Dressage for the naturally gaited horse offers many benefits include improving the full range of motion.
Dressage for the naturally gaited horse introduces many unique exercises that offer many benefits include improving the full range of motion, helping the horse find balance over the body mass, developing engagement of the hindquarters, abdominal muscles and chest muscles, and improving symmetry.
One of the best benefits dressage exercises offer the gaited horse are that they diagonalize the footfalls to break up pace for a four-beat smooth gait and break up a lateral canter for a truer three-beat canter.
Each time I ride my naturally gaited horse; I think about an accordion player. To produce the full scale of notes, the accordion stretches out and then gathers together. Riding a naturally gaited horse using dressage is similar to develop the full range of motion. There are neck extensions that stretch the top line muscles and spine and improve stride length and over track. There are also exercises that stretch the horse’s muscles longitudinally and exercises that help the horse engage.
This post and the video below capture elements from one riding session. Me and my then 16-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, Makana work through dressage exercises and the full range of motion to improve quality smooth gaits.
Watch: Improving Full Range of Motion for the Gaited Horse
Developing full range of motion with dressage exercises
Flechi droit is not taught in mainstream dressage. It was an exercise I learned when studying classical equitation. There are many benefits to learning this exercise. Beginning at a slow walk, the horse keeps its body straight and turns its neck and head 45 to 90-degrees. This helps the horse learn shoulder balance and also stretches the outside neck muscles.
Shoulder in is the next exercise I like to do with my naturally gaited horse at a low walk. It can be done on three or four tracks on a straight line or on a small circle shown here. It is a wonderful exercise for suppling, balancing and engaging the horse. In this exercise the inside hind leg steps under the body mass.
Haunches in: After the shoulder in, I transition to the haunches in which can be done on three or four tracks on a straight line or on a small circle shown here. It is a wonderful exercise for suppling, balancing and engaging the horse. In this exercise the outside hind leg steps under the body mass.
Shoulder fore: Any time my naturally gaited horse gets stiff in the flat walk, I like to place her on a 15–20-meter circle in a shoulder-fore position. This helps her find suppleness, balance and engagement in the smooth gait.
Counter bend neck rein turns: Another great exercise for the naturally gaited horse is counter bend neck rein turns. This exercise can be done at a slow walk or in a smooth gait as shown here and in the video. The rider positions the horse’s bend to see the outside eye. Then as the inside shoulder is about to move forward, the rider motions both reins from the outside to the inside. The outside rein touches against the outside neck. This indicates to the horse to transfer weight from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder. This exercise has wonderful benefits for the naturally gaited horse in lightening the forehand.
Neck extension at a flat walk shows the horse stretching the head and neck forward and out to stretch the spine and top line muscles.
These exercises help the naturally gaited horse find balance over the body mass, lighten the forehand and shoulders, engage the hindquarters, abdominal muscles, and thoracic sling, and help the horse relax the mouth, lower jaw and poll, and stretch the top line and spine for full range of motion. Plus, these exercises break up pacey lateral movement for smooth natural gaits.
Rein backPiaffe
A slow and folding rein back to half steps and piaffe are also great exercises to improve engagement and lighten the forehand.
Lateral pace canterTrue canter
Dressage exercises such as the shoulder in and haunches in diagonalize the footfall sequence to break up a lateral canter for a truer three-beat canter.
WalkSaddle RackFlat WalkCanter
This post and video applying dressage exercises to develop the full range of motion in a variety of smooth gaits: walk, canter, fox trot, saddle rack, flat walk, and running walk.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Why do horses lean on the bit? Is all heaviness on the hand treated the same? How do we communicate lightness to the hand to the horse? Let’s take a look.
I’m a visual learner by preference. Reading is my least favorite way to learn. However, I’ve noticed that book learning is necessary to glean in depth knowledge of classical equitation. I have a video library, but videos didn’t exist centuries ago.
One of the books I am studying is, Faverot de Kerbrech: Methodical Dressage of the Riding Horse. Faverot de Kerbrech was a student of Baucher’s second manner. I highly recommend this book for those interested in learning classical equitation with your naturally gaited horse. There are many takeaways, but for the sake of this post, one eye opener for me is discerning why the horse becomes heavy on my hands and how to re-establish lightness to the hand. It is not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Why do horses lean on our hands
In this book, Baucher’s student, Faverot de Kerbrech describes two reasons horses lean on our hand. Each reason has a different corrective measure. Horses can lose balance by getting heavy on the forehand and lean on the rider’s hands. Horses can also pull on the rider’s hands or get heavy by becoming resistant or tense in the mouth, jaw and poll.
Whether the horse loses balance or becomes tense or resistant in the mouth, jaw or poll, Baucher treats each cause of heaviness differently. However, for both cases starting out, it is easiest for the rider to slow the horse down to a halt and apply the application.
If the horse loses balance
The demi arret: Bring the horse to a halt. The rider shortens the reins to the snaffle bit. With elbows at your sides, close your fingers on each rein, turn your palms upward and raise your hands up meeting the heaviness with contact until the horse lightens. The horse should lift its head and neck, shift its weight back to the hindquarters, and relax to the contact. Once the horse lightens on the reins, relax your fingers and lower your hands for a light contact. Then proceed in motion.
At a halt, elbows at side, hands meet heaviness with contact by lifting hands upward. My reins are a bit long and my palms should be facing upward.
It is important that the rider’s reins aren’t too long. For me, I am constantly adjusting my reins since they continually slip through my fingers. As you can see above, my reins are a bit too long. Also, it is important that the rider’s elbows remain at their sides and the motion is an upward one. This method doesn’t work if the rider pulls the reins backward low hands.
Marvel is showing lightness and relaxation on the bit.
If the horse is tense or resistant in the mouth, jaw and poll
The rider applies vibrations with gentle squeezes and releases on the reins when the horse resists the contact and roots or vibrations on one rein if asking for inside flexion and the horse loses relaxation. Then the rider ceases the vibrations once the horse stops rooting or relaxes and softens the jaw.
Ideally, the rider learns to help the horse maintain lightness to the hand and balance in motion. However, as tempo increases, it is common for the horse to fall out of balance, become resistant or lose relaxation. It is easier to restore balance at a slower tempo or halt than at speed. It is also dangerous for the gaited horse who is prone to tripping to be traveling at speed while on the forehand. It is best to slow down and restore relaxed balance before adding tempo. As the horse becomes more developed through consistent training, balance can be achieved in motion.
Reading about lightness to the hand from Baucher’s student, Faverot de Kerbrech, has been both affirming and eye opening. Affirming in that I have noticed how difficult it’s been to regain balance in motion using the demi arret, and that halting has been the best approach to restoring balance and relaxation.
It is eye opening in the way Baucher clarifies distinct applications to addressing various reasons for heaviness. Not all heaviness is treated equally. Is the heaviness due to a loss of balance, a loss of relaxation or is the horse being resistant? These are important distinctions since tension and resistance require squeeze and release cues and loss of balance require a constant lifting cue. While I was able to discern the difference, I hadn’t been applying the squeeze and release cue to resistant heaviness until now.
Clarifying my aids has improved communication with my horses and has made a big difference. Back to the book study I return for more gleanings.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Relaxation is key to develop smooth gaits for the Tennessee Walking Horse and other naturally gaited horse breeds. So, how do you teach the horse relaxation?
Does Rhythm Produce Relaxation?
By Jennifer Klitzke
What is the best way to produce relaxation leading to smooth gaits? Relaxation is key to develop smooth gaits for the Tennessee Walking Horse and other naturally gaited horse breeds. So, how do you teach the horse relaxation? Does rhythm produce relaxation?
Here’s my story.
The Pyramid of Training
I began a journey into competitive dressage with non-gaited horses in 1988. Back then we didn’t have the plethora of resources we have today. The internet was a distant dream, and resources like social media, blogs, and video channels were nonexistent. We were fortunate to have a traveling dressage instructor to teach us the Pyramid of Training.
The Pyramid of Training has changed a couple times since I was a competition dressage student. We began at the foundation with rhythm (with energy and tempo) followed by relaxation (with elasticity and suppleness). Then connection (acceptance of the bit through acceptance of the aids), impulsion (increased energy and thrust), straightness (improved alignment and balance), and collection (increased engagement, lightness of the forehand, self carriage).
We showed our horses by riding dressage tests at the level of our training, beginning with Training level, followed by First, Second, Third, Fourth, Prix St. Georges, Intermediate, and Grand Prix. The latter showed the horse attaining the top of the Pyramid of Training. We moved up to the next level after achieving a few scores in the 60s or above. Most riders and horses never reached beyond Second level. The Pyramid of Training is a challenging, time consuming, and costly way to train dressage.
We believed rhythm produced relaxation. So, for my first 20 years of dressage riding with non-gaited horses, I lunged my horse and then rode him on a 20-meter circle long and low in rhythm until he was relaxed. This is how I understood reaching relaxation.
The Pyramid of Training with a Tennessee Walking Horse
In 2007, I acquired my first naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, Makana. I continued the dressage Pyramid of Training I learned with non-gaited horses. Makana often worried about her surroundings and tensed her body. Worry quickened and shortened her steps. Was it smooth? Yes, but not the long striding flat walk she was capable of. Tension also affected her gait. When she tensed her body, it produced a step pace and a pace canter―definitely not smooth.
Makana often spooked when tense. This certainly didn’t create relaxation in me. My tense reaction only reinforced her spooking and perpetuated her worry. If I continued to ride her in this state, it was like trying to control a stiff plank caught in a gusty wind. Each spook made it harder to establish rhythm. We definitely had energy and tempo! I hoped I stayed on long enough to establish rhythm to finally reach relaxation.
I wondered, “How long does a nervous rider ride an anxious horse through spooks and tension before rhythm is established and relaxation sets in to develop smooth gaits?”
If I could sweat it out, riding a tense horse in a jarring gait for an hour, was this really the best approach? What was I teaching my horse by riding through miles of tension? Wasn’t I training my horse to be worried and reinforcing her fear with my fear? I certainly was reinforcing mine!
Perhaps a relaxed rider could have ridden Makana through her tension and spooking to rhythm until she relaxed. For me, I needed a different approach.
The Pyramid of Training with a fox trotting horse
When my naturally gaited fox trotting horse, Lady, was tense in her lower jaw, mouth, and poll, it affected her whole body, and she would blast off into a hard, hollow trot. Any attempt to slow her down with bit contact only made her trot faster. Lady 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 muscle memory was she learning if I lunged and/or rode 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? For me, I needed a different approach.
Another dressage: Relaxation before rhythm
In 2013, I began exploring a different application of dressage with my naturally gaited horses. Through DVDs and books by French dressage masters Philippe Karl and the late Jean Claude Racinet, I discovered techniques to help my horses mentally and physically relax before BEFORE I rode.
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.
The core of the French dressage philosophy is “respect to the horse” and the foundation of training is relaxation, balance, and impulsion. The ideal is to train the horse to be responsive to the lightest hand, leg and seat aids.
The Legerete (lightness) training model.
Surrounding the foundation of lightness is developing flexibility through suppleness. Then mobility with straightness and rhythm, followed by collection developing cadence. Legerete begins with relaxation and balance BEFORE rhythm.
In hand exercises
Instead of lunging and riding a worried or tense horse for miles in hopes to develop rhythm leading to relaxation, I have learned in-hand exercises that teach the horse relaxed balance at a halt and then at a slow walk. These exercises both improve my rein communication with my horse to help them accept and follow a gentle contact with a mild snaffle bit.
After a flexion to the right to stretch the left-side neck muscles. I signal “Action.”
The “Reaction” encourages the horse to stretch out in a lower position
Shoulder in
I’ve noticed the in-hand relaxation and balancing exercises make riding easier, too. These same in-hand flexibility exercises are applied from the saddle at a halt. As long as my horse maintains a relaxed and balanced state of mind and body, I’ll proceed to a slow walk and then increase the tempo to a smooth gait to develop rhythm.
Anytime my horse begins to get tense, anxious, or lose balance, I slow down the tempo or to a halt and reapply these flexibility and suppling exercises until relaxation and balance are restored. This has been a better option for me and my naturally gaited horses compared with riding through miles of tension. Plus, the riding we do in a relaxed and balanced state develops the quality smooth gaits and muscle memory I desire. This dressage approach has led to a harmonious partnership with my naturally gaited horses.
Relaxing the mouthFlexionActionReactionShoulder inFlat walk
My six-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse / Spotted Saddle Horse, Marvel, has been trained exclusively with the Legerete method and is coming along nicely. Plus, I cherish the fun and interactive partnership we have developed.
In handSquare haltActionReactionFlexionJambetteFlat walkNeck extension
Anytime my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horses get 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 mental and physical relaxation.
How relaxation creates smooth gaits
For me and my naturally gaited horses, we don’t proceed into movement until they are mentally and physically relaxed.
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 my horse to relaxation of 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 how to accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact
Teaching the horse how to relax the mouth, lower jaw, and poll which helps the horse relax through the back
Riding with a snaffle bit contact and following the natural head and neck motion with relaxed hands, arms, and shoulders
Making sure I am relaxed as a rider helps me lead my horse into relaxation
Shoulder in exercises in hand or from the saddle at a slow walk
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.
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.
Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at a relaxed and balanced flat walk.
For my fox trotting 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.
My naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady in a relaxed and balanced fox trot with contact.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Marvel in a relaxed and balanced flat walk.
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.
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.
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 mutual relaxation, my horses are able to produce quality, smooth gaits (with a lot less spooks)!
Now we are having fun!
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Are all dressage methods the same? Do all dressage applications produce the same result? Let’s take a look.
In 1988, I embarked on a journey to learn dressage. Back then the competition dressage pyramid of training was the only form taught within my dressage community. Mind you, the world wide web and social media did not exist then with moments access to differing applications. So, in my corner of the world, I believed there was only one way to do dressage. This meant regular lessons to prepare for competition and confirm whether my horse and I were ready to move up a level.
However, a pivotal moment in 1995 introduced me to an altogether different dressage paradigm when French dressage master Dominic Barbier made a stop at my corner of the world. The lightness, harmony, and joy he personified with each horse was more like an artistic dance. This creative right-brain approach challenged my left-brain methods and awakened my heart and soul to participate in a two-way dialogue with my horse.
Yet, after the clinic ended, I returned to the competition dressage community to further my education. My Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding, Seili and I pressed on to compete through Second level.
Seili and I at our first recognized show.
A move northward to rural western games territory forced me to rely on my hard-wired habits from the dressage training pyramid. Seili grew into retirement and my grandma body took shape. Smooth called me by name, and I acquired a three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana.
With the exception of a few traveling gaited horse and dressage clinicians who came to my region, I continued to apply the dressage pyramid of training as Makana and I moved through Intro, Training, and First levels. From 2010 to 2015 we traveled to a variety of dressage schooling shows willing to embrace the only non-trotting entry. In all we rode over 60 tests.
Showing my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in flat walk at a traditional dressage show.
Not long after the digital age introduced me to the work of classical French dressage master, Philippe Karl’s School of Légèreté (School of Lightness) and the late Jean Claude Racinet. I purchased a library of books and DVDs to begin experimenting with this different approach to dressage.
A favorite in my collection is DVD Classical Versus Classique where French dressage master Philippe Karl and Christoph Hess, head of the training department of the German National Equestrian Federation, demonstrate and discuss their differing dressage methodologies. It has been rewatched enough I need a fresh copy!
While Hess confirmed my competition dressage understanding, Karl challenged my hard-wired habits. Karl’s application of French dressage awakened me to a for-the-horse approach to training that seeks my horse’s response in a partnership of harmony.
Navigating differing dressage dialogues
Trying out this new dressage paradigm, I observed significant impacts on the horses I rode, particularly their responses to my hand, leg, seat, and weight aids.
Application of the hand, leg, seat and weight aids
The competition dressage system taught a back-to-front approach, where I used my seat and legs to drive my horse forward into a low hand position for contact. However, this method led to a lack of true connection.
How? The low hand position made contact with my horse’s tongue causing discomfort. My horse evaded the tongue pressure and tucked behind the vertical creating an illusion of lightness. Plus, his poll dropped below the highest point.
Adding to this, riding was an aerobic workout! I wrongly perceived my horses as lazy and felt compelled to keep them moving forward with each step. In actuality, my melded leg, seat and hand aids created this perceived laziness―much like driving my car with a foot on the gas pedal and brake pedal simultaneously! What a revelation to realize this mixed message prevented my horse’s forwardness.
French dressage introduces a distinct separation between the leg and seat aids for “go” and the hand aids for “stop.” This clarity has brought newfound clarity to our communication leading to lightness and responsiveness and removing the excessive exertion on my part to keep my horse moving forward.
Transforming my riding to the French dressage approach proved challenging. It took time to unlearn habits of combining my aids and adopt a new way of communicating with my horse. Yet, it has paid off. My horses have gained lightness, and now we ride with the poll as the highest point.
How dressage improves quality smooth gait over time.
Makana at the age of 19.
Achieving relaxation and balance
In competition dressage, relaxation grew from riding miles upon miles on a 20-meter circle in a long and low position. While this developed the top line muscles, this approach actually conditioned my horse on the forehand. Moving Seili into Second level was a rude awakening. This meant retraining him to attain the required balance produced through the shoulder-in, haunches-in, and rein back.
In competition dressage, we believed the horse was in balance when ridden briskly forward enough to track up the hind leg steps.
True balance occurs when the head and neck are carried more over the horse’s body mass. The hindquarters engage where the hind legs lift beneath the belly more than push beyond the tail in disengagement. Engaging the abdominal muscles lift the back, and the chest muscles lift the shoulders and wither. This doesn’t happen in a long and low position.
In competition dressage, true balance is introduced at Second level where shoulder-in, haunches-in, and rein back are required. No wonder why it took Seili and I a couple years before we reached a showable Second level dressage test. We had to undo the habit of riding on the forehand to developing a posture of balance.
Few riders I know ever reach Second level and beyond in the competition dressage system. How do horse’s learn balance?
French dressage prioritizes balance and relaxation from the beginning of training. The rider gently teaches the horse how to accept and follow a mild snaffle bit from the ground. At a relaxed and balanced position, the horse learns to carry its own head and neck and not lean on the rider’s hands. The horse learns lateral exercises and rein back, as well as flexions and an extended position in-hand before saddle training.
Neck extension at a flat walk allows the horse maximum stretch from nose to tail and keeps the horse more in balance. When the nose is low to the ground, the horse collapses its chest muscles and is on the forehand.
Karl points out that the head and neck weigh up to 1/10th of the horse’s total weight. Imbalance occurs when the head and neck are propelled ahead of the body mass in a prolonged long and low position.
In French dressage any one position is not held at length. Rather the rider transitions the horse from moments of a balanced position to moments, not miles, of an extended position to stretch the top line muscles and spine and develop the full range of motion. Plus, this extended frame keeps the poll at wither height to maintain a lifted back and shoulders.
This early-on emphasis on relaxation and balance revolutionized my training approach. By prioritizing relaxation and balance, my horses developed softness, flexibility, and poised pride, setting the foundation for quality smooth gaits and greater trust.
Lightness of the hand and leg
Achieving lightness to the hand and leg is a crucial aspect of dressage. Competition dressage taught me how to drive my horse forward with my seat and legs into a low hand position. A higher hand position was frowned upon. To discourage my horse not to lean on the bit, I used draw reins, snug-fitting nosebands, and switched to a thinner bit.
French dressage has taught me a greater respect for the horse’s wellbeing in ways I had been completely unaware. For instance, I never knew that cueing with a low hand position actually presses the bit into the horse’s tongue and causes pain. Pain leads to bit avoidance. Pain also creates tension and for the naturally gaited horse, this leads to pacing. The angle of a low hand position is how a single-jointed snaffle becomes a nutcracker. A raised hand position does not.
French dressage offers a different approach by teaching the horse to be responsive and light to the hand aids apart from the leg aids producing self-carriage. The rider separates the hand and leg aids providing clearer communication between the stop and go aids. The horse learns to maintain the requested tempo through a light leg aid. This eliminates the rider’s need to constantly drive the horse forward, leading to a more responsive and engaged partnership.
As soon as I began separating my go and stop aids, my perceived “lazy” horse became lighter.
Instead of a fixed low hand position, cues are applied with a raised hand to avoid pressing the bit into the horse’s tongue. I also learned how to help my horse relax the jaw, poll, and mouth to teach bit acceptance and guide my horse into various head and neck positions while maintaining lightness. My horse’s comfort leads to bit acceptance and has brought about a more mental and physical relaxation, resulting in smoother gaits.
Bit acceptance
Competition dressage viewed it unsightly for the horse to open its mouth. We rode our horses in snug-fitting crank nosebands, flash nosebands, or drop nosebands to keep our horses’ mouths closed. This conveyed the appearance of bit acceptance.
However, this approach unknowingly caused discomfort for the horse. The combination of a low hand position and a snug-fitting noseband led to tension in the horse’s jaw and tongue. As a result, the horse would grind its teeth and try to evade the discomfort by tucking its chin behind the vertical. Despite my belief that my horse was light and on-the-bit, it was actually avoiding true contact.
The emphasis on salivation as a sign of proper flexion at the poll is also misleading. Dripping foam is not a sign of a relaxed horse, but rather a consequence of an uncomfortable noseband preventing the horse from swallowing.
Discovering the French dressage approach opened my eyes to true bit acceptance. By allowing my horse to relax its mouth and jaw, taste the bit, and swallow freely, my horse became happier, more comfortable, and able to move in a relaxed way.
In-hand exercises teach the horse bit acceptance and to follow then gentle hands through a variety of stretches. Here the outside neck muscles are stretched.
A noseband and flash attachment came with every dressage bridle I ever purchased. At first it was foreign to ride without one. Yet riding without a snug-fitting noseband permits my horse to relax the mouth and lower jaw, taste the bit, and swallow. My horse is happier, more relaxed, more comfortable, and able to move more freely without the braces that lead to pace, step pace, and a hard hollow trot.
Ultimately, the education of the mouth and its effect on the entire body aids relaxation leading to achieving fluid and smooth gaits.
One-way to two-way communication
In this French dressage exploration, I discovered the power of two-way dialogue with my horses and moved away from one-way requests. Our time together has become a harmonious exchange of communication through my voice and hand, leg, seat and weight aids while listening for my horse’s response.
Transitioning from one-way to two-way communication has been a transformative journey between me and my horse. Initially, competition dressage instilled in me a unilateral approach, where my aids conveyed commands to my horse. Resistance was met with an escalation of cues until my horse complied as expected.
Delving into the realm of French dressage opened my eyes to rich dialogue with my equine partner. I learned to not only ask with my hand, leg, seat, and weight aids but also to listen attentively to my horse’s response. Rather than interpreting resistance as disobedience, I now view this as misunderstanding or unable to perform a given request and strive to refine my communication and level of difficulty to ensure understanding. This approach brings about harmony, lightness, relaxation, and respect for my horse.
While competition dressage confined me to the arena in preparation for shows, French dressage has broadened our horizons. Our two-way communication extends beyond the confines of the arena, enriching our experiences on the trail, amidst sorting cows, navigating obstacles, and addressing fences. My horse and I now share a deeper connection that transcends the boundaries of the four corners of the arena, allowing us to thrive in various settings together.
Finally, French dressage challenges the notion that only talented horses can perform advanced movements like piaffe and passage. It welcomes all horses to develop their skills and reach their full potential.
Smooth gaited horses can learn piaffe, too!
French dressage for the naturally gaited horse
The teachings of Karl, Racinet, and other French dressage masters offer:
A deep respect for the horse
Riding for the horse’s comfort
Clarity of rider aids by separating the stop from the go
Teaching the horse to be light to the hand and light to the leg
Developing mental and physical relaxation and balanced forward movement without rushing
Developing connection, straightness, symmetry, and collection to bring about the range of motion and quality gaits
Shoulder in on a circle with Makana, my 20-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse.
French dressage has reshaped my approach producing quality smooth gaits in one of the most humane ways. Not all dressage is the same, but I believe what Philippe Karl says, “If the dressage is good, it will work on any horse.” Naturally gaited horses, like any other, thrive under these principles with grace and harmony.
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I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Does your gaited horse struggle with a flat four-beat canter or bumpy lateral canter? You’re not alone. I’ve learned a few ways to improve canter quality with my gaited horse.
Here’s my story…
How to improve canter with a gaited horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
Experiencing dressage with my naturally gaited horses proves that relaxation of the mind and body produce smoother gaits, including canter. This means less lateral canter and four beat canter.
“Don’t practice a poor-quality canter.”
I learned an important lesson from my gaited dressage mentor, Jennie Jackson. She says, “Don’t practice a poor-quality canter.” This means as soon as my horse begins to feel flat, hollow, bumpy, braced, or out of balance in the canter, I need to stop cantering and start over from relaxation. That’s when I transition from canter to a walk or halt, re-establish balance and relaxation and ask for a quality canter depart to quality canter steps.
This also means I need to recognize the feeling of a quality canter and a poor-quality canter so that I can ask for more of the former and reduce steps of the latter. If I continue riding a poor-quality canter, that’s what I teach my horse.
If I want a quality canter, I must know firsthand what a quality canter feels like and practice more of it. That’s why taking lessons from a qualified instructor is so important to me. Instruction provides me timely feedback so that I can learn the feeling of quality and the feeling of poor quality. This helps me train my horses with greater progress and success when I am riding on my own.
Helpful exercises to help break up a four-beat canter into a truer three-beat canter
Walk-canter-walk transitions
Rein back to canter
Practicing rein back with smaller steps that bend and fold the hind quarters of the gaited horse and helps improve canter quality.
One of my favorite exercises is establishing a soft and round rein back before a canter depart. When the rein back is soft, not forced, and not rushed, it encourages my horses to bend their hindquarter joints and engage their abdominal muscles which lifts their back. This puts them in a wonderful posture most conducive for a quality canter depart and canter steps.
Counter canter
Gymnastic jumping and ground rails
Showing stadium jumping over rails
While I will never become serious about show jumping my naturally gaited horses, I enjoy schooling them over ground rails and small fences for gymnastic purposes. It gives them variety in their training. I’ve noticed that when we ride over ground poles and small fences, it creates more lift to their canter and brings out a truer three-beat canter.
Video: Cantering a Gaited Horse over Obstacles
Video: Starting a Gaited Horse over Fences
Below is a cantering exercise over two ground rails in an L-shape. I begin by letting my horse walk over the rails before we cantered over them.
Video: Exercises to Break a Lateral or Four-Beat Canter
This is a super fun exercise for the rider and horse.
In addition to improving the quality of canter, you’ll also learn:
Balance of the horse
Rider balance on the horse
The horse’s rhythm
Keeping the horse forward yet relaxed
Looking ahead to plan the arc of a turn and line to a rail
Getting a feel for how many canter strides to a rail
The L-shape can also be used to school flying changes over the rail by alternating the direction over each pole.
Additional tips to introducing and improving canter quality
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
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