Tag Archives: gaited dressage instructor

By Jennifer Klitzke

How much does a horse sense from a rider? Can my insecurities get transmitted to my horse through my reins? Can this really affect how my horse moves? These questions were raised at a recent gaited dressage clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer. I spent five full days taking in new perspectives and training techniques—as much as my brain could hold. Among the many “ah-huh” moments was an exercise we did that showed the difference between “taking hands” versus “giving hands.”

Jennifer led us through a dismounted exercise. She held one end of the reins as the rider and each of us took turns holding the other end of the reins as the horse. When it was my turn, I closed my eyes, held the other end of the reins, and followed the rhythm of gait she established on a light connection. When Jennifer changed something like clenching her jaw, tensing her shoulders, holding her breath, or looking down vs. ahead, each of us immediately felt heaviness through the light rein contact. Amazing! If I can feel these changes through light rein contact, just what would it transmit to the horse?

Then Jennifer let each of us experience the effects of “taking hands” versus “giving hands.” Taking hands follow the horse’s rhythm in a non-pulling backward motion while riding with giving hands follow the horse’s rhythm forward. When Jennifer’s motion with the reins demonstrated giving hands, it gave each of us the feeling of freedom to move in lightness. Then when she demonstrated taking hands, it felt constrained. If I can feel the difference between taking and giving hands through light rein contact, imagine how much more is communicated to my horse through my seat and weight aids?

Up until this point, I had not been conscious of whether or not I rode with taking or giving hands. For years I had battled with riding fear and had unknowingly developed a “taking hands” riding mindset as a reaction to stay safe and in control. Then I began to think about the mixed messages I had been sending my horse whenever I unconsciously rode with taking hands and at the same time squeezing my horse to go forward. Or the times I had anticipated a spook, tensed my body, held my breath, and rode with taking hands instead of riding my horse forward into balance and relaxation.

Experiencing the difference between taking hands and giving hands has given me new awareness to ride my horse with a forward hand and body position and mindset. I am already noticing a difference this is making with my horse—more willingness to more freely forward with less leg on my part.

What a powerful exercise. Why not find a friend and try this exercise for yourself? You’ll be amazed with how much of an impact a riding mindset and position can have on your horse’s way of going, and just how much can be communicated through a light rein contact.

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

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Clinics

Gaited Dressage Clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer

September 15, 2012 Jennifer Klitzke

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 Shows

Gaited Dressage: Rocking R Farm Dressage and Stadium

June 5, 2012 Jennifer Klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

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.

Gaited dressage at Rocking R — 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!

Photo Gallery of Rocking R Show>

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Thanksgiving

November 25, 2011 Jennifer Klitzke

Each Thanksgiving my husband and I join my family around a delicious turkey dinner, and we share what we are thankful for over the last year.

Thanksgiving

By Jennifer Klitzke

Among family, friends, good health, and living-wage jobs during this economy, the last year provided a whirlwind of gratitude for the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve met along the way.

Starting off with the MN Horse Expo, thanks to the Minnesota Walking Horse Association for selecting my barefoot Tennessee walking horse, Makana and I as a demonstration horse/rider team. Not only was it a thrill to ride in the Coliseum, we were a demo team for Gary Lane.

Among the other MWHA-sponsored events, I am thankful for are the Early Bird Tennessee walking horse breed show that endorses humane horse training, learning events as the B.L.E.S.S. Your Walking Horse Clinic with Bucky Sparks, and fun events as the Gaited Trail Trials.

I am thankful Walker’s Triple R and Rocking R Farms for hosting wonderfully organized schooling dressage shows open to gaited horses.

I am thankful to Judy Conger who holds women’s horse gatherings at her farm.

I am thankful to the Northwoods Dressage Association for inviting Makana and I to perform a gaited dressage demonstration at their “Ride A Test” Clinic.

More specifically, I’m thankful for the people who have inspired me this last year and helped me gain a greater awareness to riding this marvelous breed.

Special thanks to:

Gary Lane who confirmed what we are doing well and for ways to improve expression in the show ring going forward.

Bucky Sparks who helped me see what connection from the hindquarters to the bit looks and feels like using a snaffle bit with a head-shaking gaited horse.

Judy Walker who rides with finesse by sewing transitions together as one seamless movement and taught me the feeling of straightness.

Judy Conger who shares from her heart a lifetime of rich experiences with me and gathers women together at her farm to learn about the importance of working in hand, tweaking our riding position, and proper saddle fit. Judy introduced me to the work of Pat Parelli when he came to my area to demonstrate his natural horsemanship method. I was humbled to see the possibilities of partnership with a horse.

Hannah Rivard who raised and trained my naturally gaited horse, Makana from birth until I bought her as a three-year-old. Hannah has gone on to riding bridleless and bareback on her PRE Andalusian mare. Utterly inspiring!

Judy who introduced me to trail riding which gave me the courage to ride the Gaited Trail Trials.

Linda Harris and The Happy Hoof Channel whose video instruction has helped me understand hoof anatomy and function and the powerful healing function of going barefoot.

Mary Wanless whose riding paradigm has introduced a fresh perspective on riding. Through her books, videos, and clinics, I’m reminded of how far I’ve come from the days of paralyzing riding fear beginning with her book “The Natural Rider.”

Most importantly, I am thankful for my saintly husband who supports my passion for riding and my faith that holds my life together.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows

Gaited Dressage at Rocking R

October 4, 2011 Jennifer Klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

It was a perfect autumn day, 75-degrees and sunny, and made for a wonderful schooling show at Rocking R Farm in Foley, MN. Forty-nine horses were entered in dressage, cross-country, and stadium jumping. Many horse/rider teams rode all three disciplines. Next year I hope we’ll be one of them!

Gift of Freedom, my seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare and I placed first and second in our Gaited First Level, Tests 1 & 2 (the only team showing in the gaited division). Our scores were 65.52% and 61.62%. Not bad considering I had a senior moment and forgot where I was in the first test. Had I continued off course, I would have completed my final halt and salute facing the wrong way! As soon as I realized my blunder, I asked if I could resume where I wandered off course. I took a deduction, but the grace offered was well received.

During our second test, Makana ran out of gas. I think I shed five pounds during my calisthenic workout in efforts to squeeze her forward. Even though the show ran two hours behind schedule, I was home before midnight (a little state fair humor).

The best news of all is that I spared my husband from watching another Viking’s loss.

Among Judge Jane Linville’s comments were “Great pair. Pleasant to watch. Continue to work for more uphill balance throughout. Horse has a sweet face and is trying very hard.” She concluded, “Lovely, harmonious test.”

Photos: Gaited Dressage at Rocking R>