Ever wonder how riding position and the communication system through the leg, seat, weight and hand aids affect the horse? How we ride our naturally gaited horse directly impacts smooth gaits for the better (or worse).
If you are searching for a more effective way to communicate with your naturally gaited horse into smooth gaits, read on…
Another way to ride to smooth gaits
By Jennifer Klitzke
I have been studying dressage for decades with non-gaited and gaited horses and have been introduced to a variety of rider positions and ways to effectively communicate with the horse through my leg, seat, rein and weight aids. Some methods are hard to understand and apply. Some methods are quite strenuous to apply and maintain. There are differing methods between German dressage and French dressage. Even within German dressage there are differences of application.
Then there is my riding recipe I have been refining from best practices of methods I have come across over the years, including the naturally gaited horse world. Yet, I know there are more applications I have not yet encountered.
Video: Rider position and effect on smooth gaits
Could there be yet another way to ride smooth gaits?
I wasn’t actually looking when I stumbled upon yet another way to ride my naturally gaited horses. In April, I was scouring Facebook for classical dressage groups. That’s when I discovered Heather Moffett is more than a fine saddle maker. I first learned of her name years ago after purchasing a secondhand Heather Moffett dressage saddle. Intrigued with her connection to classical riding, I had to learn more.
Enlightened Equitation
Turns out Heather Moffett is also a brilliant riding instructor and author. She’s been teaching her method for decades. Perhaps I had not learned of her since she is in the UK. In any case, I am thrilled how social media can connect us to people all over the world. After reviewing her website, I learned of her book, “Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse” and her Online Classical Riding Academy. She offers a free 14-day trial (plus, it is highly affordable if I choose to join).
I gave the trial a go. Then I joined the academy because there are so many videos to learn. I also purchased her book. “Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse” by Heather Moffett is a must-study for anyone desiring to learn a 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 naturally gaited 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.
“Enlightened Equitation: Riding in True Harmony with your Horse,” by Heather Moffett
Through the video demonstrations and detailed book explanation, I am learning breakthrough applications about my riding position, effective use and timing of my leg, seat, rein and weight aids leading to quality smooth gaits. Plus, her method is rather easy to understand and apply.
I highly recommend this affordable academy and her book for anyone looking for encouraging and well-articulated demonstration videos in helping to develop an effective rider position and its effect on the horse.
I have been a student of dressage since 1988 and wish I had stumbled upon Heather Moffett’s teaching years ago. Her easy-to-understand methods have been helpful, insightful and my horses are moving better than ever in their senior years.
Makana, my 20-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse and Lady, my 20-something grade gaited horse are giving the Mullen mouth pelham bit a try―one of the ideas offered by Heather to help the horse relax the jaw.
While Makana is already relaxed in the jaw riding in a snaffle bit, the pelham has helped to improve her balance in walk, flat walk and canter, as well as leg yield, shoulder in, transitions, and rein back.
Flat walk in a shoulder fore position
Video: Following the belly sway to smooth gaits
Even more is the difference it is making with Lady who tends to hold tension in her mouth and jaw. The Mullen mouth pelham has helped her find relaxation in her mouth leading to her best quality smooth gaits.
June 2024: Riding Lady, my 20-something grade gaited horse in a Mullen mouth pelham in her smooth diagonal gait.
Video: Why follow the belly sway to a smooth gait
Ride along with us as I share thought about rider position and its effect on the naturally gaited horse.
All horses can do dressage, even gaited horses that don’t trot. The principles of dressage produce mental and physical relaxation, balance, impulsion, rhythm, connection, symmetry, and engagement. These principles develop full range of motion, quality natural gaits, and long-term soundness over time with consistent application.
Trot is not the purpose of dressage. Non-gaited horses naturally walk, trot, and canter. Gaited horses naturally walk, canter, and offer one or more smooth gaits. Dressage improves the quality of a horse’s natural gaits whether they trot, tolt, fox trot, flat walk or saddle rack.
Dressage is more than trot!
Why Dressage is More than Trot
By Jennifer Klitzke
Coming from decades of dressage riding non-gaited horses, much of my focus was a quality trot. Before buying my German warmblood in 1988, I looked at 50 prospects for the loftiest trot I could afford. The trot defined competition dressage for good scores.
In 2007 I searched for my first naturally gaited horse. This time I wasn’t searching for a lofty but the smoothest gaited horse I could afford. I fell in love with a naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse filly named Makana.
Since dressage had been the only riding method I knew, that’s how Makana was trained. I applied dressage principles to develop my naturally gaited horse’s smooth gaits like flat walk and running walk, as well as the free walk and canter.
Trot is a natural gait for non-gaited horses like warmbloods and thoroughbreds. Flat walk is a natural gait for gaited horses like Tennessee Walking Horses. Understandably there are non-gaited horse shows where walk, trot, and canter are required, just as there are naturally gaited horse shows where flat walk, running walk, and canter are required.
Showing dressage with a gaited horse
Many dressage associations, breed associations, and schooling dressage shows accommodate gaited horse entries. There are many dressage tests for gaited horses that reflect their natural smooth gaits. Trot is not a requirement.
My first dressage show on a horse that doesn’t trot. (Six years old).
In 2010 I learned of a schooling dressage show open to gaited horse entries.
Although we were the only gaited horse entry riding with non-gaited horses, we replaced flat walk for trot. I was curious what feedback my Tennessee Walking Horse would receive from a dressage judge.
The judge’s feedback affirmed the dressage principles of harmony, rhythm, connection, riding position, and the use and timing of aids. We also received great pointers to help us improve.
Thrilled my Tennessee Walking Horse and I were on the right path, I continued to bring her to more schooling dressage shows. Showing dressage with your gaited horse isn’t a requirement to learn dressage. Yet, showing dressage provides great feedback from a professional judge.
Showing my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in flat walk at a dressage show. (Eight years old).
The purpose of dressage is not trot
Ironically, by taking my gaited horse to dressage shows is when I realized the purpose of dressage. Most of the judges we rode for had never seen flat walk before, yet this was not a stumbling block. The judges focused on the test requirements. They commented on rhythm, relaxation, balance, impulsion, connection, straightness, engagement, harmony, rider position, use and timing of aids, and the required movements and gaits of the test. Trot is not a dressage test requirement in the gaited horse dressage tests! Trot is not the purpose of dressage.
That’s when I realized Dressage is More than Trot!
How dressage improves quality smooth gait over time. Pictured is the same Tennessee Walking Horse at the age of 19.
What is the purpose of dressage?
Dressage is the training of the horse and rider to develop the horse’s full range of motion for quality gaits, long-term soundness, and a partnership of harmony. Learn more: How dressage benefits the gaited horse
Dressage teaches rider balance over the horse’s center of gravity and a set of tools to communicate with the horse. The rider learns effective use and timing of the hands, legs, seat, and weight aids to lead the horse into relaxation, balance, rhythm, forward movement without rushing, connection, flexibility and symmetry to develop straightness, and collection. Learn more: How dressage benefits the rider
When I realized I could teach my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse dressage, I dusted off my dressage books and videos and became a student all over again. Together we are developing Makana’s full range of smooth gaits on cue: free walk, medium walk, flat walk, running walk, fox trot, saddle rack, canter, counted walk and even piaffe!
That’s not all! Dressage is the language that travels beyond the arena. I bring the same communication using my hands, legs, seat and weight aids wherever we go and whatever we do: sort cows, trail obstacles, trail riding, endurance races, snow riding, and gymnastic jumping.
The same dressage I use in the arena is the same dressage I use on the trail.
Dressage has made my naturally gaited horse more maneuverable around obstacles, jumps, and sneaky cows, and she is more reliable on the trail. Plus, my naturally gaited horse has been easier on a grandma body like mine!
My naturally gaited horse enjoys moving cows more than anything!
Dressage has made all the difference in developing quality smooth gaits, and it hasn’t made my naturally gaited horse TROT.
Did you buy a gaited horse and wonder why it paces, has a hard trot or doesn’t stay in a smooth gait consistently? I did.
Here’s my story…
I bought a gaited horse, why doesn’t it have a smooth gait?
By Jennifer Klitzke
Does a gaited horse need special shoes or does a farrier need to trim a gaited horse at special hoof angles for a smooth gait? Do you need a certain bit or a gaited saddle? Does a gaited horse a professional trainer to make the horse smooth?
Smooth gaits are genetic to gaited horse breeds, such as the Tennessee walking horse, Foxtrotter, Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain, Icelandic, among others. Each gaited horse breed has a unique set of natural smooth gaits as the flat walk, running walk, fox walk, fox trot, largo, saddle rack, tolt, to name a few.
I watched people riding these smooth breeds. They aren’t bouncing. They are smiling at the end of a trail ride. Their bodies aren’t paying for it later. Ecstatic, I exclaim, “I gotta get myself one of those smooth gaited horses!” What say you?
Here’s my story to a smooth gait
Me, I had thirty years dressage riding and training the walk-trot-canter horses. Smooth gaits like flat walk, running walk, fox trot, tolt and saddle rack were just as foreign to me as head nodding, ear flopping, and teeth clicking.
All I knew is my youthful mind grew into a grandma body. I didn’t want to give up riding. I just I wanted a smoother horse to ride.
How to train a naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse
Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse filly.
In 2007 I acquired my first smooth gaited filly, a three-year-old, naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse with 20 rides on her when she became mine.
Dressage had been the only form of riding I knew. Yet, the competition world told me dressage is ONLY for horses that trot. Gaited horse owners said dressage would MAKE my gaited horse trot. Others said dressage would RUIN my horse’s natural smooth gaits.
Okay, so how do I train my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse?
I looked for books and scoured YouTube for videos about training Tennessee Walking Horses. Then I came across videos showing the horses moving in exaggerated and unnatural ways. Wondering why, I noticed the horses’ long toes strapped with thick pads and big shoes. Chains clanging around their ankles. The riders sat back on the horses’ loins and hunched forward. They wore long spurs and drove their horses forward into two-handed contact with big shank bits. The horses’ expressions looked tense and distressed.
This wasn’t the training I grew up with. If this is how Tennessee Walking Horses are trained, I would have NO part of it! Dressage is all my barefoot Tennessee Walking Horse would know.
That’s when I set out to discover “dressage is more than trot.”
If this is how Tennessee Walking Horses are trained, I would have NO part of it! Dressage is all my barefoot Tennessee Walking Horse would know.
That’s when I set out to discover “dressage is more than trot.”
Dressage is humane. (At least the dressage I have been taught). Dressage instructs the rider into a balanced position over the horse’s center of gravity. The rider learns how to communicate with the horse by effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids. The rider learns how to teach the horse how to accept and follow contact with a mild snaffle bit.
Decades of dressage lessons, study and application had taught me the benefits dressage brings the non-horse. No unnatural hoof angles, long toes, big shoes, thick pads or ankle chains are ever worn. Riders never wear long spurs or harsh bits.
Dressage teaches the rider how to lead the horse into mental and physical relaxation, balance, rhythm (even tempo and strides), forward movement without rushing, connection, symmetry (even flexibility), and collection (engagement). Through kind and humane training over time, dressage develops the horse’s full range of motion for quality gaits, long-term soundness, and a partnership of harmony between the horse and rider.
Just because my Tennessee Walking Horse doesn’t naturally trot, why couldn’t we glean the benefits of dressage to develop her smooth gaits?
We set out on a mission to find out.
How to train smooth gaits on cue
It didn’t take long to realize my young gaited horse had ALL of the gears: walk, trot, canter, flat walk, pace, step pace, saddle rack, and fox trot. If I would be training her, it was my job to discover what each gait felt and sounded like and put cues to the ones I desire.
Easy? No, but the journey has been rewarding!
Watch: How dressage improves smooth gait
This video captures our first few years of training.
Our process to quality smooth gaits
Since my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse was only three years old, we walked a lot for the first summer season. If she had been older than three, I may have introduced brief transitions to a smooth gait sooner.
We began at a free walk on a long rein (with a light contact). This began a good pattern of developing an even four-beat muscle memory. I was fortunate Makana had a natural four beat walk. Many Tennessee Walking Horses don’t. Instead, they pace instead of walk. If that had been the case, we would have introduced walking over rails and working in hand exercises at a shoulder in to diagonalize the step sequence.
At the free walk, I encouraged mental and physical relaxation and forward moving steps without rushing. This encouraged L-O-N-G, ground-covering steps. Rushing the tempo only shortens the steps and tends to create tension in the horse. I encouraged her to take the bit down and forward in a neutral position. This helped stretch her top line muscles which is especially important for long-term soundness.
2007: Here’s my three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse. We began our training with a relaxed and forward moving free walk on a long rein. This quality walk helps develop an even four-beat muscle memory and longer strides.
I rode Makana five-six days a week for 30 minutes each time. Three days of riding in a row followed by a day off helped her progress in her training and strength.
Video: Tips to Longer Strides and Smoother Gaits
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse at 19 years old.
The aids of communication
Dressage teaches the rider how to communicate with the horse through leg, seat, weight and rein aids. Coming from the dressage world, snaffle bits are all I know to develop a means of communicating with the horse’s mouth, lower jaw, and poll. It is important to develop a positive relationship with my hands and the horse’s mouth so the horse learns bit acceptance and a willingness to follow the contact with a relaxed mouth, jaw and poll.
If the horse becomes defensive in the mouth from a harsh bit or rough hands, the horse learns self-protective measures and bit avoidance. This leads to tension and stiff pacey movement for the naturally gaited horse.
Gaited horses are often ridden in curb bits with two-handed contact and a low, fixed hand position. Many look stiff and tense and are pacing or step pacing. Early on, we gave rail class a try, and that’s what we experienced riding two-handed with a curb (as pictured). I wonder if gaited horses develop a habit of pacing when trained this way.
I wonder if gaited horses develop a habit of pacing when ridden in curb bits with two-handed contact and a low fixed hand position.
If riding with two-handed curb bit contact creates tension, it makes it difficult to teach the horse bit acceptance and relaxation. When horses are not comfortable with the bit or low, fixed hands, they find ways to avoid the contact: drawing their nose behind or above the vertical, fighting the bit, running away, flipping their tongue over the bit, and locking their jaw. Any of these pain reactions create tension through the horse’s body leading to pacing (as seen in the photo above).
Video: Rider Position and Effect on Smooth Gait
Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits
Relaxation doesn’t mean sleepy and dull. Relaxation means the absence of body tension and pain and freedom of mental anxiety. Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits.
Mental and physical relaxation is key. Relaxation doesn’t mean boring our horses with monotony. Relaxation means the absence of body pain and tension and freedom of mental anxiety. Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits.
Since we were not producing smooth gaits in a state of tension, I stopped riding in a curb bit with two-handed contact and returned to a mild snaffle bit.
I began teaching Makana how to accept a light, gentle contact with a mild snaffle bit. At the same time, I needed to follow her natural head and neck motion with relaxed arms, hands, and fingers. My hands are an important part of dressage communication and trust. If I hold tension in my shoulders, with locked elbows and fists, it will communicate tension to my horse.
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse became more teachable when her mind was free from anxiety. She paid more attention to me and less attention to the distractions around her. Then her body began to relax. When my gaited horse found mental and physical relaxation, smoother gaits started to form, and she became more comfortable to ride.
Cues to the free walk
A split second before I request my horse to move from a halt to a walk, I draw both hands forward slightly to allow space for my horse to move forward into without feeling boxed in by the bit
A split second later, say the word, “walk” and I make a “cluck” sound
If there is no response to a walk, I squeeze and release my lower calves at the girth while urging my seat forward
If still no response, I follow it up with a light tap of the whip behind the girth and a “cluck” sound
When my horse steps forward into the walk, then I reconnect my following contact with my reins
I also notice the side-to-side belly sway and follow (not drive) this motion with each hip joint and my lower back
Leg yield exercises
Leg yields are a great exercise to teach at a walk. This exercise helps the rider coordinate the use and timing of rein, seat and leg aids as the horse moves and it teaches the horse to move away from the rider’s leg pressure while remaining straight in the body by the reins.
Leg yields can be applied along the fence, from the quarter line or center line to the fence or zig zag from quarter line to quarter line.
Leg yields from the quarter line to the fence:
I positioned my horse straight at the quarter line of the arena
encouraged her forward with both calves and release
Then I applied my inside calf at the girth as my horse’s hind leg is about to leave the ground to urge her to step that hind leg under her belly and move forward and slightly at an angle toward the fence
Video: Leg Yield Exercise
Introducing steps of smooth gait
When I began to transition my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse from a relaxed free walk into a few consecutive steps of flat walk, sometimes we had a couple steps of a variety of gaits: flat walk, step pace, pace, saddle rack, fox trot, and a mystery gait with quick small smooth scampering steps.
We’d slow down to a relaxed walk, and I’d ask for a flat walk again. As soon as she took three or four consecutive steps, it was important to stop and reward her before she switched to another gait. Over time, she gained more strength and balance to maintain more consecutive steps of flat walk.
My filly broke into another gait because she lacked the strength or fell out of balance.
When I rode non-gaited horses, there was a clear difference between a walk, trot and canter. The hardest part was discerning the level of quality within each gait.
The hardest part about riding a young, green Tennessee Walking Horse is discerning one smooth gait from another. Smooth feels smooth. How do I decipher one smooth gait from another? This takes time to develop through what I feel, hear and notice. Some smooth gaits have an up and down head nod like the flat walk, running walk, and fox trot.
Some smooth gaits do not have a head nod like the saddle rack. Some smooth gaits like the rack, the head moves side to side instead of up and down.
Adding to this, the flat-footed walk has an up and down head and neck nod that appears much like a flat walk, but this gait is not smooth. There is a lot of motion for the rider to follow with their lower back and hip joints. The flat walk is smooth with no motion for the rider to follow with their lower back and hip joints.
Another smooth gait with an up and down head and neck nod is the canter. Faults to the canter are the four-beat canter which is smooth, the cross canter (hind legs on the opposite lead from the front legs) and pace (lateral) canter. Both the cross canter and pace canter are not smooth. Other jarring gaits I encountered during our training include the hard trot and hard pace. Neither have a head nod.
Rewarding every few steps of smooth gait
For those of us DIY riders, it takes patience, understanding, time, and consistency to train a young, green naturally gaited horse to develop smooth gaits. Discovering how many consecutive steps of smooth flat walk my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse was capable of before losing balance or strength became helpful. Then I would stop to reward her before she broke into another gait. Positive reinforcement goes a long way.
Over time, with patience, my smooth gaited Tennessee Walking Horse took more and more consecutive steps of flat walk as she grew stronger.
Once my Tennessee Walking Horse developed the strength and balance to maintain more consecutive steps in the flat walk, I asked for more ground covering strides and tempo to develop the running walk. Then I asked for transitions from flat walk into a few steps of running walk on a straight line.
Canter improves smooth gait
At the end of the second summer, Makana was four years old. By this time we had developed flat walk and running walk on cue. Now it was time to introduce canter on cue.
Canter became my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse’s most challenging gait to develop. I’ve learned this is common among gaited horses. We wrestled with a lateral pace canter, a four-beat canter, a cross canter, and the wrong lead altogether, before we finally achieved a three-beat canter. This took time and practice. Makana’s left lead canter was easier to than her right lead. Most horses are asymmetrical, so one lead is normally easier than the other.
Mental and physical relaxation are important for canter. Many times canter excites the horse which can rattle a nervous rider. Using ground rails are helpful for the horse to take the correct lead.
Once Makana understood the canter cues, I used transitions from halt, rein back, and walk to canter on a large circle. Anytime the canter felt four-beat, we would ride canter along the rail of the arena and increased the tempo to achieve a three-beat canter.
2010: Riding at our first dressage show on a horse that didn’t trot.
When Makana was reliably taking either canter lead on cue, I began our riding sessions with canter, because it improved the quality of her flat walk. Canter was a great stretching and warm up exercise for her.
Improving smooth gait quality on cue
When my Tennessee Walking Horse turned five years old, we began to develop quality smooth gaits on cue. Quality smooth gaits include relaxation of mind and body, a consistent rhythm in foot falls, a head nod in timing with the hind leg steps, evenness of strides traveling both directions, forward movement without rushing, and developing maximum depth of stride in flat walk and running walk.
Developing quality smooth gaits on cue is a journey of consistent training and progress over time.
2015: Showing dressage with my Tennessee walking horse, Makana.
2021: My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. We are riding bareback in her smooth gait, an even four-beat flat walk riding on a loose rein in balance and self-carriage.
In 2021, Makana turned 17. My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse is well established in each quality smooth gait on cue: flat walk, running walk, flat-footed walk, saddle rack, and canter. Natural Smooth Gaits
Six helpful resources to develop a consistent smooth gait
1. Study books and videos demonstrating and explaining a natural smooth gait
Today, there are more resources available in training naturally gaited horses. One of my favorite books in learning smooth gaits as flat walk, fox trot, running walk, and saddle rack is, “Easy-Gaited Horses” by the late Lee Ziegler. This book describes how the smooth gaits sound and feel.
Some gaited horses are born more on the lateral side and pace can be their go-to gait. The best way to help a pacey gaited horse find a smooth gait is to help them find relaxation in mind and body, teach them bit acceptance and exercises that diagonalize the foot falls.
Here are a few great articles to break pace and develop a smooth gait:
3. Get good coaching from gaited dressage and gaited horsemanship instructors to develop smooth gait
I’ve been fortunately to get great coaching from gaited dressage instructors Jennie Jackson, Jennifer Bauer, and Larry Whitesell who traveled to my region. Jennie Jackson’s gaited dressage coaching has helped me establish connection and forwardness to improve quality smooth gaits on cue. Lessons with Jennie have helped me develop the feeling of right to better discern the quality of each smooth gait.
Riding at a Jennie Jackson Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic.
Jennifer Bauer and Larry Whitesell have helped me learn a natural and humane training philosophy which is based on classical French dressage. This method has helped me become a trusted leader in my partnership with my Tennessee Walking Horse and lead Makana into relaxation and balance.
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in with me and Makana.
4. Professional training for the horse (and rider) for a smooth gait
Some people send their gaited horse to a professional trainer to develop a smooth gait. Then the horse comes home, and they wonder why the horse offers a smooth gait for the trainer and not for them.
Professional training is a great investment, as long as you learn how to ride your gaited horse in the same manner it was trained to achieve the same results. This way you and your smooth gaited horse will speak the same smooth gaiting language. Learning to ride well takes time to develop—especially if dressage is your language of choice.
It is the rider’s sense of feel, balanced riding position, and use and timing of aids (leg, weight, seat and rein aids) that communicate with the horse and indicate which smooth gait to perform. This is why it is important for the rider to develop the same skillset from the trainer who taught the horse to gait.
5. Record your riding to confirm your smooth gait
I like to capture video when I ride my gaited horse. Videos help me see what I felt from the saddle during my ride. There are a few affordable robotic cameras on the market, such as Pivo a that work with smart phones. Otherwise, you can set your Smart phone or video camera on a tripod to capture glimpses of your ride. (Unless you are fortunate to have a willing friend to record your rides.)
Throughout my ride, I like to comment about how moments feel on the video. This helps me confirm whether or not what I watch matches what I felt at that moment. I’ve uploaded hundreds of my videos on the Naturally Gaited You Tube channel. If you like what you see, please subscribing to the channel. Then you’ll be prompted for the next video when it is uploaded.
How dressage improves quality smooth gait over time. (Makana age 19.)
6. Enter your gaited horse in schooling dressage shows
Aside from lessons and clinics, my next favorite way to get feedback from a professional, is by entering my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in schooling dressage shows. These friendly and casual shows are a great way to get written feedback on the qualities of our training: relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, forward movement without rushing, quality gaits, execution of the test requirements, my riding position, and the use and timing of my aids. The judge will provide comments on the score sheet. This helps me know what to work on when we get home. I find this feedback priceless.
When I learn of a schooling dressage show in my area, I contact the show manager and ask if I can enter my gaited horse using a National Walking Horse of America (NWHA) or Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) gaited dressage test. Then I send my tests with the entry form.
Dressage is more than trot
Since 2007, I have learned from personal experience, trot is not required to gain the benefits of dressage. Dressage does not MAKE the smooth gaited horse trot. Dressage does not ruin the natural smooth gaits. In fact, dressage actually improves the quality of smooth gaits on cue. Indeed, dressage is more than trot!
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse at 20 years old at a piaffe.
If your gaited horse doesn’t have a smooth gait, now you have a few new ideas to try and reclaim your SMOOTH! None of them require a special bit or saddle, special shoes or hoof angles.
Sign up for the Naturally Gaited Horse eNewsletter and learn more about how dressage improves quality smooth gaits
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
What is the difference between long and low and the neck extension? How do each impact the naturally gaited horse’s quality of movement? Here’s my story…
Neck Extension vs Long & Low for the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
Many of us with naturally smooth gaited horses are familiar with the term long and low. For me, long and low was taught to help the naturally gaited horse relax and to break up pace into a smooth gait. A few years ago, I learned about the neck extension from Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) teachers.
Before I purchased my first naturally gaited horse in 2007, I had been a dedicated student of dressage since 1988. I learned the benefits of stretching and developing the top line muscles of my trotting horses. We rode forward in a long and low frame on a 20-meter circle and encouraged our horses to step under the rider’s body mass with the inside hind leg toward the outside rein. Then we changed directions and repeated the exercise. Long and low on a 20-meter circle was taught as a way to warm up, relax, stretch, and cool down our horses.
However, as my late father would say, “Too much of anything isn’t good.” Too much long and low conditions the horse to move on the forehand with disengaged the chest muscles. In 1992, when my Trakehner/Thoroughbred and I moved from Training Level into First and Second Level dressage it was like starting over in our training because he had been conditioned to travel on the forehand. First and Second Level dressage introduce balance with engaged chest muscles.
Three reasons why too much long and low puts the horse on the forehand:
The head and neck of the horse weigh as much as 1/9th of its total body weight. When the head and neck are propelled ahead of the horse, it places the horse on the forehand by nature. The lower the head and neck gets, the heavier the weight, especially in a nodding motion at a walk or a gait.
In this long and low position, the horse’s chest muscles (pectoral and shoulder muscles) are collapsed and not lifting the horse in balance
When the horse’s head and neck get too low and out of balance, the horse tends to disengage the hind legs beyond its tail and pushes itself onto the forehand. While the lowered head and neck position can help the horse find relaxation and stretch through the back, the disengaged hind quarters push the horse onto the forehand. This doesn’t lift a hollow back to a neutral position for a quality smooth gait.
A better way: moments (not miles) of neck extension AFTER balanced work
Instead of long and low, I learned the neck extension from Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) teachers. Classical French dressage master Philippe Karl’s DVDs and books also illustrate the neck extension. Karl, the originator of Ecole de Légèreté (School of Lightness) is not a trainer of naturally gaited horses that perform the flat walk, fox trot, tolt, and running walk, but his teachings have so much positive application for the naturally gaited horse—especially the neck extension.
My DVD library includes terrific education through Philippe Karl Classical Dressage volumes 1-4, The School of Légèreté volume 1, and Classical versus Classique.
For me, learning the difference between the neck extension and long and low has been an eye opener. Why? Because up until this point, I didn’t have the riding awareness of how long and low had been training my naturally gaited horses to carry themselves on the forehand. The neck extension has brought all the benefits I had been seeking in long and low without collapsing the chest and shoulders.
What is the neck extension
After moments of balanced work, the neck extension trains my naturally gaited horse to stretch her head and neck forward and out to lengthen her spine, stretch her top line muscles from a balanced frame, encourage her to step deep under her body with her hind leg steps in a regular relaxed and forward rhythm without rushing, and engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back to a neutral position.
Watch: Action-Reaction to Neck Extension
Action-Reaction to Neck Extension
How to apply the neck extension
First, I help my horse find balance and relaxation first through in-hand exercisesthat help her accept an even snaffle bit contact. These exercises help my horse unlock tension in her jaw as she tastes the bit. These in-hand exercises are then applied in the saddle before I ride.
While riding I will follow the natural head and neck motion of my gaited horse to maintain an even snaffle bit contact to maintain relaxation of the jaw. Beginning lessons in Legerete: Following Hands»
Instead of beginning my ride with long and low, I encourage my horse to walk in a slow, relaxed and balanced position while still tasting the bit, either in a shoulder-in or a small circle.
After I achieve relaxation and balance, I release my horse into moments of the neck extension while she is already in balance. Then throughout our ride, I will ask for neck extension ride in all gaits, whether it be the walk, flat walk, running walk, foxtrot, trot (on cue) or canter.
I begin the neck extension on a 20-meter circle and encourage her to step deeper under her belly and engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back to a neutral position.
Differences between the neck extension and long and low
A big difference between the neck extension and long and low is that the horse’s head and neck are no lower than poll level. It is also important to keep the horse’s nose ahead of the vertical with an open throat latch. This position helps minimize weight loading the forehand.
Comparisons of long and low and neck extension
This is a great example of a neck extension at a flat walk. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is engaged from behind, lifting her back, stretching, forward, out and down at chest level with an even snaffle bit contact. The dressage fundamentals of rhythm, relaxation, connection and engagement are shown here. Also notice that the withers are higher than the croup instead of the croup being higher than the withers.
This is a great example of an ineffective long and low. There are some things going well here like my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is relaxed and showing a decent length of stride in rhythm, and her withers are higher than her croup. However, she is behind the bit without an even snaffle bit contact and is not lengthening her spine.
Here’s Lady, my naturally gaited fox trotting horse performing a neck extension at a fox trot which is a great contrast to the long and low fox trot below. The dressage fundamentals of rhythm, relaxation, connection and engagement are shown here.
Here’s a great example of an ineffective long and low fox walk. A great contrast to the neck extensions shown above and below. While Lady is relaxed and shows a nice stretch, she is on the forehand, disengaged behind (not stepping under the rider), and hollow. When she is on the forehand, she often trips.
Here’s my naturally gaited fox trotting horse Lady showing a neck extension while performing trot (on cue). Her back is in a neutral position. She is in balance and seeking contact with the bit while stretching her head and neck forward, out and down at chest level which allows her to lengthen her spine. Notice that the withers are higher than the croup vs the croup being higher than the withers.
So, whether you’re training your naturally gaited horse to show gaited dressage or western gaited dressage or are looking to break up pace for a natural smooth gait, I hope learning the difference between long and low and neck extension will help bring awareness to your riding. Long and low stretching is great as long as the horse isn’t collapsing the chest and on the forehand, hollow, behind the bit, out of balance, or disengaged (trailing its hind legs) instead of stepping under the rider.
Neck extension to improve quality smooth gait
Instead, try the neck extension in order to improve the quality of smooth natural four-beat gait where the horse reaches under its body with its hind leg steps, engages its abdominal muscles to lift its back to a neutral position, and stretches forward, down and out with the head and neck to lengthen the spine. All of which helps to build the top line muscles and break up pace.
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Pictured is Lady, a 20-something grade gaited horse in a shoulder in position on a circle while working in hand.
Does your gaited horse rush off into a pace or hard trot or dip its nose behind the vertical? Teach your horse bit acceptance and discover relaxation and smoother gaits.
Here’s my story.
Bit Acceptance vs Bit Avoidance for the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
There are many ways to ride a naturally gaited horse. Some ride with a bit or bitless bridle on a loose rein. Others ride in a curb or snaffle bit two-handed with contact. Some ride with low, fixed hands and others follow the natural head and neck motion of the naturally gaited horse.
If you ask me, I have tried all of the above in my quest to learn how to ride my head nodding naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horses and fox-trotting mare. Then I discovered my role in the cause and effect on quality smooth gait.
From hard trot to relaxed fox trot through teaching relaxation and bit acceptance.
What is the difference between bit acceptance and bit avoidance?
I’ve noticed when naturally gaited horses are relaxed in their minds and bodies they offer smoother gaits. Bit acceptance for naturally gaited horses leads to relaxation not just in the mouth. When the mouth, (lower jaw, tongue, and poll) are relaxed and pain free, the body relaxes and that leads to smoother gaits.
Bit avoidance creates tension and resistance―the absence of relaxation. If the naturally gaited horse’s mouth feels pain or is resistant, the lower jaw and poll tense and the horse becomes braced in its mind and body―especially its back. A tense back leads to more pacing, hard trotting, and a horse that runs away from contact.
Signs of bit avoidance in the naturally gaited horse
Horse is difficult to bridle
Horse throws its head upward or side to side to escape the bit contact
Horse draws its head behind the bit to escape the bit contact
Horse gaps its mouth to escape the bit contact
Horse roots and snaps the reins out of the rider’s hands
Horse lifts its tongue over the bit to escape pain
Horse is tense in the jaw
Horse grinds its teeth
Horse gets tense and quick when contact is made with the bit
Horse is tense and rushes into pace or hard trot
Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse Flat Walk
A naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse ridden in a mild snaffle bit. The horse is accepting and following a light contact and the rider is following the natural head and neck motion. The horse is relaxed and offering an even, four beat smooth flat walk with head nod.
What causes bit avoidance?
Tight nosebands
Harsh bits
Ill-fitting bits
Abrupt rein movements of the rider’s hands
Driving the horse forward into closed hands
Riding with low fixed hands
Pulling back on the reins
Sharp teeth that need to be floated
Riding with head setting and head restraining devices
Signs of bit acceptance in the naturally gaited horse
Horse is easy to bridle
Horse accepts and follows a light contact with a snaffle bit
Horse reaches and follows the bit when the rider offers longer reins
Horse easily repositions its head and neck when the rider regathers the reins
Horse is relaxed in the mouth and lower jaw, tastes the bit and swallows
Horse is flexible side to side and can be ridden on the bit without getting behind the vertical
Horse is relaxed and offers smoother gaits
Rider’s hand position and its effect on the naturally gaited horse
Low fixed hands
Did you know the position of your hands make a difference in how a bit acts in the horse’s mouth? Many riders of gaited horses are taught to hold their hands low and fixed at their sides. Yet, low, fixed hands position the bit to press on the horse’s sensitive tongue. This can lead to bit avoidance.
Higher hand position and why
Dressage is another way to ride a naturally gaited horse. Dressage teaches a rider how to communicate with the horse through rein, leg, seat, and weight aids.
A naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse ridden in a mild snaffle bit. Higher following hands make contact with the less sensitive corners of the horse’s lips instead of on the sensitive tongue and bars.
Each hand holds a rein, and together they provide a light, steady, even contact with a snaffle bit. This is an important element of communication with the horse’s mouth and great care is needed to build trust with the horse. The mouth is sensitive. Hands positioned higher make contact with the less sensitive corners of the horse’s lips instead of pressing on the sensitive tongue and bars.
The rider teaches the horse how to accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact, beginning in hand, and then in the saddle.
Following the natural head and neck motion
The horse learns to follow the snaffle and the rider learns to follow the horse’s natural head and neck motion. Why? So, the horse remains comfortable. This following motion helps the horse trust the rider’s hands and continue to accept the contact. If the horse begins to feel tension or pain, then the horse develops self-protection and bit resistance. Is it easy to learn all this, no. Is it worth it, yes! My horses are happier. They want to be ridden. We enjoy our time together. And best of all their gaits are smooth! No more pace and hard trot!
My story: Insights from a non-gaited dressage rider for the smooth gaited horse
In 1988, I was drawn to the horse-rider connection through dressage and began taking lessons with my non-gaited horses. My instructor taught me to follow my horse’s head and neck motion at a walk and canter. At a trot, the horse’s head and neck remain stationary, so my arms remained stationary. However, I learned how to post the trot with my body while keeping my hands in one place. This wasn’t easy. If my hands moved with the motion of my body, it would bump my horse in the mouth with each rise and fall. This would have led to bit avoidance.
Many school horses develop bit avoidance since they introduce beginner riders who haven’t learned how to keep their hands quiet. These school horses become hard mouthed and bit resistant as a result. Hard-mouthed horses become this way as a means of self-preservation.
In 2007, I became a rider of naturally gaited horses, I am blessed with a smooth ride and no need to post. However, naturally gaited horse breeds, such as Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses, and Missouri Fox Trotters have a natural head and neck motion at a walk, canter, flat walk, running walk, and fox trot.
Dressage taught me to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse. With a naturally gaited horse, there are more gaits with a head and neck motion to follow with a light contact. Is it easy? No. Yet it has been a journey worth pursuing.
For me, following the natural head and neck motion of flat walk, running walk, and fox trot has been the hardest part in training naturally gaited horses using dressage. Why? Because I had to become aware of the cause and effect I had on my horses and then change my riding habits to benefit my horses.
How I became aware of bit acceptance and bit avoidance
As a German dressage rider, French dressage challenged my paradigm. Most profoundly, is in a DVD called Classical versus Classique which contrasts and demonstrates French dressage and German dressage theologies using the same horses and students.
Before watching this DVD, dressage was a method to produce results with my horses. After watching this DVD, dressage became a partnership of relaxation and balance with my horses that actually produced greater results as a benefit. My dressage paradigm changed.
I became a DVD, book and cyber student of French dressage masters and began adopting work in hand exercises with my naturally gaited horses. This study helped me become aware of my cause and effect to my horses. Instead of seeing bit resistance as my horse’s problem, I began to notice what I was doing to encourage resistance. I began to listen to what my horse was trying to say. Then offers ways to bring my horse back to relaxation and balance.
Instead of correcting the bit avoidance, I began teaching bit acceptance, beginning with working in hand.
Working in hand with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. This photo shows flexion to the side which stretches the outside neck muscles while the horse is in balance over all four legs.
What working in hand teaches the naturally gaited horse
The horse learns to accept a light contact with a snaffle bit
The horse learns to follow the bit
The horse learns balance, how to carry its own head and neck and not lean on the bit
The horse learns to relax the mouth and lower jaw, and flex to each side by stretching the neck muscles
I have been learning to communicate with the horse through equal steady contact with both sides of the snaffle bit through these exercises. Together they have been developing a partnership of communication through the light snaffle bit connection.
Everything taught in hand translates directly to the saddle at a halt and then at a slow walk and then the tempo increases as the relaxation is maintained.
Shoulder in on a circle with a 20-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse. Work the shoulder in and haunches in at a slow balanced, collected walk.
Don’t worry about depth of stride and head nod. There will be very little to no head nod in the collected walk. This exercise supples, strengthens, straightens and improves the flat walk.
Through a progression of working on the ground with my horse in hand to in the saddle at a halt to a slow walk, my horse learns to trust my hands and I learn to communicate with my horse more effectively through the reins. This produces bit acceptance.
When I increase my naturally gaited horse’s tempo to the smooth gait, I began to learn how to gently follow the head nod. What I noticed most is I needed to be relaxed in my shoulders, arms and hands to effectively follow the motion.
Bit acceptance and a light contact lead to a two-way dialogue between me and my horse. I choose a gait, movement, frame, and tempo that my horse is capable of performing, and then my horse follows that choice. Then I follow my horse’s natural head and neck motion within that choice. This is not easy. Yet it has been worth it for me and my gaited horses to maintain relaxation in the mouth and jaw which helps to keep the back relaxed for more smooth natural gaits.
Bit acceptance takes time. Riding with awareness takes time. Learning new ways to ride that benefit the horse takes time. Yet learning bit acceptance pays dividends versus unlearning bit avoidance down the road which takes even more time.
Riding my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at a flat walk.
It is much easier to ride a naturally gaited horse on a long floppy rein than it is to learn to ride with contact and follow the natural head and neck motion with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands. Riding on a long, floppy rein can avoid many of the bit avoidance issues, however, it isn’t dressage, nor does it teach bit acceptance. Effective dressage riding with contact is essential to teach bit acceptance and a horse that is light in the bridle without getting behind the vertical.
Riding on a long flopping rein and riding on a long rein in self carriage are two different things.
There’s nothing wrong with riding on a long rein. Dressage allows for this, yet it doesn’t begin this way. Dressage teaches bit acceptance first. Then we offer moments of release to a long rein for moments of self-carriage when the horse is in balance with relaxation, rhythm, and forward motion without rushing.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I enjoying a moment of flat walk in self-carriage on a long floppy rein as long as she remains relaxed and with the same rhythm, forward motion without rushing, and balance.
When my horse has developed bit acceptance and self-carriage, I release the reins as long as my horse maintains the same relaxation, rhythm, and tempo as we had with contact. If my horse begins to rush off, I gather the reins and help my horse find relaxation, balance, forwardness without rushing, and rhythm.
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I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
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