By Jennifer Klitzke

Our 2013 show and clinic season was off to a late start with wintry weather through April and treatment for Ehrlichiosis from a deer tick bite just days after the snow melted. Would we be ready for the May clinic and show schedule?

Yes and no. We missed out on riding at the Jennifer Bauer gaited dressage clinic held at RNR Ranch in St. Croix Falls, WI and a couple weeks of our cow sorting league at High Circle Vee Ranch in Isanti, MN. I wondered if we would be ready for North Run Farms schooling dressage show I had planned on. In April I had contacted the show manager for approval to bring my gaited horse to their May show, and I didn’t want to miss this opportunity. Since we were off to a late start, I dropped our level of difficulty back a few notches and entered the show at Training level, tests two and three.

Not a bad strategy, as I am also competing my nongaited Spanish Mustang in Training level this year, and this would be an opportunity to get familiar with these tests. Plus, I had never ridden Makana through these Training level tests as the tests change every four years.

North Run Farms in Delano, MN put on a well organized schooling show. Rain and a flooded outdoor forced us inside, so after each two rides, the arena was open for ten minutes of schooling and warming up. For Makana, it was an opportunity to familiarize herself with the unusual objects hidden in the corners with lots of transitions to get her attention and lots of bending to unlock the tension in her poll. While riding through the tests I noticed that there were many improvements over last year. Makana is more forward without prodding or rushing, she’s more engaged from behind into a rein contact, more up in the shoulders, and more even in rhythm with deeper steps.

In Training level test two we received 68.214%. Dressage Judge Ginger Kawell remarked, “Nice forward ride. Try to get horse rounder on bit to get even better scores.” In Training level test three we received our highest score of 69.6% and the judge remarked, “Nice ride! Horse had movements with rounder frame! Keep it up.” Our two rides received some of the highest percentages of the show out of 14 horses (only one gaited) and 27 rides ranging from Intro to Third Level! To make it even better, the show organizer invited us back for their July and August schooling dressage shows and asked if I knew of any other gaited dressage riders who would like to enter as well. This is terrific news for gaited dressage!

Several people watching the show were intrigued with gaited dressage and approached me with questions. They had never seen anything like this before and were impressed with how comfortable a smooth gaited horse must be to ride.

Thank you to North Run Farms in Delano, MN and dressage judge Ginger Kawell for accommodating gaited dressage at the May 2013 dressage schooling show. North Run Farm is a terrific facility and Ginger is an encouraging judge who provides constructive feedback to help entrants in their pursuit of dressage. She draws from her experience in training both traditional and gaited dressage horses. The next North Run Farm Schooling Dressage Shows are Sunday, July 28 and Saturday, August 17, 2013. If interested, mail in a copy of your NWHA test with the entry form.