing a gaited horse to jumps:
Start with walking over a ground rail, then add a second, and a third. Get the horse relaxed, take breaks, and repeat the exercise at the canter.
Keep jump sizes to ground rails and 12″-heights to build the horse’s confidence.
Keep calves on the sides of the horse to encourage forwardness and remember to grab mane so I don’t bump the horse in the mouth with the bit while jumping over the fence.
Gradually work up to a ground pole placed 16 to 17-feet before a 12″-fence to encourage one canter stride before the jump.
School these exercises once a week and the other riding days just have the horse hop over something during the riding session.
Thanks to Coach Danielson, we are on our way to making my eventing dreams come true. Who knew that I would begin this journey on a horse that doesn’t trot!
North Run Farm offers numerous year-round schooling shows, both jumping and dressage that are open to gaited horses.
Video:Starting a Tennessee Walking Horse over Jumps
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Encountering the moose at the gaited trail trial (2011).
Oh, my goodness, I think the weekend spent at the Gaited Trail Trials was the most fun I’ve ever had on horseback: gorgeous weather, beautiful trails, challenging obstacles, encountering a MOOSE (really), and stories about Sasquatch around a campfire with fun and kind people.
Gaited Trail Trial
By Jennifer Klitzke
September 2011, the Minnesota Walking Horse Association sponsored the third annual Gaited Trail Trials at Hobby Horse Farm in Carlton, MN. Many gaited breeds were represented including Walking Horses, Foxtrotters, Icelandics, and Peruvian Pasos.
Around 30 participants rode in groups of two or three through a 2-1/2 hour course along beautifully groomed trails and were confronted with 12 challenging obstacles. Each rider navigated their gaited horse through each obstacle one-by-one and was judged on a scale from 0 to 24. Zero being the best score. (Actually, for those who went the extra challenge could earn a -1 deduction).
Obstacles included a safety check, rocking bridge, opening and closing a gate, a construction zone, an extreme hill, crossing through a river, encountering a scare crow, a moose (yes, moose), navigating through an active camp site and a sawmill, and ending with a gaiting exercise and trailer loading/unloading.
Trail Map
Each participant was given a trail map to navigate the course to each obstacle.
Gaited Trail Trial map
Safety Check: The first check point was a dismounted safety check. Each participant was asked to show their halter, lead rope, pocket knife and hoof pick before tightening their girth and mounting.
The Wobbly Bridge: Each participant rode over a wobbly bridge. Branches and pine boughs were lying on and to each side of the bridge. Makana thought it was a snacking station and the judge had to remove the pine boughs from her mouth twice. She stepped on and off the bridge twice before we moved to the next station.
The Gate: Each rider had to unhook a gate, open it, ride through it, close it, and refasten it. Makana did everything except the final refastening part.
Construction Zone: Each rider had to navigate their horse through a grid of tires and fallen tree trunks. Each side of the trail was covered with fluorescent orange webbing and the judges were hiding in the bushes. Makana was apprehensive but slowly made her way through the grid.
Extreme Hill: Then each group had to decide if they wanted take the steep hill or the EXTREME hill for a bonus deduction (That’s where the -1 score is possible). Our group of three opted for the extreme hill.
When it was our turn, Makana boldly made her way up the hill and I was thinking, “Ah, piece of cake,” until we turned the bend and had about 50-feet of a near perpendicular EXTREME climb. I leaned forward as much as I could with my feet behind me and expelled words I hadn’t expressed in years. We made it! What a good little horse! Thankfully the downhill wasn’t nearly as steep.
The Scarecrow: We were off to the corn field where a scare crow was attached with mylar balloons and placed next to the tallest cornfield I’ve ever seen. Each participant had to ride past the scare crow. A bonus deduction was given if your horse touched it. Makana walked past the scarecrow slowly and I opted not to make her touch it.
The River Raft: The next obstacle was crossing a rushing river that was about 2-3 feet deep. I was so proud of Makana because we have never navigated through moving water before. A bonus deduction was possible if the horse touched an inflatable raft that was tied to the side, plus backing the horse into the deeper current. We opted to just walk through the swift moving water.
The Campsite: This obstacle included a duck blind and boxes. Each rider had to ride their horse while moving and stacking three boxes with a rake. Makana did okay until my grandma hand lost strength and I dropped it.
One of the ribbon winners rode a horse that was blind in one eye and she had a broken arm. I don’t know how she managed to steer her horse and maneuver the boxes with the rake with only one working arm. Amazing!
There were several great stretches for gaiting well-groomed trails through woods and meadows. Seriously, it was so fun to ride at a good clip without bouncing!
The Wood Cutter’s Camp: This multi-sensory obstacle was by far the most frightening for Makana. A blazing fire pit, people chopping wood with axes, a functioning wood splitter, and a back-firing tractor, while a ten-minute rainstorm blew through. I took the easy way out and received a score of “24.”
The Moose: Thanks to connections with the DNR, a moose was hauled in and stationed dead center of the trail. Makana didn’t think the moose was nearly as frightening as the judge’s umbrella to the other side of the trail. Inch-by-inch we worked our way between the umbrella and the moose. A bonus deduction was possible for horses brave enough to touch the moose.
Horse camping at the gaited trail trials.
Congratulations to the winner Rachael Nyenhuis with an amazing score of “3”. Makana and I finished the course with a score of “97”. It was truly the most fun I’ve had with horses and horse people in the 30 years I’ve been riding.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
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