What effect does relaxing the lower jaw, mouth and poll have on quality smooth gait? Can comfortable equipment and flexibility exercises make a difference? Let’s take a look.

Relaxing the Lower Jaw and its Effect on Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

If relaxing the lower jaw has a positive effect on improving the movement of non-gaited horse, I began to explore its effect on the naturally gaited horse and its effect on natural smooth gaits.

Four great books helpful in learning, understanding, and applying relaxation of the lower jaw are, “Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative” by Classical French Dressage Master, Philippe Karl; “Another Horsemanship,” by the late Classical French Dressage Master, Jean-Claude Racinet; “The Gallant Mouth” by Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, a Classical horse trainer and instructor, and “Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse,” by Heather Moffit a Classical riding instructor and saddle maker.

“Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative” by Classical French Dressage Master, Philippe Karl is packed with details that have helped me understand French dressage and then I applied these principles with my naturally gaited horses. My horses are lighter to the hand and lighter to the leg. Together we are finding relaxation, balance and harmony leading to quality smooth gaits and a greater partnership.

Karl also has terrific DVDs to help riders understand how to apply these methods with their horses and the School of Legerete has certified instructors who can teach you firsthand. Many of these instructors are able to do virtual lessons.

Learn More: philippe-karl.com/licensed-teachers and philippe-karl.com/worldmap

“Another Horsemanship,” by the late Classical French Dressage Master, Jean-Claude Racinet is another great book that explains how to help the horse relax through the mouth, lower jaw and poll. This includes the separation of the hand and leg aids which turned my understanding upside down and has helped my horses find relaxation, balance, forward movement without rushing, lightness to the aids, and harmony.

In addition, Racinet’s methods are also demonstrated in the 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.

“The Gallant Mouth” by Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, a Classical horse trainer and instructor, covers her research of historical Classical Dressage Masters. The book provides a detailed explanation to help the rider teach their horse how to accept and follow a light contact with lots of photos throughout.

“Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse” by Heather Moffit. This book is a must-study for anyone desiring to learn the balanced riding position, what the hand, leg and seat aids are and how to effectively use and time of the aids. All of these elements directly impact the horse’s movement for the better. I haven’t come across a book that describes how to ride dressage with the horse in mind better than Heather’s book.

In addition to this Moffit’s book, she has developed the Online Classical Equitation Academy with hundreds of easy-to-follow video instruction. Learn more: Online Classical Riding Academy

All of these Classical dressage professionals apply these methods with non-gaited horses, but these methods work just as well for helping riders apply these methods with their naturally gaited horses to develop smoother gaits.

Comfortable riding equipment

Having the proper equipment makes it easier for the horse to taste the bit, swallow, and relax the lower jaw. Riding with a loose nose band (or none at all) is essential so the horse is able to mobilize the lower jaw, open its mouth to taste the bit and swallow.

For much of my competitive dressage years with non-gaited horses, we rode with snug fitting nose bands with a flash attachment or a dropped nose band. The purpose for these nose bands were to keep the horse’s mouth quiet. It was desirable if the horse produced a foamy mouth. We believed this indicated that the horse was flexed at the poll.

Ride with loose nose bands or none at all

Tight-fitting nose bands can lead to lower jaw tension and discomfort to the horse. They can press on sensitive facial nerves. Dropped nose bands can inhibit the horse’s breathing if too tight. Nichole pointed out that while some salivation around the lips is good, excessive foam dripping from the mouth can indicate that the noseband is constricting the horse’s ability to swallow. Sometimes a horse will grind their teeth when they are tense. That’s why it is important to ride with a loose-fitting nose band (or none at all). The horse needs to open its mouth in order to swallow and mobilize its lower jaw for relaxation.

I’ve noticed that all of the naturally gaited horses and non-gaited horses I ride have been lighter, softer, and more relaxed since I have been riding without a nose band. When I show English dressage, I ride with a loose-fitting nose band.

Snaffle bit

A comfortable fitting snaffle bit is also important in order to communicate with the horse. Karl begins a horse’s training using a Fulmer snaffle bit. These bits are available in a single or double joint. A Fulmer snaffle looks similar to a full-cheek snaffle, but the Fulmer snaffle has loose rings which make a difference with contact.

Relaxation exercises from the saddle

After a couple lessons on how to encourage the horse to taste the bit, swallow, and relax the lower jaw in hand, Nichole showed me the same exercises from the saddle.

Flexions using Action-Reaction

Flexions at a halt from the saddle

1. At a halt from the saddle, I placed my outside hand at the wither and raised my inside hand, palm side up while vibrating the rein. This encouraged the horse to taste the bit, relax the tension in the lower jaw, and flex at the poll to the inside. 
2. As soon as the horse flexed to the inside and began to taste the bit, I lowered my inside hand to the wither and gathered the slack of the inside rein so that I had an even contact with both reins. This meant that I had a longer outside rein and a shorter inside rein.
3. We repeated this exercise at a walk with one important addition: my shoulders, elbows, and hands needed to stay relaxed and FOLLOW the natural head and neck motion of the horse.
4. My relaxed arms, following the natural head and neck motion of the horse along with the horse flexing at the poll, tasting the bit, and relaxing the jaw brought relaxation and softness to the horse’s entire body. This improved the horse’s quality of movement.

When the horse is flexed 45 to 90 degrees to the inside, the inside rein is shorter than the outside rein in order to keep an even contact. This felt awkward to me at first until I experienced the many benefits for the horse:

1. It stretches the outside neck muscles
2. It prevents the horse from using its underside neck muscles
3. It helps straighten the horse’s shoulders to find balance before introducing a circle

Fléchi droit

When the horse is flexed 45 to 90 degrees to the inside while its body travels straight is an exercise called fléchi droit. This helps the horse learn how to bend the outside neck muscles while remaining straight through the shoulders and body. When the horse is balanced on both shoulders and now overweighting the inside shoulder, then the horse can be directed into a small circle. After a few steps of a small circle, extend the reins so the horse can stretch into a neck extension. Maintain even steady contact and keep the horse’s poll no lower than wither height. This helps the horse maintain shoulder balance and pectoral engagement to stay light.

After a small neck extension circle, move forward along the next long wall at a flat walk neck extension to freshen the horse. Then the horse is directed along the diagonal to change directions and repeated the exercise. The horse is worked briefly in each exercise to condition the full range of motion.

Applications for the naturally gaited horse

Bending versus straight lines

How often do we ride our gaited horses on straight lines? We ride straight along the rail. We ride straight along the trail. It is easier to travel in a straight line and establish a consistent stride. However, think about the effect riding exclusively on straight lines has on the flexibility of the outside neck muscles. If the horse doesn’t bend or flex, it will compress the neck muscles. This can lead to stiffness and a ewe neck.

Benefits of bending for the naturally gaited horse

Bending the neck stretches the outside neck muscles and the neck extension stretches the top line muscles and spine. The flechi droit is a great exercise to help the horse stretch the outside neck muscles for flexibility.

Relaxing the lower jaw and its effect on the body

When my naturally gaited horses are relaxed in the mouth and lower jaw, they are more relaxed in the body. This produces quality smooth gaits. Less tense gaits like pace, step pace, hard trot, and rushed quick small steps of smooth gait. Riding without a noseband has helped my horses relax by giving them the freedom to mobilize their lower jaw, taste the bit, and swallow.

Also important is giving my gaited horses time to stretch their muscles and relax with me before our riding session. Exercises like the fléchi droit, shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in and haunches out at a slow walk teach my gaited horses how to find relaxation, balance and flexibility and lead to symmetry. These exercises also help the rider connect with the horse through the coordination of the rein, leg, seat and weight aids in timing with the horse’s movement.

In the end, relaxation is meant to develop the naturally gaited horse’s full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long term soundness.

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

Educating the Mouth: Why work in hand makes training easier

Beginning Lessons in Légèreté: Working in Hand Covers the importance of educating the horse’s mouth starting from the ground.

Following the Natural Head and Neck Motion

Beginning Lessons in Légèreté: Following Hands Covers the importance of following the horse’s natural head and neck motion with an even contact of both hands to a snaffle bit, and how this translates to the flat walk, running walk, and fox trot for naturally gaited head nodding breeds.

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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Special thanks to Nichole Walters, the owner and instructor of Cadbury Farm, WA and Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, owner, trainer, and instructor of Willow Grove, ID, who taught me the “Educating the Mouth” and “Aids to Lightness” exercises that they learned firsthand from Philippe Karl and his School of Légèreté instructor certification program.