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.
Perfect 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!
We 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.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I took a stab at Western Dressage, and we weren’t the only gaited horse entry!
Western Dressage for Gaited Horses
By Jennifer Klitzke
Both tests required a 20-meter circle at a flat walk allowing the horse to stretch.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse mare, Gift of Freedom, and I took a stab at Western Dressage for the first time. A stable in Cambridge, MN offered classes in traditional dressage, western dressage, gaited dressage and western gaited dressage. I was thrilled because this was also the first dressage show we’ve attended in which we weren’t the only gaited dressage entry! There was another gaited horse and rider team who rode FOSH Intro A and FOSH Intro B tests.
Since no Western Gaited Dressage tests are currently available, Makana and I rode the NWHA tests. We received a 68% on NWHA gaited first level test one and a 65% on NWHA gaited training level test one. Highlights were receiving a “9” on our centerline/halt first level test and “8’s” on our free walk on a long rein.
We scored “8” on our free walk on a long rein.
Improvement areas are finding a well-fitting western saddle. We are working on getting this resolved soon. The saddle I rode in, even with shims, hindered her shoulder movement. Although we received “7’s” for impulsion and quality of gaits, Makana felt reluctant to step deep and maintain a fluid canter in this western saddle. My gaited horse moves best in a dressage saddle, but I can’t ride western gaited dressage in an english saddle! I wonder if there is a saddle maker who produces a western looking saddle on a dressage tree?
The schooling dressage show encouraged western entrants to ride in snaffle bits. Our next schooling dressage show at another farm in Foley, MN allows western dressage using curbs or snaffles.
For the NWHA tests which are similar to the USDF tests and replace trot with flat walk and running walk. The rider is required to maintain a contact in all gaits (walk, flat walk and canter) while riding in a mild snaffle bit.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
At the June Rocking R Farm Schooling Show, Gift of Freedom (Makana) and I took our first crack at riding through a stadium course over ground rails. What a large and fun course of 12-plus fences it was! We began well until we reached the fences along the bushes and Makana got stuck. It felt like we were stuck for HOURS! When we reached the finish line, my saintly husband said, “Hmm, I’m not sure Makana is suited for this type of showing.” Well, maybe not, but schooling over rails and fences at home has really improved her canter.
Free walk on a long rein
Stadium jumping might not be her thing, but Makana loves the dressage ring, and that’s where we had two very nice First Level rides scoring 65% and 66.49%. She lost her impulsion in the deep sand along the corners but regained it to show a noticeable difference between the working and medium canters and the flat walk and lengthening along the diagonals. Makana scored high in her center line for obedience and straightness and her squareness at the halt.
Areas we need to work on include consistency in connection, forwardness through the corners, and for me, keeping my hands close together through the entire test. Her leg yields are terrific at a regular walk, but we have yet to show the leg yield at a flat walk.
I love showing dressage for the reason that I get specific feedback from a professional eye on where we’re at in our training, both me and my horse. It gives us something to work towards and know when we are ready to move to the next level. By the end of the summer, I hope that Makana and I will move up to First Level test three and Second Level test one.
This was the first time Rocking R Farm offered Western Dressage and two women did a beautiful job riding their tests. At the next Rocking R Farm schooling show, I may tinker with riding western dressage—gaited style!
At each show, I’ve had great conversations with people who are interested in gaited dressage and this show was no exception. One of these days, I hope that Makana and I won’t be the only ones showing gaited dressage!
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!
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.
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