Category Archives: Gaited Dressage Shows

Opportunities for Naturally Gaited Horses to Show Dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

If you live in the Northern climates like I do and don’t have the luxury of an indoor arena, I am sure you are excited for Springtime! Thinking back a few years ago, my husband and I had planted our vegetable garden by now. Today we are still waiting for the snow to melt!

Last weekend we had another blizzard dumping 20 inches of snow!

Thankfully, this week’s warmer temperatures have been melting the snow at rapid speeds. By the end of next week, I hope my arena will be ridable again [for video-making season.]

Okay, [three paragraphs] of commiserating. Think yourself very fortunate if you live in temperate regions. (I am envious.)

This weekend my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana, and I had the wonderful opportunity to meet with a friend and her lovely naturally gaited mare. We had a wonderful time riding together in an indoor arena and talking about naturally smooth gaited training methods. For me and Makana, it was the first time we had ridden in months. I am so grateful!

Springtime got me thinking about the exciting opportunities available to us naturally gaited riders this riding season through Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) and the North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD). This friendly collaboration has made it possible for naturally gaited horse riders to compete virtually in our own back yards (English or Western) through the Gaits Wide Open program.

For me, this is exciting, because, I don’t have to travel. I can show from home. All I need to do is record my rides (to the video requirements) and email the links after submitting the show application. Then I wait for the judge’s test results and comments. Plus, virtual shows are affordable!

Of course, there are the dressage shows you can travel to that are open to gaited horse entries.

In either case, whether virtual or on site, showing dressage provides feedback from a professional about your test. You’ll get written comments from the judge about how you navigated the test requirements, your riding position and use and timing off aids.

Drop me a Line

Let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear about your naturally gaited journey. or if there is a video I could produce that would be useful to you.

Enjoy your smooth gaited journey!

Jennifer, Makana, Lady and Marvel

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

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Harvest Virtual Western Dressage Show

September 29, 2016 Jennifer Klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

It has been a rainy summer. I was lucky to have one dry day to film our rides for the Harvest Virtual Western Dressage Show before another storm swamped the arena.

Since the last virtual Western dressage show, I’ve been working on improving engagement with my friend’s naturally gaited horse Lady and it paid off. Lady was the only gaited horse shown in NAWD Intro 2 and placed second out of 11 horses with a score of 64.821%.

Video: NAWD Western Dressage Intro 2

Lady ridden in her easy gait.

This show was the first time my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) competed against each other in the same show, riding the same test.

Indy placed first in NAWD Basic 3 with a score of 66% and Makana placed third with a score of 58.857%. She was the only gaited horse among the three horses riding NAWD Basic 3.

Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 TWH-style

Makana demonstrating a flat walk.

Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 Spanish Mustang-style

Indy being ridden on a 20 meter circle allowing the horse to stretch.

The show had a good turnout with 127 entries ranging from Intro through Basic, Freestyle, Therapeutic, Working in Hand and Versatility for Youth, Adult Amateur, and Open.

Harvest Virtual Show results»

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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos

Showing Recognized Gaited Dressage from Home

July 23, 2016 Jennifer Klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

Showing Recognized Gaited Dressage from Home

Finally a way to ride gaited dressage at recognized shows, and I don’t even have to leave home!

North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD) offers several Virtual shows each year. This year they have included gaited dressage in their recognized Virtual shows.

My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) and I gave it a try in May. Since then, I have been practicing the feedback I received from the judge’s remarks and from coaching I received from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson. I couldn’t wait for the next Virtual show to check our progress.

There have been several schooling dressage shows this spring and summer, but my Father has been terminally ill and in hospice care. I decided to put traveling shows on hold so that I can spend more time with my Dad. Virtual shows have made it possible for me to squeeze in a few showing opportunities without ever leaving home! All I need is for my adoring husband to widget some time between is golf games to record our rides.

In July NAWD offered the Midsummer Celebration Virtual Show (which doubled as a successful fundraiser for autism) and was their biggest show to date with over 150 entries! I entered my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend (Indy), and my friend’s naturally gaited grade horse, Lady. It was Indy’s first Western Dressage show and Lady’s very first show. All three horses competed in the same Recognized Dressage Show without leaving home!

Video: Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom in IJA Western Training Level 2

I am very happy in how the medium walk and canter felt over the last test—more fluid and forward. Her canter was noticeably more impulsive and clearly three beat instead of a sluggish rather four beat canter. I was especially pleased with our improvement in connection from back to front and its effect on the head nod. Makana moved forward in her medium walk with deep steps from behind and a clear head nod instead of a nose flicking head peck. The judge noticed it too, and remarked, “It was a pleasure to watch the degree of reach with the hind legs and steadiness of the nod.”

Areas the judge encouraged us to work on are more distinction between regular walk, medium walk and intermediate gait; more roundness in canter right; straightness; and squareness and balance at the halt.
Score: 64.091% (1st of 1)

Video: My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend in NAWD Basic 3 in his first Western Dressage Test

This was Indy’s first Western Dressage Test. Although I feel like I’m dressed for a Halloween costume party, I am very pleased with how Indy looks in his Western get up. I could be hooked on this Western dressage after all!

Riding the test, I liked how balanced Indy felt overall and how he reached down and out in the freewalk. The judge remarked. “Yeah, baby!!!” Although Indy was busy in his mouth, he wasn’t heavy on the bridle or forehand; I think it was the bit. I usually ride him in a full-cheek snaffle and it isn’t legal for Western Dressage, so I switched to a bit he wasn’t used to.

The judge felt we rode the test well and with accuracy, balance and bend. Areas of improvement are for us to work on improving softness in the bridle. She felt Indy was impulsive and balanced in the jog and needs to work on more impulsion in the canter and softness in the transitions to halt.

I had to giggle when the judge remarked how much she loved my “Fjordie.” We get this all of the time! Don’t get me wrong. I love Fjords, it is just that my Indy is a Spanish Mustang.
Score: 69.844% ( 1st of 3)

Video: Naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, showing for the first time in NAWD Intro 2

This is Lady’s very first show and I am tickled with how well she did considering that riding with contact is something rather new to her and arena riding is something she’s not fond of. Trail riding is her gig.

The judge remarked that she can see how this horse can be a bit difficult—like she might be all ‘go’ and very little ‘whoa.’ The judge said, “I think you are doing a very nice job bringing her along. Movement #4 (KXM change rein at easy gait) showed the real horse: relaxed, engaged and brilliant.” Which really helps me move towards more of that in our training.

Score: 60.357% (5th of 9)

This feedback is so helpful, and the reason I show dressage. I need unbiased feedback from an educated professional as to where I’m at in my training.

From the judges’ comments in all three rides, I feel like we are heading in the right direction in this Western Dressage ‘thang.’ The feedback has given us something to work on until we check our status next time.

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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Horse and Endurance Riding, Gaited Horses and Cows, Western Gaited Dressage

A Full Week: Western Dressage, Cow Sorting & Endurance

July 11, 2016 Jennifer Klitzke

IJA Western Training 2 medium walk — Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom performing IJA Western Training 2.

By Jennifer Klitzke

This year I’ve pretty much put showing on hold, because its been so touch and go with my Dad who is in hospice care. But, I thought I could sneak in a few local events: a Virtual Western Dressage Show (that I can do without leaving home), a Cow Sorting League (only minutes from my house) and the Mosquito Run Endurance Ride (held once a year at a local park).

Only I didn’t seem to notice that all three events were held in the same week until the week of. Working full time with an ailing father in hospice, what was I thinking?!

Virtual Western Dressage
North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD) offers several Virtual shows each year. Makana and I gave it a try a couple months ago and we couldn’t wait for the next one. We have been practicing the feedback I had received from the judge’s remarks and from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson.

When I saw that NAWD was having another Virtual Show, my over zealous enthusiasm overtook my sense of available time. I registered three horses for the show. Most challenging was finding time to squeeze in the rides between working full time, visits with my Dad, the cow sorting league, endurance rides, filming the tests around my husband’s schedule, the week’s inclement weather, and forcing my grandma brain to memorize three new Western dressage tests!

For this Western Dressage Virtual Show I entered my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), my friend’s naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, and my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend (Indy). It was Lady’s very first show and Indy’s first Western Dressage show.

Naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, in her easy gait while showing for the first time in NAWD Intro 2.

NAWD Basic 3 stretch trot 1 — My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend showing a required movement in NAWD Basic 3, a jog allowing the horse to stretch its head and neck out and down.

Our window for recording our rides just happened to be at the same time our neighbor took down his trees next to our arena with the brush hog. This stirred up an arsenal of repellent-resistant biting flies that came in for the attack!

Despite the distractions, we made the best of it. I rode Makana in IJA Western Training Level 2, Lady in NAWD Intro 2, and Indy in NAWD Basic 3.

Cow Time!
A couple weeks back I saw a last minute opening for the July Cow Sorting League. I knew Makana was due for some cow time, because it’s her favorite thing to do. (My theory: since she’s lowest on the pecking order, cows give her something to push around!)

We finished our first week getting all ten cows sorted in order within 70 seconds! Not the fastest by far (which was an amazing 46 seconds) but it felt good to officially achieve this milestone.

Endurance Ride
On Sunday, I entered Makana in a ten-mile Mosquito Run novice endurance ride at Crow Hassan Park Reserve. That morning we were hit with ANOTHER thunderstorm. Many riders had packed up and headed for home just before Makana and I arrived. So many riders had left that I thought the event had cancelled. (At least it made it easy to find a parking spot!)

The novice ride headed out with two large groups of seven. The footing was slick in spots with lots of puddles, but the storms cooled down the temperature for a comfortable ride.

The week’s thunderstorms had taken a toll on the park. We passed hundreds of mature trees that had fallen during the storms. Many thanks to the Park Reserve staff who worked hard to clear the trails so that the endurance ride could go on.

Our group was composed of three Tennessee walking horses, a Rockie, and three Arabians. It was wonderful to ride with other gaited horses. While our gaited horses outpassed the nongaited horses at a walk, the speed required of the ride in order to make time forced our gaited horses to trot, speed rack (or canter) the majority of the ride. I asked Makana for a speed rack. She held it for a while, but waffled between the rack, the trot, and canter.

Three miles before the finish line we all cooled off in the lake. Makana and I took our first swim! We walked in the water until her entire body submerged and all that surfaced the water was her ears, nostrils, and eyeballs. Thank God horses are intuitively good swimmers!

Makana and I made the optimum time and took sixth place out of 12 entries. (We even surpassed the Arabians!)

I’ll see you soon Dad. Hang in there! I love you! (Next time I’ll double check my calendar before committing to these events.)

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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos, Western Gaited Dressage

Video: Western Gaited Dressage – Our First Virtual Show

May 23, 2016 Jennifer Klitzke

FOSH IJA Western Training 1 bending through the corners — Medium walk showing bend through the corners.

By Jennifer Klitzke

I felt like I was dressed up for a Halloween costume party wearing this get up, but I thought I’d give Western gaited dressage a try again. This time without leaving home. I saw a Facebook post for a virtual Western dressage show that was open to gaited horses. So my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana and I rode the FOSH IJA Training 1 Test which calls for regular walk, medium walk, free walk, intermediate gait (flat walk), and canter.

What’s nice about a virtual show is that you can ride from home—no need to trailer to the show grounds, as long as you have an arena marked off and someone to record your ride. No editing allowed, just the raw footage to capture the entire test, post it to youtube and wait for the results and feedback via email.

Then if you feel like it, you can share the video link with others and ask for their feedback as to how you and your horse could have ridden the test better.

Video: FOSH IJA Training 1

NAWD IJA TR1-first place — Always feels good to take home a blue (even if you’re the only one in the class).

One of the judge’s comments about our test was: “Excessive head nod.” Isn’t that what a Tennessee walking horse is known for?

Perplexed, I asked my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson for feedback on how to improve my Western riding.

Jennie gave me terrific feedback in regards to riding the medium walk, which makes up the majority of this test. She said that at times during the medium walk, my horse displays a “head peck” instead of a “head nod.”

“Head peck? What on earth is that?!” I asked. Jennie said that the head nod is where the Tennessee walking horse travels forward from the hindquarters through a neutral to round back into a connection with the rider’s seat and light rein contact (not loose, floppy reins). The head nod should lower down from the head and neck with each step of the hind legs.

The head peck, on the other hand, is a disconnected head motion from the hind leg steps where the horse simply flicks its nose upward.

To correct the head peck, Jennie said that I need to encourage my horse to step deeply under her body where I feel her back raise up under my seat and then travel through the shoulders,neck, and poll to the bit.

Video: Head Nod (or Head Peck)?

Jennie also mentioned that I need to “freshen up” Makana’s canter with hand galloping to get her back to a three-beat canter. It’s not enough to be satisfied with just getting the correct canter lead. I need to work on improving our canter to the quality of the trotting horses. Will we ever attain it? Maybe not, but it is something to aspire to.

Ah, yes! After reviewing the video, I see the nose flicking head peck at the medium walk and the rather flat canter.

Now that’s terrific feedback I can begin working on the next time I ride. I hope by sharing these videos and feedback will help you at home as you train your gaited horse in dressage.

Feel free to write to me any time with your comments, questions, and stories. I’d love to hear about your gaited dressage journey. Stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and join our community on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Photo gallery: (click to enlarge)