Tag Archives: french dressage for gaited horses

Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse flat walk

What effect does relaxing the lower jaw, mouth and poll have on quality smooth gait? Can comfortable equipment and flexibility exercises make a difference? Let’s take a look.

Relaxing the Lower Jaw and its Effect on Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

If relaxing the lower jaw has a positive effect on improving the movement of non-gaited horse, I began to explore its effect on the naturally gaited horse and its effect on natural smooth gaits.

Four great books helpful in learning, understanding, and applying relaxation of the lower jaw are, “Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative” by Classical French Dressage Master, Philippe Karl; “Another Horsemanship,” by the late Classical French Dressage Master, Jean-Claude Racinet; “The Gallant Mouth” by Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, a Classical horse trainer and instructor, and “Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse,” by Heather Moffit a Classical riding instructor and saddle maker.

“Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage: A Search for a Classical Alternative” by Classical French Dressage Master, Philippe Karl is packed with details that have helped me understand French dressage and then I applied these principles with my naturally gaited horses. My horses are lighter to the hand and lighter to the leg. Together we are finding relaxation, balance and harmony leading to quality smooth gaits and a greater partnership.

Karl also has terrific DVDs to help riders understand how to apply these methods with their horses and the School of Legerete has certified instructors who can teach you firsthand. Many of these instructors are able to do virtual lessons.

Learn More: philippe-karl.com/licensed-teachers and philippe-karl.com/worldmap

Jean Claude Racinet's book and Lisa Maxwell's DVD — Jean Claude Racinet’s book Another Horsemanship and the DVD Getting Started In Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as taught by Jean Claude Racinet presented by one of his students Lisa Maxwell.

“Another Horsemanship,” by the late Classical French Dressage Master, Jean-Claude Racinet is another great book that explains how to help the horse relax through the mouth, lower jaw and poll. This includes the separation of the hand and leg aids which turned my understanding upside down and has helped my horses find relaxation, balance, forward movement without rushing, lightness to the aids, and harmony.

In addition, Racinet’s methods are also demonstrated in the DVD “Getting Started In Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as taught by Jean Claude Racinet” presented by one of his students Lisa Maxwell.

“The Gallant Mouth” by Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, a Classical horse trainer and instructor, covers her research of historical Classical Dressage Masters. The book provides a detailed explanation to help the rider teach their horse how to accept and follow a light contact with lots of photos throughout.

“Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse” by Heather Moffit. This book is a must-study for anyone desiring to learn the balanced riding position, what the hand, leg and seat aids are and how to effectively use and time of the aids. All of these elements directly impact the horse’s movement for the better. I haven’t come across a book that describes how to ride dressage with the horse in mind better than Heather’s book.

In addition to this Moffit’s book, she has developed the Online Classical Equitation Academy with hundreds of easy-to-follow video instruction. Learn more: Online Classical Riding Academy

All of these Classical dressage professionals apply these methods with non-gaited horses, but these methods work just as well for helping riders apply these methods with their naturally gaited horses to develop smoother gaits.

Comfortable riding equipment

Having the proper equipment makes it easier for the horse to taste the bit, swallow, and relax the lower jaw. Riding with a loose nose band (or none at all) is essential so the horse is able to mobilize the lower jaw, open its mouth to taste the bit and swallow.

For much of my competitive dressage years with non-gaited horses, we rode with snug fitting nose bands with a flash attachment or a dropped nose band. The purpose for these nose bands were to keep the horse’s mouth quiet. It was desirable if the horse produced a foamy mouth. We believed this indicated that the horse was flexed at the poll.

Ride with loose nose bands or none at all

Tight-fitting nose bands can lead to lower jaw tension and discomfort to the horse. They can press on sensitive facial nerves. Dropped nose bands can inhibit the horse’s breathing if too tight. Nichole pointed out that while some salivation around the lips is good, excessive foam dripping from the mouth can indicate that the noseband is constricting the horse’s ability to swallow. Sometimes a horse will grind their teeth when they are tense. That’s why it is important to ride with a loose-fitting nose band (or none at all). The horse needs to open its mouth in order to swallow and mobilize its lower jaw for relaxation.

I’ve noticed that all of the naturally gaited horses and non-gaited horses I ride have been lighter, softer, and more relaxed since I have been riding without a nose band. When I show English dressage, I ride with a loose-fitting nose band.

fulmer-full-cheek-snaffle — Fulmer snaffle bit (available in single or double jointed styles)

Snaffle bit

A comfortable fitting snaffle bit is also important in order to communicate with the horse. Karl begins a horse’s training using a Fulmer snaffle bit. These bits are available in a single or double joint. A Fulmer snaffle looks similar to a full-cheek snaffle, but the Fulmer snaffle has loose rings which make a difference with contact.

Relaxation exercises from the saddle

After a couple lessons on how to encourage the horse to taste the bit, swallow, and relax the lower jaw in hand, Nichole showed me the same exercises from the saddle.

Flexions using Action-Reaction

Flexion to the left stretches the right side neck muscles. My hands are raised in the “Action” cue.

flexion in extension — The “Action” cue asks the horse for “Reaction” to lower the head and neck. In this case, to the side in a neck flexion to stretch the outside neck muscles. The Action-Reaction can be applied as the horse is faced forward to stretch the top line and spine.

Flexions at a halt from the saddle

At a halt from the saddle, I placed my outside hand at the wither and raised my inside hand, palm side up while vibrating the rein. This encouraged the horse to taste the bit, relax the tension in the lower jaw, and flex at the poll to the inside.
As soon as the horse flexed to the inside and began to taste the bit, I lowered my inside hand to the wither and gathered the slack of the inside rein so that I had an even contact with both reins. This meant that I had a longer outside rein and a shorter inside rein.
We repeated this exercise at a walk with one important addition: my shoulders, elbows, and hands needed to stay relaxed and FOLLOW the natural head and neck motion of the horse.
My relaxed arms, following the natural head and neck motion of the horse along with the horse flexing at the poll, tasting the bit, and relaxing the jaw brought relaxation and softness to the horse’s entire body. This improved the horse’s quality of movement.

When the horse is flexed 45 to 90 degrees to the inside, the inside rein is shorter than the outside rein in order to keep an even contact. This felt awkward to me at first until I experienced the many benefits for the horse:

It stretches the outside neck muscles
It prevents the horse from using its underside neck muscles
It helps straighten the horse’s shoulders to find balance before introducing a circle

Fléchi droit

flechi droit — Flechi droit stretches the outside neck muscles while straightening the shoulders.
(Think about it: Can you stretch the outside neck muscles on a straight line?)

When the horse is flexed 45 to 90 degrees to the inside while its body travels straight is an exercise called fléchi droit. This helps the horse learn how to bend the outside neck muscles while remaining straight through the shoulders and body. When the horse is balanced on both shoulders and now overweighting the inside shoulder, then the horse can be directed into a small circle. After a few steps of a small circle, extend the reins so the horse can stretch into a neck extension. Maintain even steady contact and keep the horse’s poll no lower than wither height. This helps the horse maintain shoulder balance and pectoral engagement to stay light.

After a small neck extension circle, move forward along the next long wall at a flat walk neck extension to freshen the horse. Then the horse is directed along the diagonal to change directions and repeated the exercise. The horse is worked briefly in each exercise to condition the full range of motion.

Applications for the naturally gaited horse

Bending versus straight lines

How often do we ride our gaited horses on straight lines? We ride straight along the rail. We ride straight along the trail. It is easier to travel in a straight line and establish a consistent stride. However, think about the effect riding exclusively on straight lines has on the flexibility of the outside neck muscles. If the horse doesn’t bend or flex, it will compress the neck muscles. This can lead to stiffness and a ewe neck.

shoulder in on a circle with a naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse. — Shoulder in on a circle with a 20-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse.

Benefits of bending for the naturally gaited horse

Bending the neck stretches the outside neck muscles and the neck extension stretches the top line muscles and spine. The flechi droit is a great exercise to help the horse stretch the outside neck muscles for flexibility.

Relaxing the lower jaw and its effect on the body

When my naturally gaited horses are relaxed in the mouth and lower jaw, they are more relaxed in the body. This produces quality smooth gaits. Less tense gaits like pace, step pace, hard trot, and rushed quick small steps of smooth gait. Riding without a noseband has helped my horses relax by giving them the freedom to mobilize their lower jaw, taste the bit, and swallow.

Also important is giving my gaited horses time to stretch their muscles and relax with me before our riding session. Exercises like the fléchi droit, shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in and haunches out at a slow walk teach my gaited horses how to find relaxation, balance and flexibility and lead to symmetry. These exercises also help the rider connect with the horse through the coordination of the rein, leg, seat and weight aids in timing with the horse’s movement.

In the end, relaxation is meant to develop the naturally gaited horse’s full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long term soundness.

Video: How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact

Educating the Mouth: Why work in hand makes training easier

Beginning Lessons in Légèreté: Working in Hand Covers the importance of educating the horse’s mouth starting from the ground.

Following the Natural Head and Neck Motion

Beginning Lessons in Légèreté: Following Hands Covers the importance of following the horse’s natural head and neck motion with an even contact of both hands to a snaffle bit, and how this translates to the flat walk, running walk, and fox trot for naturally gaited head nodding breeds.

Learn more about Dressage for the Gaited Horse

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

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Special thanks to Nichole Walters, the owner and instructor of Cadbury Farm, WA and Linda Kaye Hollingsworth Jones, owner, trainer, and instructor of Willow Grove, ID, who taught me the “Educating the Mouth” and “Aids to Lightness” exercises that they learned firsthand from Philippe Karl and his School of Légèreté instructor certification program.

French Dressage for Gaited Horses

Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?

January 31, 2021 Jennifer Klitzke

“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.

Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?

By Jennifer Klitzke

“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.

In 2013, I brought one of my non gaited horses, to a “Riding with Lightness” clinic with Susan Norman, a classical French dressage instructor. She had been a 15-year student of the late Jean Claude Racinet and a 3-year student of Philippe Karl—both classical French dressage masters and authors. Susan, among others, introduced me to the teachings of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness).

Among the highlights are:

Slowing the tempo WAY down to teach the horse balance
Lightness doesn’t mean a riding with a long floppy rein—the horse needs to learn balance and self-carriage before releasing to a light contact
The introduction of demi arret and descent de mains (lifting my hands up to touch the corners of the horse’s lips and release when my horse stops leaning). This teaches my horse not to lean on my hands for balance, rather to carry his own head and neck

Yet, the biggest transformation came from a simple statement: “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”

Experiencing the ‘Ask’ difference made me take an honest look at how I ride and its effect on my horse.

What kind of rider am I: ‘Make’ or ‘Ask’?

My Trakehner/thoroughbred, Seili in 2013 at 29 years old

Thoughtful, gentle, kind. That’s who I thought I had been as a rider when I began dressage lessons in 1988. That’s how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride and train my Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding, Seili. He was my best friend, and I thought I had always considered his needs.

In the German dressage system, I learned to confirm our training in the show ring. When we reached consistent scores of 60% or above, we were ready to move to the next level of training. Thirty years ago, achieving 60%-plus at recognized shows wasn’t easy to do. Over the years the scoring system has become more generous.

I unknowingly had become both an ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’ rider. I was an “Ask” rider at home (which is how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride) and a “Make” rider at shows: perfectionistic, demanding and controlling to meet the test requirements and appease the judge, my peers and the crowd of onlookers.

Adding to the pressure I took on, was how my horse reacted while being away from home: nervous, spooky, and tense—Seili became a monster.

I felt even more out of control. Fear overcame me. All I thought about was MY ambition to attain those 60s so that I could advance to the next level. (Or if I am really honest, be on the leader board, win, or at the very least, not be completely humiliated before my peers and a crowd of onlookers.)

I felt pressure because many of those watching knew Seili’s talent riding at home. Yet I could not understand why I couldn’t replicate this at a show. Seili was two horses: a calm and exceptionally talented horse at home and a monster at the show grounds.

Then Susan’s words repeated in my mind, “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”

My riding paradigm at home is ‘Ask.’ My riding paradigm at a show had become ‘Make’.

My horse needed my support as an ‘Ask’ rider at a show. Instead of helping him relax away from home, my self interests clouded my horse’s needs. As a ‘Make’ rider, I felt out of control and frustrated that Seili didn’t meet my expectations.

I didn’t recognize my horse at a show. My horse didn’t recognize me at a show. Susan’s words helped me realize I had two horses because I was two riders: ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’. My horse became a monster in my own ‘Making.’

‘Make’ isn’t fun for me or my horse. ‘Make’ doesn’t relax me or my horse. ‘Make’ produces perfectionism, control, tension, and dominance in me. ‘Make’ creates more tension, resistance, fear, shutting down, and wanting to run away in my horse. Seili became a monster of my own ‘Making.’

If I am the leader in our partnership, I realized the importance of becoming an ‘Ask’ rider wherever we are together: at home or away from home. ‘Ask’ invites relaxation in the rider and horse, leading to harmony, partnership, and trust.

Obstacles arise at home and away from home. Yet, the answer is still ‘Ask’ which leads to relaxation. When tension or fear creep in, I need to help my horse find relaxation before I ‘Ask’ again.

‘Ask’ paradigm put to the ultimate test

After processing Susan’s words, I wondered if it possible to show dressage with an ‘Ask’ paradigm? Could I let the perfectionism of the test requirements go? Could I look beyond the crowd of onlooks and my peers while facing the judge’s evaluation as we rode through the test requirements? Could I let go of the fear of failing? The fear of losing control if my horse become a monster? Instead, could I focus on being an ‘Ask’ rider and lead my horse into relaxation, balance, engagement, rhythm and connection? Could I let go of the outcome?

I put this new paradigm to the test with my non gaited horse, Indy. Not only were my peers watching, my first riding instructor was watching, who I hadn’t seen in 34 years!

2014 winning dressage ride and highest score of the day with 73 percent!

Would you know that this dressage test became a test of a lifetime and a turning point. Not only was our ride the most joy-filled, harmonious, connected and relaxed dressage test I had ever ridden, it became proof that ‘Ask’ can produce wonderful results. It was our very best ride ever!

At the final halt salute, the judge popped out of the booth and applauded, “Bravo!”

My horse and I received the highest score of the SHOW (73 percent) and placed first among18 riders in the class.

This paradigm shift made all the difference. ‘Ask’ produced partnership and relaxation between me and my horse. I rode my horse like I would at home and this transformed my horse while at a show.

From that moment on, I became an ‘Ask’ rider with my non gaited and naturally gaited horses wherever we ride: at home, the trails, at shows, at cow sorting league, endurance rides, clinics and lessons.

Taking an honest look in the mirror has been humbling. Yet, it has been profoundly rewarding for my horses’ sake.

How to become an “Ask the Horse to Do” Rider

Showing dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse with 'Ask' in mind. — Showing dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse with ‘Ask’ in mind.

Susan, among others, introduced me to the work of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness) that teaches this paradigm in great detail. I have been studying Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and his DVDs: Classical Dressage (Vol 1-4), Classical versus Classique and Legerete 1 & 2. I do my best to translate and apply this philosophy with all of my horses.

Ecole de Legerete teaches a step-by-step progression in how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider. You learn how to train your horse without harsh bits, big spurs. weighted shoes, chains and pads or artificial aids. You’ll learn how to lead your horse into relaxation of mind and body, balance, and impulsion to be light to the hand and light to the leg.

Legerete instructor, Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones coaches me in organizing my aids to draw my naturally gaited horse's haunches into the circle. — Legerete instructor, Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones coaches me in organizing my aids to draw my naturally gaited horse’s haunches into the circle.

Then you’ll learn how to develop symmetry, flexibility, strength, and softness through lateral exercises that will help your horse become ambidextrous through its full range of motion and produce its best quality gaits. All the while, you’ll learn how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider which will transform your partnership into joy and harmony whether at home or away at a show.

If you are interested, below are others posts I’ve written about how I have applied Legerete with my naturally gaited horses:

USA Legerete with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones
Resolving Resistance with Legerete
Ecole de Legerete comes to the Midwest
Beginning Lessons in Legerete: Following Hands
Educating the Mouth: Why Working In Hand Makes Training Easier

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French Dressage for Gaited Horses

The Missing Link to Lightness

October 3, 2020 Jennifer Klitzke

Does your naturally gaited horse lean on the bit? Have you tried just about everything to help your horse be lighter in your hands? It might not be your horse’s relationship with the bit.

The Missing Link to Lightness

By Jennifer Klitzke

Since 1988, I have been a dedicated and passionate student of dressage. Early on I was taught that horses were born on the forehand. It was my job to teach my horse to travel less on the forehand to be lighter. Which body parts are actually responsible for lightness? How do we achieve lightness? This has been a journey. Here’s our story and breakthrough to lightness with my naturally gaited horses.

Are True Bends True?

The first 20 years of my dressage education taught true bend exercises. This means directing my horse’s body bend to the arc of the circle or corner we are riding. I rode my horse from my inside leg to my outside rein to encourage my horse to step the inside hind leg under its belly and maintain forward motion back to front to the bit without popping through the shoulder. We practiced true bends because dressage tests required true bends through the corners and shapes as serpentines, circles and half circles.

To help my horse find balance, I believed I needed to transfer more of my horse’s weight from the forehand to the hindquarters through driving my horse forward using true bend circles. I rode lots and lots of true circles.

Hindsight is 20/20

Back then, I had no awareness of the role the shoulders and chest play in lightness. Although my horse was moving forward from behind and stepping under his body with the hind leg, I was unaware that he was still on the shoulders.

Lightness, yes, he felt light in my hands. Was it true lightness? In hindsight, no. True bends had produced forward movement onto the shoulders into a closed hand. I believed this was a light contact. In fact, I was proud to ride him in mild hollow mouthed double-jointed snaffle! What actually happened was my horse positioned his nose behind the vertical to avoid my hands. His poll was not the highest point. Instead, the highest point was his neck. My horse was light, because he was evading the contact.

I used to believe this was “on the bit.” Even though my horse was light, I see that my horse is behind the vertical, the poll is not the highest point, and the lightness was because my horse was evading a closed hand.

A New Approach to Lightness

Fast forward to 2014. That’s when I began studying French dressage. It opened my eyes to the importance of relaxation of the tongue, lower jaw and poll and its effect on the entire body. I began to learn how to help my horse accept and follow a light contact with a gentle snaffle bit beginning with in-hand exercises. These exercises help the horse find balance at a halt to carry its own head and neck. This means the horse stands in a way that lifts its chest and the horse finds posture while relaxing its lower jaw, tasting the snaffle bit, and following an even steady light contact with my hands.

Watch: Introducing Contact In Hand and In Saddle

Then the same exercises are done in saddle at a halt and then at a slow walk where I follow my horse’s natural head and neck motion with relaxed arms and hands.

If my horse leans on my hands, I apply a cue called “demi arret” which is an upward motion with the reins that make contact with the less sensitive corners of the horse’s lips. The contact communicates with my horse to stop leaning on the bit. It is the horse’s responsibility to carry its head and neck.

I worked with my naturally gaited horses in-hand and then from the saddle at a halt and then at a slow walk. This has progressed well.

Why isn’t the Demi Arret Working at Faster Tempos?

When I moved from a slow walk into the smooth gait or canter, I began to encounter heaviness in my hands with both of my naturally gaited horses. I was following their natural head and neck motion with relaxed arms and hands, yet they were leaning on the bit each time we advanced to more tempo. Hmmmm.

The demi arret has been effective in-hand and from the saddle at a halt and slow walk. I couldn’t understand why the demi arret didn’t seem to be working at a smooth gait or canter. Each time my horse grew heavy, I transitioned down to a slow walk to re-establish a relaxed and light balance and resume the smooth gait or canter.

Unveiling the Missing Link to Lightness

In October 2019, I attended my first Ecole de Legerete clinic with Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux. There were many take aways from this clinic. Among them were two missing links to lightness I had been searching for in smooth gait and canter. No, it wasn’t a different bit. No, it wasn’t adding a gadget.

The first is a simple exercise that teaches the horse lightness and balance by activating the shoulders through counter bend neck rein turns. For me, this was a mind-blowing reversal in my dressage riding. True bend exercises had been so engrained in my riding that I couldn’t see the purpose for counter bends.

I thought, why train counter bends if true bends are required in dressage tests?!

What is a Counter Bend Neck Rein Turn?

The counter bend neck rein turn is an exercise that shifts the horse’s balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder. The outside foreleg steps forward while the inside foreleg steps into the circle as if the horse is extending sideways. It is a terrific exercise to activate the horse’s shoulders to create balance and lightness.

Steps to Counter Bend Neck Rein Turns:

The rider positions the horse’s head and neck slightly to the outside bend enough to see the horse’s outside eye
To Turn: The rider draws both hands to the opposite side and motions gentle sideway nudges with the reins at the timing of the front leg in motion
Important: This is a shoulder moving exercise, not a hindquarter moving exercise; do not use one leg to activate an outside hind or inside hind leg, however, both legs can be used to move the horse forward

Counter bend neck rein turns can be done in serpentines, squares, figure eights, circles and random turns as needed for lightness

Think about it: if the horse is turning through the shoulders, they cannot be on the forehand or leaning on the bit, right?

What a Counter Bend Turn is NOT

This is how NOT to do a counter bend neck rein. Crossing of the outside leg over the inside leg throws the horse out of balance. The purpose of the counter bend neck rein turn is to move the horse in balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder. This will help the naturally gaited horse find lightness in their smooth gait.

How Counter Bends are True

After this clinic I began applying counter bend neck rein turns with my naturally gaited horses. We did serpentines, squares, figure eights, circles and random turns as needed for lightness. These exercises began at a slow walk, to a slow gait, and then we increased the tempo.

To my amazement, the counter bend neck rein turns have freed up my horses’ shoulders. My naturally gaited horses have become lighter in my hands because they are less on the forehand and more balanced overall.

Counter bends eventually improved the quality of our true bends—which actually are straightening around circles and corners since horse’s spines don’t actually bend. Horses’ spines move side-to-side with each step. How can the spine remain at an arc when it is in motion? It can’t.

The Source of Heaviness and the Missing Link to Lightness

Getting back to why the demi arret wasn’t working at faster tempos.

Effective use and timing of aids

First, I need to apply the proper timing of the demi arret with an immediate release (descent des mains) as my horse responds to the demi arret. The proper timing to apply the demi arret is at the moment the head nod is coming up at the flat walk, fox trot or canter.

Awareness of balance

Secondly, rebalancing. Previous to the counter bend neck rein turns, my horses were traveling on their shoulders. The counter bend neck rein exercise has freed up the shoulders and rebalance my horses and now demi arret works in the smooth gait and canter.

Any time demi arret doesn’t lighten my horse, I move the shoulders through counter bend neck rein turns until the balance returns and we proceed.

Counter bend neck rein turns have been my missing link to lightness and balance!

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French Dressage for Gaited Horses

USA Légèreté with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones

September 5, 2020 Jennifer Klitzke

Nothing beats one-on-one coaching.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I put 7 years of DVD and book study to practice at the Légèreté clinic with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones.

USA Légèreté with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones

By Jennifer Klitzke

In October 2019, owners Rick and Kari of the Schmitt Training Center in Sommerset, WI hosted the first Midwestern Légèreté clinic with Certified Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux from France. This year COVID-19 put a halt to Bertrand’s USA travels. We’ve also learned that further clinics with him need to be filled with committed instructor-in-training students to expand USA Légèreté.

So this year Rick and Kari reached out to USA Légèreté Level One Certified Instructor Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones of Idaho to continue our study. I was thrilled to participate as a student with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. She was the only gaited horse among impressive breeds: Lusitano, Zweibrücken, Selle Français, Holsteiner, Dutch Warmblood, Norwegian Fjord, Arabian and Thoroughbred. Horses and riders ranged from starting Légèreté to those schooling, extended trot, tempe changes, and piaffe.

*My DVD library of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl that I continue to resource as I learn this method with my naturally gaited horses and trotting horses.*

Last year’s clinic with Bertrand Ravoux was a perfect introduction to Légèreté. This year, Linda’s clinic took me to the next level of understanding. Not only is she a knowledgeable and experienced rider, trainer and teacher of Légèreté, she is hilarious, personable, and gives each student and horse 110% attention.

The first day, Linda began by riding each horse through the Légèreté program to realize the horse’s needs.

The Légèreté program begins at a slow, organized walk in this sequence of exercises:

Fléchi droit: stretching the outside neck muscles while the horse’s body remains straight
Neck extensions: stretching the spine and top line while maintaining balance
Counter bends: checking shoulder mobility
Shoulder in and haunches in on a circle: checking hindquarter mobility
Transitions between shoulder in and haunches in along the wall in preparation for half pass
Half pass to reverse pirouette
Then checking the trot (or gait) and canter

We watched Linda ride each horse in relaxation and lightness to the hand and leg through this sequence of exercises and beyond. We watched her organize her aids to organize each horse into balance. Within 20 minutes, we even watched her ride the advanced horses in extended trot, tempe changes and piaffe!

Riding unfamiliar horses. Horses that didn’t know her. Some were new to the program of Légèreté. Within 20 minutes Linda had a plan to meet each horse’s needs. This truly demonstrated her vast riding and training knowledge and abilities. Plus, she had the endurance to provide each student 110% through the three-day clinic. Wow!

Each student rode the remainder of the lesson(s) while Linda coached them through the program of Légèreté and into their horse’s training needs:

Teaching the rider to organize their rein, leg, seat and weight aids
Coaching the rider to organize the horse into balance, lightness, and engagement beginning at a slow organized walk and then into an organized trot (or gait) and canter
Organized for the horse means as slow as needed in each gait so that all four legs are under the horse’s body mass

Some of the horses at the clinic were gifted with elegant, long-striding movement. This includes Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse who loves to be long from nose to tail. Long-striding gaits make up part of the full range of motion. Horses also need to develop shorter, collected, carrying steps. These body-building movements develop different muscles and a more balanced posture by folding the hindquarters and bending the hock joints. This collection helps the horse sit behind more in order to raise the wither and lift the chest, head and neck.

Since long-striding movement comes naturally for Makana, Linda introduced her to a more collected and organized walk and smooth gait using the exercises and progression of Légèreté . The organized smooth gait is shorter steps that are more balanced where all four legs are beneath the body mass. This is new for Makana as I have always pursued the longest stride length in her smooth gait. This doesn’t mean I replace the long striding smooth gaits, the organized smooth gait is another smooth gait on cue that builds new muscles for the full range of motion.

The purpose of the shorter-striding movements are not to replace the long-striding gaits, rather improve them and expand upon the full range of motion.

fléchi droit — Fléchi droit is a warm up exercise that stretches the outside neck muscles while riding the horse’s body straight. This teaches the horse how to travel in a straight line with the neck bent 45-90 degrees to the inside before teaching circles. This exercise teaches the horse to be balanced equally on both shoulders without collapsing to the inside shoulder. It is important to establish this shoulder balance before teaching circles, otherwise the horse will learn to fall onto the inside shoulder.

*Neck extension: Allowing the horse to stretch out and down, yet not lower than the poll (between the ears) at wither height in order to maintain balance.*

*Counter bend neck rein turns are the next exercise to see how mobile the horse’s shoulders are. This can be done on a serpentine, circle, square or random squiggle.*

Shoulder in, Travere or Haunches In on a circle are great exercises to test the mobility of the hind leg stepping under the belly. In Legerete, the angle varies according to what the horse needs in building mobility instead of sticking to a rule of three tracks.

*Renvers or haunches out is another exercise to check the mobility of the hindquarters.*

Then we proceeded to shoulder in and haunches in along the wall to prepare for half pass. Linda rides Makana from the wall to the centerline in a half pass at a walk. Then at the centerline, she directs Makana into a reversed pirouette.

Organized Smooth Gait — *Once Makana became more balanced, light and engaged through the exercises, Linda asks for an organized and balanced smooth gait which is on the fox trot spectrum.*

Rein back — *Linda coaches me through several transitions of rein back to organized walk. The rein back steps need to be smaller so that she sits behind.*

*Makana maintains a nice poll flexion in the rein back, organized walk, and lateral exercises yet tends to open the poll at the organized smooth gait.*

Then Linda coached me through transitions of organized walk travere (haunches in) on a small volte to the organized smooth gait, as well as transitions of rein back to organized walk and organized smooth gait. These transitions help Makana fold more behind, sit, engage and be higher in the wither and lifted in the chest, head and neck. Her organized smooth gait still has a head nod, yet not as pronounced as the flat walk.

piaffe steps — Linda says that a true piaffe is when the hind quarters bend and lower, the base becomes shorter, and the wither raises. A true piaffe doesn’t need a jump step. Some horses gifted in passage have a harder time learning piaffe and tend to passage in place. They have a harder time shortening the base.

cantering the gaited horse — *The final exercise Linda coaches us through is rein back to steps of piaffe to canter. Because piaffe is a diagonal gait, it is great for the gaited horse to learn in order to improve canter quality.*

For me, being a student with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in this Légèreté clinic connected many dots in my book and DVD studies. Linda thanked me for bringing such a well-schooled Tennessee walking horse to the clinic—something outside the norm (both a gaited horse at a Légèreté clinic and a well-schooled Tennessee walking horse in Légèreté principles).

My biggest Légèreté clinic takeaways with Linda

The importance of being an organized rider

The organization and effective timing of the rider’s leg, rein, seat, and weight aids in order for the horse to become organized

The importance of rider awareness of the horse being light to the hand and leg

Becoming immediately aware of heaviness on the rein with a prompt demi-arête and immediate release when the horse stops being heavy
Becoming aware of the horse’s light responsiveness to the leg and following up with the whip when needed and an immediate cease of the leg or whip when the horse responds

The sequential progression of the Legerete program

Flechi droit: stretching the outside neck muscles
Neck extension: stretching the spine and top line
Counter bends: checking the mobility of the shoulders
Shoulder in and haunches in on a circle: checking the mobility of the hindquarters
Shoulder in and haunches in along the wall in preparation for half pass
Half pass to reverse pirouette
Then checking the trot (or gait) and canter
Then once my horse is in balance, maintain it through the next neck extension; the importance of not throwing the horse onto the shoulders once balance has been established

Redirecting Makana’s ideas of opening the poll at will by teaching her poll flexion

Allowing the horse an open poll is one thing; the horse choosing an open poll is another and Linda helped me become aware of this

The importance of continual transitions between exercises, gaits, and direction to improve balance, lightness, strength, and lightness

Riding transitions often pointed out to me my need to ride more of them, such as preparing Makana in an organized walk on a counter bend volte or a haunches in volte before releasing her to an organized gait down the long side of the arena and transitioning to an organized walk volte at the other end instead of riding several minutes of consecutive unorganized gait

The importance of working the horse’s full range of motion not just the gaits that come natural for the horse

This means educating the horse in stretching and body-building exercises both laterally and longitudinally, actively forward and long elegant strides, as well as slow, engaged, short, balanced, carrying steps to improve the quality of all gaits and full range of motion

Using diagonal exercises to break lateral movement such as improving canter quality using diagonal transition exercises as rein back to piaffe to canter and shoulder in and travere on a volte at an organized walk to an organized smooth gait

Teach the horse how mobilize its shoulders in balance

Last year Bertrand introduced the counter-bend turns to mobilize the shoulders which has made both of my naturally gaited horses much lighter, more balanced and has improved Lady’s gaits
For the horse that is heavy on the forehand (collapsing one or both shoulders) and continually leaning on the hands, a terrific exercise is counter bending the horse just enough to see the outside eye and neck reining with both hands to the opposite direction in timing with the shoulder movements. This is key!
By neck rein, it means that the rider draws both hands to the opposite side of the bend. This teaches the horse to move the shoulders. If the horse isn’t moving the shoulders, then the rider makes sideways nudges in timing with the front leg steps until the horse moves or a light tap with the whip on the outside shoulder. (Don’t use the inside leg in this exercise because it will talk to the hind leg instead of the shoulder). This is also key!
This counter bend neck rein exercise can be done on a circle, figure 8, or serpentine changing the bend at each short side to the counter bend and walking straight between bends to the next counter bend loop. Or in a random squiggle so that the horse has to pay attention to the rider

Friends, I highly encourage you to purchase Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books.

Book: Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage

DVDs: Classical vs Classique
Classical Dressage, Parts 1-4
The School of Légèreté, Parts 1 & 2

You will not be disappointed. If you live near a Légèreté clinic, it is a must see! There is discussion about having Linda back for another clinic. No doubt, I will be there as an auditor or rider for sure.

Ecole de Légèreté

I will continue to share approved photos from the Ecole de Légèreté community on the Naturally Gaited Facebook page. Make sure you “like” and “follow” to stay connected.

Stay tuned. I share my application of what I learned in the clinic with my naturally gaited horses in future posts. I am especially excited to apply all that I learned with Lady, my naturally gaited fox trotting horse in helping her be light to the hand and help my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse be more balanced.

*Since the clinic our piaffe steps are becoming more purely diagonal.*

If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us»

Stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and join our community on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

French Dressage for Gaited Horses

Ecole de Légèreté Comes to the Midwest

October 6, 2019 Jennifer Klitzke

Connecting the dots by seeing Ecole de Légèreté live. I was both humbled and awestruck auditing a PHENOMENAL Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) clinic with Classical French Dressage Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux.
By Jennifer Klitzke

Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl certified Bertrand Ravoux in 2007 as his first Licenced Ecole de Légèreté Master Instructor. Bertrand only teaches Instructor Training Clinics in the USA and Europe. Yet owners Rick and Kari of the Schmitt Training Center in Sommerset, WI were fortunate to have Bertrand come to the Midwest for the first time. Not only that, but the lucky eight riders were not in the Instructor Training program. Even more rare was that one of the eight horses was a naturally gaited Icelandic!

As soon as I heard Bertrand was coming to the Midwest, I signed up immediately, as did dozens of auditors traveling as far as Missouri. I didn’t want to miss out on live in-person instruction about this form of dressage that I have been studying the last seven years through Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books: Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and The Art of Riding.

Philippe-Karl-Legerete-DVDs-video-camera — My DVD library of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl.

This Ecole de Légèreté clinic was composed of a diverse mix of horses such as an Icelandic, off-the-track Thoroughbred, Norwegian Fjord, Arabian/Holsteiner, Zweibrücken, Holsteiner, Dutch Warmblood, and an Arabian Saddlebred. Equally diverse were the mix of riders ranging from Intro level to Intermediare.

Bertrand’s kind and encouraging teaching style met each student and horse exactly where they were at in their training. He led both the rider and horse to relaxation and confidence, forwardness, straightness, and balance through the full range of motion: neck extension to collection to lateral bending.

For me, many dots were connected from studying Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books that only witnessing this form of riding in person can do. The only thing that could top auditing the clinic would be riding in it. And I am keeping my fingers crossed for future clinics and perhaps applying to participate in the three-year Instructor Certification program.

Throughout the Ecole de Légèreté clinic, Bertrand instructed each rider to lead their horse through exercises that helped achieve balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, straightness, and collection. If a horse became heavy on the forehand, he offered useful instruction for lightness in the bridle and exercises to lighten the forehand. If a horse became sleepy, he encouraged the rider to engage the horse through forwardness along the long side of the arena in a neck extension.

Each rider was instructed how to help their horse become light to the hand and light to the leg and to work their horse in relaxation, balance, straightness, and forwardness through its full range of motion (laterally and longitudinally) to improve its quality of gaits. Watching the riders lead their horses through exercises in hand and from the saddle better helped my understanding of this kind and humane dressage method.

My biggest Ecole de Légèreté clinic takeaways

The importance of rider clarity of the leg, rein, seat, and weight aids to help the horse’s understanding
The importance of the rider training the horse to be light to the leg and light to the hand:
- ONE leg aid means “go” and what to do if the horse doesn’t
- The difference between a rein aid to lighten a horse that is leaning on the bit (demi-arête) and a rein aid to ask the horse to follow the contact (action/reaction)
The importance of the position and use of the reins:
- Always raise the hand(s) to communicate with the corner(s) of the horse’s lips which is less sensitive
- Never pull the reins back and press the bit on the tongue which causes pain
- The importance of the outside rein contact
- The use of the inside rein to encourage the horse to soften the jaw, taste the bit, and flex at the poll
- The neutral position of the hands close together and above the pommel with elbows relaxed at side
The importance of straightness of the horse’s shoulders and what to do when one shoulder dominates
The importance of working the horse’s full range of motion laterally and longitudinally, relaxed, balanced and actively forward as well as slow and engaged to improve the quality of gaits

Watching the naturally gaited Icelandic

I was so excited to watch how Bertrand instructed a naturally gaited horse during the four-day clinic and address the following issues:

This 15-year-old gaited horse was lateral in all of its gaits: pacey camel walk, a hard pace, and lateral canter.
The horse leaned on the bit.
The horse was on the lazy side.
The horse was slouching its chest muscles which caused it to be heavy on the forehand. It leaned on its shoulders instead of carried its weight equally on all four legs.

I was glued to how Bertrand addressed pace, laziness, and heaviness on the bit and shoulders (as my naturally gaited fox trotting horse and I struggle with the latter and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I could be more forward and responsive to the leg than we are).

Bertrand’s instructions:

Teach a lateral moving horse diagonal movements on cue:
- The shoulder-in on a circle at an active yet slow walk is an excellent exercise to a diagonal movement. It is impossible for a horse to pace while performing the shoulder-in on a small circle.
- A quality rein back is a diagonal movement. Teach the horse walk-rein back-walk-rein back transitions.
- Lunge the horse over ground rails to establish trot on cue.
- Trot is the diagonal gait. Teach the horse trot-walk-trot transitions and trot-canter-trot transitions.
Teach the horse to be light to the hands.
- It is the horse’s responsibility to carry its own head and neck. The horse is not to lean on the rider’s hands. The rider needs to teach the horse to be light.
- Anytime the horse leans on one or both reins, the rider make a QUICK motion upward (not back) with one or both reins. This tells the horse to stop leaning on the rein or reins.
- It is important that the motion with one or both hands is quick and upward to affect the corner(s) of the horse’s lips and not pull back which would hurt the horse by pulling on the tongue.
- The idea is to make one quick motion upward, the horse becomes light, and the horse stays at the same head and neck position that the rider desires, no lower. If the horse leans on one or both reins again, then the rider makes another quick action upward with one or both reins.
Teach the horse to be light to the leg.
- Go means go. One leg aid means “go.” If not, the rider does not continue to squeeze and prompt the horse forward with the leg. No. The rider uses one leg aid and if the horse doesn’t move forward and stay forward, the rider lightly taps the horse’s hindquarters with the whip in a slow, rhythmic way, gradually increasing the tap until the horse moves forward. Eventually the horse will learn that one leg aid means, “go.”
- For the horse that like to be on the lazy side, it means freshening up the horse with a REALLY forward gait, like trot, as fast as a canter forward. The rider posted to the Icelandic’s pace in a neck extension.
- The rider encourages to the horse to take the rein contact into a forward neck extension straight along the wall. The horse extends its head and neck outward and down with the nose pointing forward. The poll is no lower than the height of the whither. The horse keeps an open throat latch (an open angle between the underside neck to jaw). The neck extension stretches the top line muscles of the horse, stretches the spine while engaging the horse from behind in forwardness and balance.
Teach the horse how to travel in a straight line with the neck bent 90 degrees to the inside (fléchi droit) before teaching circles.
- It wasn’t until this clinic that I understood the purpose for this exercise that I learned a few years ago when I took lessons from a student of Philippe Karl. This exercise teaches the horse to be balanced equally on both shoulders without collapsing to the inside shoulder. It is very important to establish this before teaching circles to a horse, otherwise the horse will learn to fall onto the inside shoulder.
- This exercise also stretches the horse’s outside neck muscles.
- Once the horse has established the bend in the neck and is traveling balanced on both shoulders, then the horse can be led into a small circle (volte) in a neck extension position.
Teach the horse how to work its shoulders in balance.
- For the horse that is heavy on the forehand (collapsing one or both shoulders), a terrific exercise is counter bending the horse and neck reining the opposite direction.
- By neck rein, it means that the rider draws both hands to the opposite side of the bend. This teaches the horse to move the shoulders. If the horse isn’t moving the shoulders, then the rider makes side ways nudges until the horse moves. (Don’t use the inside leg unless you are cueing the hind leg to move over).
- This counter bend neck rein exercise can be done on a circle, figure 8, or serpentine changing the bend at each short side to the counter bend and walking straight between bends to the next counter bend loop.

Within the first 45-minute lesson, Bertrand had taught the rider how to lead her Icelandic into a natural four-beat walk instead of a pacey, camel walk. The naturally gaited Icelandic remained in a quality walk for the remaining three lessons.

Some progress was made in breaking up the hard pace, but it will take time. After all it is not realistic to expect a 15-year old hard pacing horse to learn a diagonal gait, like trot, in four lessons. I truly believe this horse can do it with the rider’s persistence in Bertand’s suggestions.

Friends, auditing the Ecole de Légèreté clinic with Bertrand, a Certified Master Instructor, was humbling, awe inspiring and educational. I wish I had photos and video to go along with this post, but photos and video were not allowed. Instead, I highly encourage you to purchase Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books. You will not be disappointed and if you live near an Ecole de Légèreté clinic, it is a must see!

Ecole de Légèreté

I will continue to share approved photos from the Ecole de Légèreté community on the Naturally Gaited Facebook page. Make sure you “like” and “follow” to stay connected.

Stay tuned. I will begin sharing my application of what I learned in the clinic with my naturally gaited horses in future posts. I am especially excited to apply all that I learned with Lady, my naturally gaited fox trotting horse in helping her be light to the hand and help my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse be lighter to the leg.

If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us»

Stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and join our community on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Relaxing the Lower Jaw and its Effect on Smooth Gait

Comfortable riding equipment

Ride with loose nose bands or none at all

Snaffle bit

Relaxation exercises from the saddle

Flexions using Action-Reaction

Flexions at a halt from the saddle

Fléchi droit

Bending versus straight lines

Benefits of bending for the naturally gaited horse

Relaxing the lower jaw and its effect on the body

Video: How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact

Educating the Mouth: Why work in hand makes training easier

Following the Natural Head and Neck Motion

Sign up for the Naturally Gaited Horse eNewsletter and learn more about how dressage improves quality smooth gaits

Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?

Among the highlights are:

What kind of rider am I: ‘Make’ or ‘Ask’?

‘Ask’ paradigm put to the ultimate test

How to become an “Ask the Horse to Do” Rider

If you are interested, below are others posts I’ve written about how I have applied Legerete with my naturally gaited horses:

Sign up for the Naturally Gaited Horse enewsletter

The Missing Link to Lightness

Are True Bends True?

Hindsight is 20/20

A New Approach to Lightness

Watch: Introducing Contact In Hand and In Saddle

Why isn’t the Demi Arret Working at Faster Tempos?

Unveiling the Missing Link to Lightness

What is a Counter Bend Neck Rein Turn?

Steps to Counter Bend Neck Rein Turns:

What a Counter Bend Turn is NOT

How Counter Bends are True

The Source of Heaviness and the Missing Link to Lightness

Effective use and timing of aids

Awareness of balance

USA Légèreté with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones

My biggest Légèreté clinic takeaways with Linda

The sequential progression of the Legerete program

Teach the horse how mobilize its shoulders in balance

My biggest Ecole de Légèreté clinic takeaways

Watching the naturally gaited Icelandic

Bertrand’s instructions:

Dressage is More than Trot