It has been a rainy summer. I was lucky to have one dry day to film our rides for the Harvest Virtual Western Dressage Show before another storm swamped the arena.
Since the last virtual Western dressage show, I’ve been working on improving engagement with my friend’s naturally gaited horse Lady and it paid off. Lady was the only gaited horse shown in NAWD Intro 2 and placed second out of 11 horses with a score of 64.821%.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Intro 2
Lady ridden in her easy gait.
This show was the first time my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) competed against each other in the same show, riding the same test.
Indy placed first in NAWD Basic 3 with a score of 66% and Makana placed third with a score of 58.857%. She was the only gaited horse among the three horses riding NAWD Basic 3.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 TWH-style
Makana demonstrating a flat walk.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 Spanish Mustang-style
Indy being ridden on a 20 meter circle allowing the horse to stretch.
The show had a good turnout with 127 entries ranging from Intro through Basic, Freestyle, Therapeutic, Working in Hand and Versatility for Youth, Adult Amateur, and Open.
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the Tennessee walking horse head nod and head peck? If your wondering what a “Head Peck” is, you’re not alone. That was my question after getting some cyber coaching from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson.
Western Gaited Dressage
I’ve been an English dressage rider for decades, so giving Western gaited dressage a try, I felt like how a cowboy would feel riding in Spandex.
Recently I rode my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) in our first FOSH IJA Western Training 1 Test. After I received my Test results, I asked my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson for feedback on how we can improve our Western gaited dressage riding.
Connection for a TWH Head Nod
For some reason, I had the misbelief that riding Western gaited dressage meant riding with longer, looser reins. (Maybe that’s what they do with the traditional, jogging horse variety.) According to national Tennessee walking horse judge, Jennie Jackson, the mechanics of a Tennessee walking horse head nod require connection from the hindquarters, through the body, through the rider’s legs, seat and rein aids, and through the shoulder, neck, and head, to the bit.
Riding the Medium Walk
Jennie gave me terrific feedback in regards to riding the medium walk, which makes up the majority of this test. The medium walk is an active, even, four-beat walk with a head nod. The rider’s seat follows the motion of the belly sway as the hind legs alternately step under the body. The head nod needs to be in connection with the hind leg steps through the rein, seat, and leg aids of the rider. Jennie said that at times during the medium walk of my Test, my horse displayed a “head peck” instead of a “head nod.”
What the Heck is a Head Peck?
Head peck? What the heck?! Jennie explained that the head peck is an evasion where the Tennessee walking horse’s head simply flicks upward and is not connected with its hind leg steps.
The Head Nod
The Tennessee walking horse head nod is where the horse travels forward from the hindquarter steps, through a neutral back into a connection with the rider’s seat and rein contact—not loose, floppy reins. The head and neck should nod down with each step of the hind legs instead of flick up.
Jennie said that I need to feel the engine of my horse from behind and through her body to connect her from back to front so that her hind legs step boldly under her body, through my aids, through her shoulders, neck, and head and to the bit.
Video: Head Nod (or Head Peck)?
This video shows and describes the difference between the Tennessee walking horse head nod and the head peck I learned from Jennie Jackson. It is far too valuable for me to keep to myself. I hope it is helpful to you as well.
Thanks to the familiar faces, I felt like I was showing among friends at the Northwoods schooling show instead of me, Makana, and tripod.
Northwoods offered their first annual schooling dressage [and hunter] show on May 30, 2015. I took my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana—the only gaited horse/rider entry among 29 trotting horse tests ridden, Intro through First Level.
Nearing the arena I heard someone say my name. I turned to look and a woman introduced herself. We came to know each other through NaturallyGaited.com. I was delighted to connect with her face-to-face.
Then another woman I had met through the Western Dressage Association rode her Norwegian Fjord at her mare’s first dressage show. These women, among the other friendly spectators and competitors, made it feel like I was riding with friends instead of showing solo—me, Makana, and tripod.
Since Makana seems to run out of gas so quickly, I’ve been making a point to do more conditioning with her during our rides at home. It really paid off. We rode both First Level Tests One and Three back-to-back and Makana had enough energy to spare. The tests were held in Northwood’s spacious mirror-lined indoor arena with dust-free rubberized footing.
This show marked the first time Makana and I had ever ridden First Level Test Three which is filled with lots of new challenges: leg yield zig zag at a flatwalk, 10-meter flatwalk circles, counter canter, and simple changes of lead at X through the flatwalk, in addition to the running walk, canter lengthenings, and 15-meter canter circles.
To my amazement Makana scored 70.294% on First Level Test Three and received a respectable score of 65.926% on First Level Test One.
After our rides, Judge Colleen Holden remarked, “That was really fun to watch how you orchestrated all those variations of walk.” She said that we received an “OMG” on our free walk and medium walk because they were the best she had seen all day, and she was very impressed with our transitions, and the quality of our canter. Areas she encouraged us to work on are developing better bend which will improve the overall elegance of our tests.
After the dressage tests were completed, the outdoor arena was set for the hunter course. While I continue to school Makana over ground rails and small jumps at home to improve her canter, it had been a couple years since we entered a hunter course.
The last time we rode a course of ground rails, Makana spooked, refused, and hesitated getting near the strangely colored poles. The Northwoods schooling show promised to be a fun and beginner-friendly event, so I entered Makana in the hunter course over ground rails.
What a terrific course—eleven poles with lots of turns and canter stretches made it feel more like a cross country course. I was so proud of my girl. She confidently cantered the entire course of rails without a spook, refusal, or hesitation! In fact, I was tempted to enter her in the 18″ cross rail course.
Video: Naturally gaited (and barefoot) Walking horse over a hunter course of ground rails
Special thanks to Northwoods Stables for hosting their first annual dressage and hunter schooling show and for accommodating gaited dressage.
I took my barefoot, naturally gaited Walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), to our first schooling dressage show of the 2015 season on May 2 at Wildfire Farms in Maple Lake, MN. You couldn’t ask for better weather and a more organized show. Makana and I rode the new 2015 NWHA Training Level 3 and First Level 1 Tests among the 40 tradition dressage tests ridden — Intro through Third levels.
Free Walk
Getting to the show late with 30 minutes before our first ride was pushing it. Then my boot zipper broke. Rats! Now what?! Duct tape. Why, yes! So here I am dressed in my formal dressage outfit with duct tape wrapped around my left calf. I just had to laugh!
Canter
Makana and I were given five minutes to school in the arena before our test to get acquainted with the judge’s stand, the letters, and the flower boxes. She wasn’t so sure of the flowers wiggling with the wind, and I wasn’t so sure how well our rides would be since flowers were placed at most of the letters.
Halt
Before a couple dozen onlookers (including my first riding instructor of 12 years) I man handled Makana past the flower boxes. It wasn’t exactly the introduction to gaited dressage I had hoped to present to those who had never seen it (which included my riding instructor).
Then whistle blew for our test.
Down the center line we rode—determined, straight, and square. Makana snapped into dressage mode and seemed to forget about the dancing plants. She and I pulled off a remarkable Training Level 3 Test with a score of 68.2%. Even the judge was surprised after watching the difficulty we had just moments before.
Flat Walk
Twenty minutes later we re-entered the arena for our First Level 1 Test. Makana was a trooper. Her flat walk, lengthened flat walk, free walk, and canter work were terrific. Judge Jody Ely commented on how seamless our transitions were with barely noticeable cues. With her dressage background Jody said she knew firsthand how challenging it is as she has trained several TWHs and Missouri Foxtrotters.
Areas the judge pointed out where we can improve are for me to be more precise in my delivery of aids at the letters and help Makana be more consistent in her rhythm at a flatwalk.
I was tickled that we completed our First Level 1 Test with a score of 70.4%.
Video: NWHA 2015 Training Level Test Three
Video: NWHA 2015 First Level Test One
Thank you to Wildfire Farms for hosting this schooling dressage show at your beautiful facility and for accommodating gaited dressage. I hope there will be another!
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