Category Archives: Gaited Dressage Videos

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

Gaited Dressage: Eighty-eight entries and only one gaited

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gaited dressage first level

By Jennifer Klitzke

Peak autumn color draped the landscape of the Rocking R Farm schooling dressage show held September 29, 2012 in Foley, MN. Eighty-eight horse/rider combinations were shown and only one of them gaited–me and my eight-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare Gift of Freedom. Her black winter coat was well on its way as a gorgeous Indian Summer day heated up to 80-degrees.

I applied a blend of what I learned from Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer at the clinic I recently attended and focused more on relaxation, rhythm, and balance versus overstride and head nod. I think this resulted in a more true four-beat first level dressage frame. The judge seemed to agree and gave us an overall score of 68.96% on our First Level Test One ride with 7’s on gaits, riding position, and effectiveness, and 8’s on harmony.

Show delays and warm temperatures seemed to drain Makana’s gas tank. By the time we rode First Level Test Three, we sputtered on fumes in the deep sand along the rail and corners. This had been our first shot at riding this busy test which includes flat walk, 10-meter flat walk circles, leg yields at a flat walk, stretching flat walk, lengthened gait, medium walk, free walk, canter, medium canter, 15-meter canter circles, and canter serpentines on the same lead to show counter canter, halt and salute. We received a score of 60%.

Next schooling show I think I’ll only ride one long test and bring a second horse to ride instead of pushing Makana beyond her energy reserves.

Photo gallery>

httpv://youtu.be/bkZDPRV7a84

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Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos, Western Gaited Dressage

Western Gaited Dressage at Rocking R

Western Gaited Dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

gaited western dressagePerfect weather, no bugs, and a western saddle that fits! My new (used) saddle arrived less than 24 hours before the Rocking R Schooling Dressage show in Foley, MN. I purchased a Synergist western saddle that fits Makana and feels like I’m riding in a dressage saddle with a horn. It’s lightweight, short enough length as to not bridge across my mare’s back and poke into her loins, and plenty wide to allow her freedom to move her shoulders.

Not only that but I brought along a friend who has never shown before and who had just purchased her first horse five months ago. She pulled me into my first team penning practice, so I encouraged her to give Western dressage a try. The gaited dressage and Western dressage classes were combined for a total of three entrants – two non-gaited horses and a Walking horse.

Warm up was a gas! I couldn’t restrain myself from using the ground rail and cross rail schooling fences to get Makana loosened up. Gymnastic jumping is so FUN!

gaited gymnastic jumpingWe rode our Western gaited dressage using the NWHA gaited dressage training level, test one and first level, test one. As of yet, no Western gaited dressage tests are available. The Western Dressage Association of America rules allow entrants to ride in a snaffle or curb. I opted to ride in my Mylar level 2 curb.

Makana received her highest scores yet! 70.83% in training level and 71.38% in first level. We scored “8’s” in our centerline halts and free walks on a long rein and “7.5’s” in overall gaits. Improvement areas for us are to work on a more consistent contact, which is easier said than done on a head-shaking horse; evenness in gait regardless of changing footing conditions between deep and compacted sand; and showing more difference between the working and lengthened gaits in first level.

Western gaited dressage photos>

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

Gaited Dressage: From First Level to Intro?

Three Ring Circus Schooling Show

By Jennifer Klitzke

In an unexpected turn of events, Gift of Freedom (Makana) found her way to the Three Ring Circus schooling show held at Carriage House Farm in Hugo, MN on May 28, 2012 and sponsored by St. Croix Saddlery.

And how’s that, you ask? Well, I woke up at 5am to give Indy, my six-year-old Spanish Mustang a bath before his second schooling dressage show, when I noticed a gash under his chin where the bridle would fasten. “Oh, crap!” I thought as I cleaned up his wound. Then I wondered if the show manager would let me switch horses as long as we rode the tests we had entered. Being 5:30am and our first class at 7:58am with an hour drive time, I took the gamble and cleaned up the other horse I have a current coggins on: Gift of Freedom. The only problem is that Makana doesn’t trot and this is a large trotting horse show.

“Oh, well,” I thought, “we’ll go for the experience.” So I quickly got Makana ready, and we were on our way to the largest show I’ve ever been to—over 200 horses entered. Makana rode in place of Indy in Intro A, B, and C dressage tests with 24 horse/rider teams in each category. We drew a lot of attention as the only horse that didn’t trot, and as a result, I had several great conversations with people about gaited horses and dressage training.

I even met one family who’s daughter shows their Tennessee walking horse at a trot and has done very well at recognized shows. She said her horse’s trot is super smooth. Now that would be ideal, a smooth trotting horse. Compare that to my warmblood who practically sends me to the chiropractor every time I ride him! So if you have a Walker that trots, maybe traditional dressage shows are in your future. Gaited dressage clinician Bucky Sparks says his Walking horse stallion can trot on cue without it disrupting the flat walk and running walk, so I know it is possible to train a horse to trot and gait. As for me, I bought a gaited horse to gait and a trotting horse to trot.

We had terrific weather for the show. The Carriage House Farm facility is top-class with dust-free rubberized footing in the indoor and well-drained ag-lime footing outdoors. The show was extremely well organized for the number of trailers transporting over 200 horses and hundreds of cars filled with spectators. Amazing!

Makana seemed to enjoy being there as much as I did. I giggle because we had skipped Intro level when we began showing at dressage schooling shows a couple years ago. Now we are schooling second level and here we were showing Intro level. Makana did the best she could. After the first ride, the judge commented, “I have no idea how to judge your tests because you didn’t show a trot.” After our last ride she commented, “Nicely ridden. That’s a very nice, obedient, supple gaited horse.”

We finished all tests in the 53-56%-range and about middle of the score board—not bad for a horse that doesn’t trot!

Gaited horse at Three Ring Circus dressage show

Gift of Freedom and Jennifer Klitzke were the only gaiting gaited duo among a hundred entries at the Three Ring Circus Schooling Show held Sunday, May 28, 2012.

httpv://youtu.be/6rvFq_7GZPo

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

Record-Breaking March Heat

 

Western gaited dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

Lawn mowers, mosquitoes, flowering trees, song birds in chorus, and the return of hay fever—in March!

Midwest March heat melted previous high-temperature records. Perhaps the March heat is what inspired my mare’s record-breaking heat that showed up the day before our western gaited  dressage demonstration this season.

Up until last year when she turned seven, Makana had been a saint 95% of the time. That’s when I began to notice a change in her behavior. Saint one day and erratic the next. It was nearly impossible to get her moving forward.

At first I thought it was my riding position, then I explored saddle fitting issues, tried some supplements, and changed her diet. The one thing I hadn’t considered was a change in her hormones, mainly because I can never tell when she’s in heat. She shows no physical outward signs.

Makana and I had a terrific time riding through the mild winter temperatures, until March, the day before our gaited dressage demonstration at the Western Dressage Clinic. The day before the clinic I had my record-breaking worst ride ever! Explosive, distracted, spooky, unwilling to turn or bend to the right, I couldn’t believe this was the same horse I had been riding all winter! Getting after her only made her behavior worse, so I asked for my saintly husband’s help.

Dan grabbed his helmet and said, “How about if I get on? I’ve never experienced what you’re describing.” He calmly climbed on and walked her around singing, “Rawhide.” Makana mellowed out within a few verses. Was it the song? Not likely, but my husband’s approach made a profound difference, and he taught me an important lesson. He patiently wooed Makana out of her frenzy by inviting her into relaxation. My approach of reacting to her behavior by getting after her only stirred her up more. Ding-dong!

So, at the Western Dressage Clinic, I didn’t sing “Rawhide,” but I did apply Dan’s approach as I dealt with Makana’s marishness and it worked. No explosions; no erratic behavior. My mare could have been more forward and paid a little more attention to me over that handsome demonstration gelding, but I didn’t react to her marishness by getting after her. I kept redirecting her to relaxation through long and low stretching, leg yields, shoulder-in, hauches-in, rein back, transitions between the working walk, flat walk, running walk, free walk and canter. In fact, we even rode through first level, test one!

The success of Dan’s approach really doesn’t surprise me. After all, he knows how to gently love me out of a rather marish day and turn it into smiles and sunshine.

Video: Western Dressage Demonstration: NWHA First Level, Test One

As a “thank you” gift from the clinic organizers, Makana received her first bag of “Mare Magic.” I’ve heard good reports and will keep you posted.

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

Gaited Dressage: Showing Solo

Tennessee walking horse canter showing dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

I’ve never had so much fun getting lost as I did yesterday at Sand Dunes State Forest (North) with my husband riding on a beautiful fall day. However, yesterday’s limited daylight ate up his golf time, so he opted out of the Walker’s Triple R show to play a couple rounds before cold and darkness envelop us.

gaited dressageSo I squeezed into my “big girl pants,” as my friend so often says, and loaded and trailered Makana to the show by myself, rode two tests without a reader, as the solo gaited dressage rider, and even managed to record video! (I set the camera on a post that recorded our second ride winning ride.) This year’s horse adventures have prepped me well for showing solo.

Judy and Mike Walker organized another well run schooling dressage show. They must have divine connections, because this year’s record rain held off during all three shows. We had perfect weather, no bugs, and the same friendly crowd. In fact, a couple people from the Western Dressage Association of Minnesota even volunteered to record my first winning ride on video. (Thank you Laura and AnnMarie. I will never forget your kindness!)

The two lessons I had last month really paid off. Makana stepped deeper under her body without rushing, we maintained a leg yield at a flat walk without breaking, my position and hands were quieter, my fingers followed her head nod, and we placed first in both classes as the only gaited dressage team riding among warmbloods, Friesians, and Arabians.

Now if I can figure out a way to increase Makana’s energy at a canter, we’ll be set for next week’s dressage show at Rocking R. Only next week, I may be the only gaited dressage rider, but I won’t be showing solo!