Have you longed to learn dressage with your gaited horse, yet have a trail horse that detests arena work? That’s me and Lady.
Gaited Dressage for the Trail Horse
Not all horses are wired the same. That includes my naturally gaited fox trotting horse Lady. I began riding her in the arena, because that’s how I’ve introduced all of the horses I’ve ridden to dressage over the years.
Lady is a marvelous trail horse, and I quickly discovered that she didn’t understand the purpose of riding in an arena without a change of scenery!
Instead of fighting with her, I brought Lady to her happy place—the trail. And that’s where we work on our gaited dressage. We use natural obstacles to maneuver around such as trees and the fire pit. Then we leg yield from one side of the path to the other, followed by a soft halt, and a gentle and slow rein back, to a slow balanced walk, and then transition to her easy gait before transitioning back to a free walk on a long rein.
Gaited dressage on the trail helped our training in 5 ways:
1) Passenger to Participant
Instead of being a passenger and let Lady follow the trail, I became an active participant in our relationship through the exercises and transitions,
2) Tuning Me Out to Listening
By being present with Lady and guiding our travels, it gave gave her a reason to stay dialed in to me instead of just following the trail.
3) Tension to Harmony
During our ride on the trail Lady lost the tension she had in the arena and we developed more harmony.
4) Fight and Flight to Trust
Working together on our journey through the woods helped Lady and I develop a partnership of trust. Lady began to listen to me for the next cue, release and reward. This helped establish me as the trusted leader of our relationship where Lady looked to me over her fight or flight defenses.
5) Developing the Basics of Gaited Dressage
While on the trail, we began to ride the elements of a low level gaited dressage test by establishing relaxation, rhythm, balance, connection, and forwardness, as well as developing harmony and softness. While I worked on applying effective aids and reinforcing a balanced riding position.
Lady seemed happy working gaited dressage on the trail. Come to think of it, so did I.
Dressage on the trail has become a new kind of training for me—training without walls in the beauty of nature which feeds my soul while freeing me of the rigidity and perfectionism that often plague me in the arena.
Let me know your thoughts if you’ve given dressage on the trail a try.
Have you ever dreamed about riding along the ocean coast? It’s been a dream of mine, and it came true—but there was a catch. I had to ride in a Mardi Gras parade on a horse that had never been in one.
In January I had a week free before beginning my new job and learned that Jennie Jackson was training at Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center near Mobile, Alabama. So I took a spontaneous four-day trip South to briefly escape the arctic blast.
“Make sure you stay through Saturday,” Jennie said, “so that you can ride the ocean coast and in the Dauphin Island Mardi Gras parade.”
Ocean coast? Wow! Not only would I be Jennie’s working student and ride several Tennessee walking horses at various stages of training each day, but I would be riding the ocean coast—a dream come true!
I didn’t realize how special this opportunity was until I arrived. Dauphin Island only allows horses on the beach once a year and that’s only for horses that are trailered in for their Mardi Gras parade.
Speaking of Mardi Gras, Like most people, I thought Mardi Gras was an annual event exclusive to New Orleans. Turns out Mardi Gras originated in Mobile, Alabama and is celebrated for several weeks throughout the South until Lent begins.
On the third day of riding with Jennie, I met Abbie, a six-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare who reminded me of my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana. Abbie would be the horse I’d ride on the beach and in the parade. Neither she nor I had ever ridden the ocean coast or in a parade, so I did my best to establish trust and team work.
Abbie and I took a nice trail ride with one of the boarders while Jennie taught lessons. We rode up and down hills, alongside a beautiful aqua marine lake with rust colored sand, through the woods, over felled trees, and through creeks. Back at the Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center, Abbie and I negotiated their extensive trail obstacle course . I felt like we had connected well.
The next morning a group of us trailered to Dauphin Island through the grey skies and rain. Thankfully the sun broke through the clouds for our beach ride and parade.
Jennie Jackson riding her famous TWH dressage stallion Champagne Watchout.Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center’s TWH Abbie and I riding on the ocean coast.
The first one in the ocean was Jennie Jackson and her famous stallion Champagne Watchout. He LOVES the water and gave the rest of the horses confidence to step into the wavy shoreline. In no time we were flat walking the ocean coast. It wasn’t as romantic as I had pictured in my mind—galloping carefree through the water in a long flowing gown—but it was FUN!
Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center fosters a community of wonderful people who enjoy a variety of disciplines with their gaited horses: dressage, trail riding, competitive trail obstacles, jumping and cross country, parades, mounted patrol, and more.
Our group from Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center.
After our beach ride, our group dressed up in purple, green and gold, adorned in beads, and rode four miles along the city streets to the beginning of the parade route.
The large beads are called sugar beads.Not your typical between the ears shot.Abbie seemed to like the music and danced to the beat.How long do you think the beads will last on this head shaking horse?Large crowds ahead anxiously awaiting beads, coins and moon pies.Parade patrons caught flying strings of beads.This young parade patron has got the bead technique mastered.Baby’s first Mardi Gras.Front row seat.Parade patrons of all ages having a wonderful time!Love the hat!Kathee’s TWH mare Madison leading our group in the Mardi Gras Parade.Parade patrons caught flying strings of beads.Parade patrons getting a better view!Parade patron festively dressed for the parade.Love the hair!Festively dressed horse and rider.
Thanks to Abbie and the great group of people from Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center, I not only rode on the ocean coast, but I also rode eight miles through cheering crowds, horns, loud music and flying beads and couldn’t stop smiling the entire time!
Getting back to the trailers after four hours of riding, my face hurt from smiling about as much as my body hurt from riding!
It was our first 75-degree spring day after a long winter. I couldn’t wait to get Makana, my naturally gaited Walking horse mare, saddled for an afternoon ride.
I had thought that the gale-force winds would be our greatest riding challenge as I negotiated Makana past the disco tree dancing to and fro at the corner of the arena. I had no idea we’d be riding 100 yards from our new neighbor’s artillery range practice, plus enduring a steady stream of overzealous motorcyclists roaring by!
The frenzied sights and sounds gave us plenty of opportunity to practice riding bio-mechanic techniques I have learned from Mary Wanless that helped me maintain a secure riding position each time my explosive horse reacted to unexpected gun fire, thundering motors, and swaying bushes. Among Mary’s riding tactics include breathing deep into my stomach, bearing down of my internal anatomy to lower my center of gravity, holding my weight in my inner thighs to distribute my weight across my horse’s back instead of my weight resting on my horse’s spine, and pressing my fists forward toward the bit instead of pulling back.
The distractions challenged me to practice what I learned from Larry Whitesell about becoming a trusted leader. Whenever my horse got tense, nervous, and distracted it was my job to lead her back to balance and relaxation, and while doing she became a safer horse to ride. The best way to lead Makana back to balance and relaxation is through many transitions and lateral exercises.
So I practiced the suppling and lateral exercises I learned from Jennie Jackson and Outrageous, the gaited dressage school master I rode while I was at the March 2015 Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic in Tennessee. Lateral exercises, such as pivot the fore, shoulder in, and haunches in break up tension, lead to balance and relaxation, and improve the communication between me and my horse. As Makana realized that I was helping her find balance and relaxation through this harried situation, she learned to trust me more as a reliable leader.
In addition to riding bio-mechanics and leading my horse back to balance and relaxation with suppling exercises, we also practiced what I’ve been learning from the Philippe Karl Classical Dressage DVD series regarding the separation of the rein and leg aids, riding my horse into balance, and encouraging Makana to open and close her mouth, salivate and swallow by making my connection with the less sensitive bars of her mouth instead of from tongue pressure. These elements help to produce relaxation in the jaw and poll which help to produce a relaxed body which makes for a more trainable horse.
Although it wasn’t the joyous and relaxing spring ride I had hoped for, it was a successful milestone for me and my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana. I faced my riding fears, trusted the skills my mentors have imparted, remembered to breath, (prayed a bunch that I didn’t get shot by stray bullets), and managed to work Makana through the distractions in real time. We managed to end our ride with quality flat walk possessing good rhythm, balance, over stride, and impulsion.
Fear is a struggle many riders can relate to, like me. Yet there is hope. Today, I ride with much more confidence, and my horses have more faith in me, too.
Here’s my story…
Spooky Horse or Nervous Rider?
By Jennifer Klitzke
A traumatic fall in 1990 gripped me with paralyzing riding fear. I became a precautionary rider and only felt safe riding in a highly controlled environment. I only rode in an indoor arena, no distractions, on a calm day, in a small circle at a slow walk.
Control only lasted so long.
Famished, fear awaits another opportunity. My horse moves unexpectedly. Fear whispers, “Just what MIGHT happen next?”
Replaying falling flashbacks across my mind I must have fallen a hundred times by know. I halt frozen. I can’t breathe. My horse tenses. “Uh, oh, here we go again!” says fear.
I snatch up the reins. My horse begins the “I gotta get outta here” dance. “You’re going to fall off again!” warns fear. I quickly dismount in self-protection and return home wet with tears. Again.
Am I reacting to a spooky horse? Or am I leading my horse into a spookiness with my nervousness?
I faced a crossroads: Do I give up my passion for riding horses or courageously face this fear.
My passion wins out, and I courageously face my fear. Just how do I break this cycle?
Facing fear hasn’t been easy, nor was it an overnight fix. There were many who have helped me―including my faith. I couldn’t have overcome fear on my own.
Since 1990, I have developed a theory based upon my plight: Some horses are more reactive than others, and a fearful rider heightens a horse’s reactivity.
My husband proves it to me each time my horse spooks at the swaying bird-filled bush on a windy day. My darling husband hops on and in minutes he’s riding my horse by the disco bush without a care. I’ve had hundreds of riding lessons, and he’s had a handful. How does he do it?
For starters, I believe God brought horses into my life to mirror my soul and help me get in touch with what’s really going on. After a rough day at the office, I used to think going to the barn to ride my horses will make me feel better, only to have had a horrible ride and leave feeling even worse than when I arrived.
Two lessons can be gleaned from this. First of all, I believe God has used horses to teach me about myself and lean on him as my source of life, not wrongfully place the burden on my horses. From time to time, I lose sight of this, and horses continue to humble me and keep my priorities in order. God has given me life purpose, meaning, and an identity. He has also given me the courage to persevere through facing my riding fear and not give up.
Secondly, horses are sensitive creatures and react to what’s going on in me. When I have a rough day at the office, my horses mirror the junk in my soul. Now I’ve learned. If I desire a quality time with my horses, I need to leave work at work.
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in as I get a feel for it from the saddle.
In addition, I learned the importance of leadership from Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer. If my horse reacts to noise or sudden movement, how I react to my horse makes all the difference. When I maintain a sense of calm and redirect her attention back to balance and relaxation, that’s when we are successful. BUT when I react to what she MIGHT do, irrational fear springs up in me, my body tenses, I snatch up the reins, and this only reinforces my horse’s nervousness.
Larry and Jennifer taught me how to become a trusted leader with my horses and riding with the mindset of meeting the horse’s needs. Horses look to the rider for leadership. If the rider doesn’t lead the horse to a place of wellbeing, the horse will take matters into their own hands. Horses generally don’t make good decisions, so it is in our best interest that I learn how to lead well. I will stay safer, my horse will remain calmer, and the voice of fear will not whisper in either of our ears.
Jennie Jackson teaching dressage as applied to the gaited horse.
Another mentor who has been instrumental in building my riding confidence is Jennie Jackson. She is the only person in history who has trained and shown a Tennessee Walking Horse to the highest levels of dressage with her naturally gaited stallion Champaign Watchout. Jennie has taught me how to ride my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse using dressage to develop quality smooth gaits. She has challenged me to confidently ride through the storms, and not react to them. These tips have increased my riding confidence and consequently, my mare spooks less.
Finally, developing a secure and balanced riding position builds rider confidence like none other. Right after facing my crossroads in 1990, I began studying riding bio-mechanics from Mary Wanless when she published her first book, The Natural Rider. This book addresses riding fear and how to overcome it.
Jennifer Klitzke riding her Spanish Mustang getting established in the ABCs of riding bio-mechanics with Mary Wanless.
Since then I have purchased Mary’s Ride With Your Mind DVD series, several of her other books, and have audited her clinics whenever she comes to my region. I was fortunate enough to have ridden at one of her clinics in 2012. Mary brought my book and DVD studies to real-time application. She taught me the importance of aligning my external anatomy, breathing deep into my stomach, and the isokinetic effort of bearing down my internal anatomy and sealing my seat and thighs alongside the saddle for a more secure position while distributing my body weight more comfortably along the horse’s back. Instead of fixing the horse, she challenged me to fix my riding position which naturally restores my horse’s way of going.
Mary’s riding bio-mechanics have taught me a more secure and balanced riding position. Because of this I am better able to confidently ride through spooks. As a result, there is less fear in me and I produce less reactive fear in my horse. This translates into less overall spooks and a more harmonious riding relationship with my horse.
So, what is my darling husband’s secret to calmly riding my horse by the disco bush? I think he is deeply grounded in his faith, he presents a trusted leadership with the horse, and a naturally balanced riding position. He doesn’t think about what the horse MIGHT do. In fact, his mind doesn’t even go there. If the horse were to spook, his secure position would keep him in the saddle, he wouldn’t react to the horse’s nervousness, he would bring the horse back to balance and relaxation, and the horse would look to him as the trusted leader.
Some horses are more reactive than others, and a fearful rider heightens a horse’s reactivity. The example of me and my husband riding the same horse within minutes of each other with the same conditions and completely different outcomes reinforces my theory.
If you struggle with riding fear, hang in there and persevere. Find others who can help you through this and don’t let fear win out. I’m sure glad that I did. My struggle with debilitating fear didn’t disappear overnight. But today I enjoy showing my naturally gaited Walking horse at open schooling dressage shows, trail riding, team penning, sorting cows, endurance races, jumping courses, and trail obstacles.
Fear no longer controls my life—thank God—I am FREE!
Does rider position impact the quality of movement with the naturally gaited horse? In what ways can a rider help the horse through riding position?
Rider Biomechanics and the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
In 1989, a series of falls led me to paralyzing fear and panic attacks at the thought of riding. I faced a cross-roads: Do I give up my passion for riding horses or face my fear?
Thankfully, the latter won out.
Facing my riding fear introduced me to The Natural Rider, a book written by riding biomechanic expert Mary Wanless. In her book, she outlines ways to become an empowered and effective rider through breathing and relaxation; right-brain visualization that engages multiple body parts at the same time; and developing an engaged core for a more secure balanced riding position.
Over time, these concepts helped me overcome my riding fear. I became a more relaxed, confident, and effective rider, both mentally and physically.
Twenty years later, I learned that the England-native author/clinician was traveling to my state to teach a three-day riding biomechanic clinic. I cleared my schedule to attend as an auditor and re-acclimate myself to the concepts that saved my riding career.
Instead of fixating on the horse’s errors, Mary challenges riders to fix their position first. Often a horse will rush or lose their balance because the rider has lost their balance. If a rider is relaxed and balanced over the horse’s center of gravity, the horse is more likely to mirror balance and relaxation.
For the rider, this means:
Developing an awareness of body balance over the horse’s center of gravity
Aligning ear, hip, and heel
Breathing deep into the belly to produce relaxation
Maintaining symmetry between the front side and back side, right side and left side
Riding with a lowered center of gravity by isokinetic engagement of core muscles that bring balance, power, and impact
Developing stillness from core tone reducing noise (the extraneous body movements sent to my horse) so aids are more clear and the horse becomes more responsive
Wrapping these steps into right-brain visualizations that can impact multiple body parts
I couldn’t get home fast enough to apply these clinic insights with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and naturally gaited fox trotting horse, Lady.
Each time my naturally gaited horse loses balance or rushes, this reminds me to fix my position first. Each time I do, I find my horse naturally aligns with my balanced riding position quicker than if just fix my horse with my rein and leg aids alone. My horse feels more balanced, more through from the hindquarters, relaxed through the back and neck to the bit, and she takes deeper, steadier steps under her belly in her natural smooth gaits.
While Mary’s clinic featured non-gaited horses, I find that her rider biomechanic paradigm applies equally well with riders of naturally gaited horses.
Two decades after reading The Natural Rider I am grateful to have met Mary Wanless in person whose rider biomechanic concepts have pushed me through fear instead of giving up and onto becoming a better rider.
Today Mary has rekindled my passion for riding like I had in the beginning. She’s given me a rider biomechanic paradigm that impacts the quality of my riding with my naturally gaited horses.
Mary Wanless has written many books since The Natural Rider, including Ride With Your Mind, Ride With Your Mind Essentials, Ride With Your Mind Masterclass, For the Good of the Rider, For the Good of the Horse, Ride With Your Mind Clinic: Rider Biomechanics from Basics to Brilliance.
Instead of fighting with her, I brought Lady to her happy place—the trail. And that’s where we work on our gaited dressage. We use natural obstacles to maneuver around such as trees and the fire pit. Then we leg yield from one side of the path to the other, followed by a soft halt, and a gentle and slow rein back, to a slow balanced walk, and then transition to her easy gait before transitioning back to a free walk on a long rein.
5) Developing the Basics of Gaited Dressage
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