gaited dressage | Naturally Gaited Horse

Naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse shown at a running walk in a First Level dressage test for the gaited horse. — My barefoot and naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse and I are showing running walk across the diagonal in a First Level gaited dressage test.

Showing Gaited Dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

Yes, you can show your naturally gaited horse in dressage without trotting!

This is great news for those of us who love to show. Showing gaited dressage is growing in popularity around the USA—both english and western variations. You can even compete with fellow naturally gaited equestrians without leaving home through virtual showing.

Interested in riding a your naturally gaited horse at a dressage show but not sure what to expect? I’ve ridden my Tennessee Walking Horse and grade gaited horse at traditional schooling dressage shows for years.

Schooling dressage shows are a great place to start. In this friendly environment, you’ll receive constructive feedback from an experience dressage professional on where you and your horse are at in your training—what’s working and what needs improvement. Plus, you don’t have to wear the stuffy suit or braid your horse’s main, unless you want to. Casual riding attire is the norm at schooling dressage shows. The only requirements are riding with a helmet, boots with a heal, and riding in the right equipment: legal snaffle and english saddle for tradition dressage and some western dressage allows a legal curb or snaffle and a western saddle.

Riding a naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at one of three North American Western Dressage Association Shows.

I love riding dressage tests because they force me to train my naturally gaited horse through all of the required movements traveling clockwise and counterclockwise. Invariably, there is one more difficult direction to face with some movements I would rather avoid, but a test forces me to face them. The test itself challenges me to be a precise communicator with my horse to perform each movement at the letter, ride my horse in the correct frame through effective use and timing of my hand, leg, seat, and weight aids.

Plus, showing my naturally gaited horse challenges me to become more aware of how my riding position and use of aids affect my horse through bends, transitions, and riding the natural smooth gaits, such as walk, flat walk, running walk, canter and counter canter. Of course, not all test require canter. The Intro level tests generally require halt, walk, and a smooth gait like flat walk.

Benefits to showing gaited dressage

Introducing your horse to unfamiliar sights and sounds
Being in the spotlight, alone in the arena with the judge’s undivided attention through several minutes of your test
Confirming where you and your horse are at in your gaited dressage training by a professional judge
Receiving your test sheet with scores and remarks from the judge to know what went well and what needs work
Bragging rights if all goes well!

For those who don’t show gaited dressage, no worries!

Showing gaited dressage is not a requirement for those who desire to learn it.

For me, gaited dressage is more than riding a test at a show. It’s about continually learning to become more educated in my balanced riding position, feel awareness, the use, timing, and consistency of my hand, leg, seat, and weight aids, and their effect on my naturally gaited horse as I ride.

Gaited dressage is about seeking to declutter my mind and be present with my horse; to listen to, understand, and respond to my horse in a two-way dialogue and partnership using my voice, my hand, leg, seat, and weight aids.