Category Archives: Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Gaited Dressage: The Feeling of Balance

Gaited Dressage: The Feeling of Balance

By Jennifer Klitzke

High scoring dressage tests award the horse and rider who demonstrate a culmination of 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, and lightness of the forehand) as they move through a series of gaits, transitions, and movements precisely on the letter. Gait quality, harmony, and submission are factors in scoring, as well as rider’s position and use of aids as they are applied to ride the horse through the required movements of the test.

From time to time I’ve seen “needs more balance” written on gaited dressage tests I’ve ridden. While I know that balance is a dressage essential, I began to explore the “feeling of balance” as I ride my naturally gaited Walking horse. What does it feel like when my horse is in balance? What does it feel like when my horse is out of balance? As the rider, how can I identify, restore and maintain my horse’s balance?

Recently two of my favorite traveling clinicians came to town: international bio-mechanics riding coach Mary Wanless and successful Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz (who is also a long-time student of Mary’s). While Mary’s clinic helped each rider discover the feeling of a balanced riding position, Heather’s clinic offered metaphors to help rider’s get in touch with the feeling of their horse’s balance and offered terrific training tips whenever their horses lost balance. Both clinics featured trotting horses, yet the teachings of rider bio-mechanics and the feeling of balance certainly translate to the riding of gaited horses.

In regards to the feeling of balance, Heather encouraged riders to imagine a medicine ball inside the horse’s body while they rode and to notice where the weight of it tends to rest. If it feels like it rests in the horse’s chest then the horse tends to be more on the forehand, and if the medicine ball feels as if it is right beneath the rider’s seat, that indicates that the horse is more in balance with the rider.

Heather’s “medicine ball” metaphor has helped me gain rider awareness with the feeling of balance. My awareness of balance is an essential first step in me being able to guide my naturally gaited Walking horse into reposition her body as she learns better balance. Whenever my mare feels like her balance is in her chest instead of beneath my seat, or whenever she leans on the bit or rushes with short, quick strides, I calmly and quietly half half, halt or halt and softly rein back a couple steps until I feel her balance shift from in front of the saddle to under my seat. Then I calmly and gently cue her forward.

The more we practice this at a flatwalk, the more balanced steps we have in succession. It feels like my seat and my horse’s core snap together like a Lego, and we travel together as one unit with power from her hindquarters through her body, an engaged abdomen which lifts her back and withers, and the forward energy flows through my fists and pushes forward towards the bit with each head nod.

I’m so excited with how this feels and the difference it is making in our gaited dressage. Please share your thoughts as you experiment with the medicine ball metaphor and the feeling of balance.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Gaited Dressage: The Feeling of Right

Gaited dressage: The feeling of right

The Feeling of Right

By Jennifer Klitzke

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows

Where to Show Gaited Dressage

where-to-show-gaited-dressage-in-my-area

By Jennifer Klitzke

Schooling dressage shows are a terrific way to get feedback from a dressage professional as to where you and your horse are at with balance, rhythm, connection, engagement, relaxation, harmony,  accuracy of the required movements, gait quality, and your balanced riding position and effective use and timing of your leg, seat, and rein aids. The score sheets provide terrific feedback from a trained dressage professional to confirm what is going well, what needs to improve, and when you and your horse are ready to move up a level.

Where to Show Gaited Dressage

After a 16-year break from competitive dressage, I never imagined that I’d return to the dressage arena on a horse that didn’t trot!

In 2007, I purchased Gift of Freedom, a just turning three-year-old Tennessee walking horse filly with 20 rides on her. I knew nothing about gaited horses. All I knew is that I wanted SMOOTH and out of default dressage became our method of communication. I wasn’t sure if dressage and gaited horses went together‒we would just have to give it a try.

Then in 2010, I learned of a schooling dressage show in my area, so I contacted the show manager and asked if I could ride my gaited horse using the National Walking Horse Association tests which are patterned after the United States Dressage Federation tests with flat walk and running walk replacing trot.

Thankfully the show manager and judge accommodated us. I received the feedback I was seeking to know where we were at in our training.

Since 2010 I’ve ridden 60 dressage tests at traditional schooling dressage shows. These low key, beginner-friendly shows are a terrific way to get feedback from a trained dressage professional as to where we are at with balance, rhythm, connection, engagement, relaxation, harmony, accuracy of the required movements, gait quality, and my riding position and effective use and timing of leg, seat, and rein aids.

The judge makes comments to a scribe during my test that are written on a score sheet. This feedback is so helpful to confirm what is established in our training, areas we still need to work on, and when we are ready to move to the next level of training.

If showing dressage with your naturally gaited horse is something you’d like to try, below are a few ways to get it started in your area.

Where to show gaited dressage in your area:

1. Take dressage lessons

If you’re lucky enough to live by a gaited dressage instructor, start taking regular lessons. If not, join a local dressage club to connect with dressage riders and start taking lessons with an open-minded dressage instructor who will teach you a balanced riding position and effective use and timing of your leg, seat, and rein aids as you learn how to direct your gaited horse into relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, engagement, straightness, and collection in your horse’s easy gait. A dressage instructor can help you connect with local schooling shows.

2. Find traditional schooling dressage shows in your area through a local dressage club

Contact the show manager in advance and ask if you can enter your naturally gaited horse using FOSH, NWHA, or Western gaited dressage tests. Then mail the tests with your entry so that the judge can get familiar with the tests before the show. (I have found that the NWHA tests have been easier to accommodate for traditional dressage schooling shows since they are patterned after the USDF test that the judges are already familiar with.)

3. Find a gaited horse show and volunteer to help coordinate dressage classes

Ask a gaited breed show manager if they would be open to offering gaited dressage classes and then get a few friends to help you organize it.

Details include setting up the dressage ring with letters and ropes or chains and a judge table with two chairs, hiring an “r” judge, finding volunteers to scribe, be the ring steward, organize the order of ride times in advance, informing the riders of their times, completing the score sheets after each test is ridden, and post the percentages for all to see.

4. Organize a schooling dressage show in your area

Organize a show that is open to gaited, western dressage, and traditional dressage riders. If you have a riding facility, this can be a money-making opportunity for you and a way to reach new boarders and students.

5. Submit your video to virtual schooling shows

Here’s an exciting collaboration between Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) and North American Western Dressage (NAWD) which allows for inclusive competition with other naturally gaited horse and rider teams worldwide without ever leaving your backyard!

In 2013, FOSH introduced a Gaited Dressage program for live showing where you submit copies of your tests at the end of the year for awards. In addition to the Traditional live show category, FOSH has expanded the Gaited Dressage program to include a “Virtual” category using the NAWD Virtual Schooling Show “Gaits Wide Open” platform.  The FOSH Gaited Dressage rules apply to both the Traditional and Virtual categories. Each category will be awarded separately, yet you may choose to participate in both.

The FOSH Virtual Schooling Show “Gaits Wide Open” category is open to Western (and English) gaited dressage using any of the tests included in the FOSH Independent Judges Association Manual for Gaited Dressage (pdf). All Virtual Gaited Dressage tests will be judged by licensed IJA dressage judges.

For more information about the FOSH Gaited Dressage Program, visit Friends of Sound Horses Gaited Dressage Program.

For more information about the NAWD Virtual Schooling Shows, visit North American Western Association Virtual Schooling Shows.

I long for the day when I’m not the only gaited dressage entry riding among the trotting horses in my area. My hope is that this longing will soon be satisfied as gaited dressage grows in popularity.

Do you show your naturally gaited horse in dressage? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Please reach out and share your story by sending me a message.Or stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and joining our community on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows

Naturally Gaited Dressage

naturally gaited dressage by jennifer klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

To me naturally gaited dressage is a humane method of training and communicating with a horse that brings about beauty and harmony, balance, rhythm, relaxation, and suppleness, which results in gait quality. It develops a connection of trust and respect between horse and rider, and as the relationship grows in trust, understanding, skill and refinement, the horse and rider transform into a wonderful dance partnership without the use of heavy shoes, big bits and spurs, and mechanical devices.

I took my naturally gaited walking horse Makana to North Run Farm for our last schooling dressage show of the season. We were the only gaited entry among trotting horses. I bring her to schooling dressage shows because I like to get feedback from a professional eye as to where we are at in our training as it relates to balance, rhythm, gaits, impulsion, submission, harmony, rider position and effective use of aids, and accuracy of the required movements. It helps confirm areas of improvement and areas we still need to work on.

At the North Run show several spectators were given an introduction to dressage as it applies to the gaited horse. After every two test rides, the arena opened for ten minutes of schooling, so Makana’s expressive head shaking movement was quite the contrast as we warmed up with the trotting horses! Many onlookers had never seen a gaited horse ridden dressage style, barefoot and in a snaffle bit (without mechanical devices, big bits, and heavy shoes). Plus, the SMOOTH ride was evident in comparison to the bouncy sitting trot.

Thanks to the fine coaching I had received from Jennie Jackson this summer, the dressage judge remembered us from last year and commented on how we had made a noticeable improvement. We placed 5th of 9 in Training Level with a score of 67% and 4th of 6 in First Level with a score of 68.966%.

A huge thank you to my wonderful husband who volunteered to film my rides. (Wow, I love that man!)

Photos>

Video: Warming up with the Trotters

Video: 2011 NWHA Training Level Test Three

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Tips for the Gaited Horse

Age-defying Dressage with a Smooth Gaited Horse

age defying dressage with a gaited horse

When your body can no longer endure the sitting trot, it’s time to discover dressage with a naturally smooth gaited horse!

Age-Defying Dressage with a Smooth Gaited Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

H-X-F, extended trot along the diagonal. Oh, dread, my German warmblood Seiltanzer has never been smooth to sit, especially at the extended trot, and over the last twenty years both of us have aged. Each stride has become more dislodging, resulting in back pain, sagging breasts seeming to hit me in the face with each step, and sometimes “splash”—the loss of bladder control! What began as a beautiful dance between horse and rider has now become a losing fight with gravity.

SeilTanzer
Jennifer Klitzke riding her dressage gelding SeilTanzer (1998)

In 2007, I joined other aging baby boomers and retired from showing hard-trotting horses, but I didn’t want to give up riding, especially the beautiful dance of dressage.

This quandary introduced me to the bounceless stride of the Tennessee walking horse, and I have learned that I’m not alone. The naturally gaited horse industry has seen a continual climb in popularity. Tennessee walking horses, Missouri foxtrotters, Rocky Mountain spotted horses, Icelandics, gaited mules, Paso Finos, and Peruvian Pasos are among these naturally smooth-gaited horse breeds. Not only that, I was thrilled to learn that dressage actually improves the gaited horse’s quality of movement. The principles of dressage build balance, forwardness, relaxation, suppleness, and engagement and can actually transform a pacey horse into a smooth four-beat gaiting dance partner.

Below are seven ways  that improve the naturally gaited horses’s quality of movement using the dressage I learned while riding trotting horses. These humane training methods transform an ordinary ride into a beautiful dance—even while on the trail!

1. Equipment: Just as it is no fun to dance with ill-fitting shoes, an uncomfortable horse is an unhappy dance partner. Dressage methods are best applied by riding with a well-fitted snaffle bit that encourages salivation and acceptance of the bit, as opposed to bits that are engineered for pain avoidance. Remember to loosely adjust the noseband so your horse is able to open its mouth. A tight noseband causes undue tension that can show itself throughout all dance expressions. Equally important is a properly fitting saddle that does not pinch the shoulders or touch the wither while you’re in the saddle.

2. Stretching: Begin and end each dance session with 5-10 minutes of a forward moving without rushing walk. Follow your horse’s side-to-side belly sway with your hip joints and encourage your horse to maximize each step deep under its body. Allow the horse to stretch forward, down and out. Stretching helps lengthen the naturally gaited horse’s topline muscles and increase a horse’s stride. Be careful that the horse’s poll doesn’t drop below the wither height, or the gaited horse will begin to fall onto the forehand. It is important that the gaited horse remains balanced over all four feet during the stretching.

Neck extension at a flat walk
This is a great example of a neck extension at a flat walk. My horse is engaged, lifting her back, stretching out, forward, and down at chest level with an even snaffle bit contact.

3. Transitions: Choreograph every ride with changes of direction and tempo to keep it interesting for you and your horse. Walk-canter-walk, halt-rein back-walk, and transitions from walk to gait and back every 5-10 steps are great exercises that will improve the communication between you and your equine dance partner. Transitions can improve your horse’s responsiveness and graciously establish you as the dance leader.

4. Bending: Twenty-meter circles, three-loop serpentines, spiraling in and out of a circle are great exercises to encourage a horse to bend through the neck, shoulders, and rib cage, and teach the horse to step deeper under its body with its hind leg steps. Bending exercises improve a horse’s balance, lighten the forehand to carry itself more poised, and help smooth out a rough gait.

Lateral exercises at a collected walk
Lateral exercises at a slow collected walk help the naturally gaited horse develop balance.

5. Lateral exercises: Zig-zag leg yields, turn on the haunches, turn on the forehand, haunches-in, shoulder-in, and half-pass are great dance moves to bring balance, supple and soften your gaited horse and build trust and communication between you and your dance partner.

6. Canter: It is a popular myth that cantering a gaited horse will ruin its naturally smooth four-beat gait. On the contrary, I have found that cantering actually improves my Walking Horse’s flat walk and running walk. Cantering up hills, in 20-meter circles, over ground rails and small jumps will strengthen your horse, lengthen its stride, and break up a pace.

canter
First level tests require 15 meter canter circles, working canter, canter lengthenings, and one loop counter canter serpentines.

7. Become a dressage student: There are a few gaited horse trainers and nationally known clinicians who I have learned from who use dressage methods to improve the movement of naturally gaited horses. Among them are Jennie Jackson, Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer. Audit their clinics, read their books, and watch their training DVDs or find an open-minded traditional dressage instructor to help you and your gaited horse get started with suppling exercises.

Dressage will help your gaited horse improve its smooth, four-beat gaits, and make your horse a more mentally connected dance partner. Dressage with your smooth gaited horse can transform even a ride on the trail into a beautiful dance you can comfortably enjoy well into your senior years.

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.