Tag Archives: dressage for gaited horses

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Gaited Dressage: Feel and Release

Gaited horse cantering

By Jennifer Klitzke

There are so many riding methods out there. Just how do you know which one (or ones) to take into your riding and training foundation? Since 1988 I’ve been acquainted with many expressions of dressage: German, French, Western and gaited dressage. All of which offer methods, tips and tools in producing the results of relaxation, harmony, balance, impulsion, softness, suppleness, and engagement.

For me, I focus more on reaching these results versus sticking to any one method or teaching philosophy. If a method works, I keep using it. If a method isn’t working, I search for another approach. One approach may work best for a particular horse, on a particular day, in a particular situation, and at a particular level of its training. Another approach may work best for another horse or the same horse in a different situation or down the road at the next level of training.

My gaited dressage horse Makana and I had gotten into a rut. When she didn’t want to go forward, I would keep clucking, squeezing and tapping my whip to prompt her forward—practically with every step. So I’ve been on a quest to find a more effective approach.

Days after I had returned home from the Whitesell clinic with a load of new ideas, my friend Hannah stopped by for a visit. She is an avid horsewoman and Makana’s previous owner. She introduced me to a unique approach called “feel and release” that she had learned after spending a summer at Karen Mussen’s training barn.

Feel and release is the exact opposite of how I had been prompting Makana forward. Instead of using pressure by squeezing my legs and using my whip to encourage Makana forward, it begins with a light touch followed by an enthusiastic release which sends the horse moving freely into lightness and forwardness—both mentally and physically. Since softness, lightness, forwardness, and impulsion are results that I have been searching for, I’ve been giving it a try. It sure beats the constant nagging with my legs, voice and whip, and my horse seems lighter, softer, happier, and more up in the shoulders.

If softness and lightness are elements you’d like more of with your horse, visit Hannah’s blog Cambria Horsemanship and  Karen’s website TheArtofRiding.com.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Clinics

Gaited Dressage Clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer

Whitesell Gaited Dressage Clinic

RNR Ranch in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin hosted a five-day Gaited Dressage Clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer August 27-31. The clinic featured five Tennessee walking horses, a Foxtrotter, a Rocky, and a Singlefooter and their riders from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Larry brought his professional teaching, coaching and communication skills to unpack his unique riding philosophy which is based upon classical dressage and years of showing and training gaited horses. His training focus is in meeting the horse’s needs.

Larry says, “Don’t teach the horse what NOT to do. Teach the horse what TO do.” Instead of punishing the horse for making a mistake, redirect the horse to find balance and relaxation and at the same time the horse’s need for security will be satisfied, and the horse will better trust the rider as a reliable leader. This translates into less spooks, bolts, bucks, buddy sourness, and rears. The more a horse trusts the rider to keep it secure, the more the rider can trust the horse on the trail. It’s a win-win training method.

Participants learned exercises to help their horses find balance and relaxation which in turn will help the horses become safer and happier trail mounts. Jennifer coached riders into establishing a better riding position while Larry helped each rider/horse team through the exercises. Participants were amazed with how much influence a good riding position has on a horse’s balance.

The clinic was filled with mounted and dismounted exercises, working the horses in hand, lunging, and riding through exercises that helped each horse unlock the braces in their poll, neck, shoulders and back. Exercises included turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, shoulder in, halt, rein back, transitions within a gait, and transitions between gaits every few steps. Larry identified each horse’s level of training and gave each horse/rider team tips for improving balance, relaxation, impulsion, and collection.

After each clinic day, riders were welcome to enjoy RNR’s beautifully groomed trails. Three riders even had a close encounter with a big buck as they rode through the mature forests, rolling meadows, and farmland.

Published in the the September 2012 Heritage Highlights newsletter for the Tennessee Walking Horse Heritage Society.

I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.

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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Clinics, Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Gaited Dressage: Form and function

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gaited dressage form and function

By Jennifer Klitzke

I took an arsenal of questions with me to a recent gaited dressage clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer. Questions like how do I ride a head-shaking horse on-the-bit, how do I get my horse more forward, and how do I unlock my horse’s stiff back. My first question led to an interesting discussion about head nod. And little did I know that my questions all relate to form and function.

Larry explained that the mechanics of overstride with swinging straight legs and an exaggerated head nod stem from a stiff back. It is why horses shown this way are trained on straight lines versus circles, serpentines, and lateral movements. The mechanics of dressage require lengthened topline muscles, a round and relaxed back, and bending hock and haunch joints. The result is a different expression of movement.

This led to an eye-opening realization: I had been expecting the same movement of my Tennessee walking horse at dressage shows as at Tennessee walking horse rail classes. Gaited dressage and show ring gaited classes are not ridden and measured the same way. Its like riding in an english pleasure class with western attire and in western form. If dressage is the way I intend to ride and train my gaited horse, I need to adjust my form and function to that of gaited dressage mechanics and stop fixating on exaggerated head nod and maximum overtrack.

As the clinic progressed I discovered that a stiff back is also why my horse hasn’t been moving forward with impulsion and engagement, and why her canter has been flat. Larry and Jennifer taught us several exercises to unlock a horse’s braced back such as reinback, turn on the forehand, and shoulder in. These exercises teach a horse to bend and round through the back and step deeper under its belly. We also worked on upward transitions between gaits and within gaits to improve impulsion and downward transitions to soften our horses.

Riding my Walking horse in correct dressage form will likely minimize her head nod and overtrack, but Larry promised that correct dressage training methods will purify her four-beat gait and make it smoother than ever!

Photo gallery with commentary>

For more about Larry Whitesell, his training DVDs and clinic schedule, visit www.WhitesellGaitedHorsemanship.com.
For more about Jennifer Bauer, visit www.gaitedhorsemanship.com

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>

httpv://youtu.be/40Aa8TRqhPE

httpv://youtu.be/tcQ11Bev_Oo

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Dressage Horse vs Dressage Training

naturally-gaited-dressage-training-for-all-breeds

By Jennifer Klitzke

To me there is a difference between a “dressage horse” and dressage training methods. A “dressage horse” is like one you see at the Olympics: sensational scope and movement, high levels of training, ability, aptitude, and athleticism. In the gaited dressage world, I would consider Champaign Watchout ridden and trained by Jennie Jackson to be that of a “gaited dressage horse.”

A “dressage horse” is trained using dressage methods; however, you don’t need a “dressage horse” to realize that dressage training methods effectively improve the natural movement of any horse—gaited and non-gaited alike. And dressage training methods can transform the horse and rider relationship into one of a beautiful dance.

For me dressage training is a pursuit for improvement, and schooling dressage shows provide a learning environment. I show my gaited horse regularly at schooling dressage shows to get feedback from a qualified judge about where we are at in our training—what’s working and what needs improvement. Dressage training methods will likely never shape my gaited horse into an Olympian, but it will direct us to the next level of collection, balance, impulsion, harmony, and teamwork as we pursue a more smooth and enjoyable dance.