By Jennifer Klitzke

Rocking R Farm, Foley, MN hosted their second of three well-attended 2011 schooling dressage shows on Saturday, August 6, 2011 open to gaited dressage. I rode Gift of Freedom (Makana), my seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare in First Level, Test One and First Level, Test Two. We were the only gaited dressage team riding among 36 horse/rider combinations.

Instead of a three-day affair like last weekend, the Rocking R Show was three hours for us; this included two hours travel time! We were off to a frantic start since I didn’t plan for how long it would take to get there and arrived 20 minutes before my first test. Yet we missed the soaking rain storm that swept through the show grounds a half hour earlier. The overcast sky and rain cooled the temperature down to a comfortable 75-degrees and the precipitation made for excellent footing.

Judge Jane Linville remarked on our winning Gaited First Level, Test Two ride which scored 65.67%: “Wonderful pair. Solid test. Beautiful horse.”

We received 63.1% on First Level, Test One. The Judge provided great constructive feedback in areas we can work on improving before the next show.

Video: Gaited dressage first level, test two