Tag Archives: naturally gaited tennessee walking horse

Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Rein Back To Smooth Gait

2 Comments
How to perform a quality rein back for smooth gait:

Develop awareness of feel while riding—the feeling of hollow, the feeling of round, and the impact each have on smooth gait. Here’s an exercise that can help..

Rein Back to Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana has a rather long back for her size, and she has been rather stiff. That’s one of the biggest reasons why I registered for another gaited horse clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer.

At last year’s gaited horse clinic, Larry and Jennifer showed me ways to unlock tension and set us on a course to balance and relaxation.

The importance of saddle fit

At this clinic, Larry and Jennifer helped me address my horse’s back bracing issues. We began with saddle fit.

Since 2007, I have tried nine different saddles to find one that fits Makana. I’ve ridden in round skirted western saddles, dressage saddles, gaited saddles, and treeless saddles. Most saddles have been too narrow which pinched her shoulders and restricted her movement. The saddle I have been riding in is an all-purpose saddle which seemed to fit.

At closer examination, the saddle fit my horse in the cross ties. It had plenty of clearance over her wither—until I sat in the saddle. Then the saddle sank and rested on her wither. This is likely a big reason Makana was bracing her back.

Larry switched to his saddle with a gaited tree. It fit perfectly (in and out of the cross ties), and we proceeded with the lesson.

The feeling of hollow, the feeling of round and its impact on movement

Larry and Jennifer helped open my riding awareness to the “feel” of my horse’s back. They challenged me to notice when my horse feels hollow and when it feels round and then pay attention to how each impact her movement.

When my horse hollows her back, she loses forwardness, impulsion, and the depth of stride. Cueing her forward while hollow only makes her take short, quick steps. She feels smooth, but she is not producing the smooth quality four-beat flat walk she is capable of.

Larry explained how I needed to improve the bio-mechanics of my horse’s way of going. Instead of driving her forward while hollow, I needed to help Makana engage her abdominal muscles to lift and round her back before encouraging her forward with relaxed deeper steps.

Rein Back and Forth to Smooth Gaits

Larry taught me a great exercise that helped my horse engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back.

Rein Back to Forward Steps

  • Beginning at a soft and round halt, I gently cue my horse three to five steps of slow and steady rein back
  • Then halt and gently cue my horse three to five steps forward and halt
  • Repeat the back and forth sequence three times
  • The exercise is not rushed or forced
  • It is important that the horse remains relaxed and round from nose to tail
  • Once the horse feels lifted in the back during the last sequence of back and forth, then continue to move forward and maintain the feeling of relaxation and engaged abdominal muscles to lift the back
  • When introducing this exercise, I only asked for a step or two of rein back

How to perform a quality rein back for smooth gait:

  1. For the rein back, I close my fingers on the reins without pulling back. This tells the horse don’t go forward. Then I draw my heels slightly behind the girth, hold my weight in my thighs and move my pelvis upward to lighten my seat. If my horse feels hollow, then I hug my horse with my heels to encourage her to engage her abdominal muscles and lift her back.
  2. The forward cues are opening my fingers without giving away the reins, move my pelvis forward and squeezing and release my calves if needed to move forward.
  3. Repeat the back and forth three times until I feel my horse’s back lift the saddle beneath me. Then I proceed forward ending the exercise and maintain the roundness in her back, the connection back to front, and engagement for deeper steps.

So each time I feel my horse’s back begin to sag, I repeat the “Rein Back and Forth to Better Movement” exercise and then resume where we left off before the exercise. This exercise has made a big difference in my horse’s movement and willingness to go forward.

Makana is happy that I am now on saddle number ten that is wide enough for her shoulders and tall enough to clear her withers.

Does anyone want to buy a saddle?

Video: Back and Forth to Better Movements

More Exercises for the Gaited Horse to improve smooth gaits.

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

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
Subscribe: Naturally Gaited youtube channel
Follow: facebook.com/naturallygaitedhorse

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Preparation for What’s Next with My Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse

Gaited dressage horse cantering

It’s interesting how experiences prepare us for what’s next. I never imagined I’d be showing dressage after a 16-year break on a horse that doesn’t trot!

Preparation for What’s Next with My Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

I never got into this “gaited dressage thing” to show. In fact, I only wanted a smooth horse to ride that would be gentler on my aging body.

In 2007 when I bought my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana, dressage is how I trained her. It’s all I knew. Yet riding dressage on a Walking Horse is so different than on a trotting horse.

Tennessee walking horses do unusual things I had not encountered with trotting horses. The faster they travel the smoother they get, their head and neck nods with each step, their ears flop, and their teeth sometimes click.

That’s when I joined a local Walking horse association to learn more about riding this unique breed.

BLESS Clinic with Bucky Sparks
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom at a Gaited Dressage Clinic with Bucky Sparks

Shortly thereafter, I took my Makana to a gaited dressage clinic with Bucky Sparks. Later that year, I rode at a Larry Whitesell gaited dressage clinic.

Jennifer Klitzke riding at a Larry Whitesell gaited horsemanship clinic
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in in-hand with a rider.

Indeed, my worlds were colliding.

In 2008 the Walking horse association pleaded for more entries at the Washington County Fair. They were worried the Tennessee walking horse classes would be eliminated unless more people entered.

“Well, okay, we’ll give rail class shows a try,” I said. 

TWH 3-gait Trail Pleasure Rail Class
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom at a TWH breed show in the 3-gait Trail Pleasure Rail Class

It wasn’t ribbons that kept us returning to Walking horse shows. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse came alive in the show ring. She seemed to enjoy the people and other horses, so we’ve kept it up.

Gaited Dressage: Training Level
Our first gaited dressage show in 2010.

Now that I was officially riding dressage on a gaited horse and showing in rail classes, I entered my Tennessee walking horse at a local schooling dressage show the fall of 2010. We were the only gaited entry, and because of this it drew the attention of two women who owned gaited horses. We exchanged phone numbers and began to trail riding at state parks. Makana seemed to enjoy the fresh air, arresting scenery, and varied terrain as much as I did.

encountering the moose obstacle
Encountering the moose obstacle at a Gaited Trail Trial.

Trail riding prepared us for the next step. If it weren’t for the dozens of trail rides we had been on with the women I had met at the schooling dressage show, I would have never considered riding the 2011 Gaited Trail Trials which proved to be the most fun I’ve ever had on horseback!

So what’s next? I’m tinkering with the notion of eventing my gaited horse now that we have started gymnastic jumping.

Gaited horses jump too

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

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
Subscribe: Naturally Gaited youtube channel
Follow: facebook.com/naturallygaitedhorse

Gaited Horse Stories, Overcoming Riding Fear

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

Naturally Gaited TWH Trail Pleasure Class
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom in the Amateur-Owner-Trainer-Owner-Trainer Three-gait Tennessee walking horse class at the 2011 Mid-Summerfest Celebration Show in Cannon Falls, MN.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly

By Jennifer Klitzke

The three-day 2011 Mid-Summer Celebration Show held at Simon’s Arena in Cannon Falls, MN drew talented Tennessee walking horses and well-schooled riders from Canada, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Jennie Jackson who is also the owner and trainer of the famous TWH dressage stallion Champagne Watchout was the judge of the Walking Horse classes. The show also featured Saddlebred, Morgan, Hackney, and Arabian classes.

A blue ribbon doesn’t always tell the whole story, but let me tell you, I worked hard for this one.

Gift of Freedom (Makana), my seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse and I won the Amateur-Owner-Trainer Three-Gaited Tennessee walking Horse class, and yes, we were the only entry.

After our ride, Judge Jackson commented, “That was really brave!” (You’ll understand what she meant in a moment.)

For me, the 2011 Mid-Summer Celebration Show was a new twist on an old cliché; it was about “the good” that came through “the bad and the ugly.” It seemed that Makana and I were off to a great start. She had an unusual amount of energy despite the 105-degree heat index. She had the right amount of energy for flat walk, running walk, and canter.

The lineup was another story. Makana normally shines in the lineup by standing calmly and backing soft and round on cue. Instead she exuberantly expressed a desire to back before it was our turn. She backed and backed and backed so much that the Judge Jackson excused us to the end of the lineup. When Judge Jackson reached the end of the lineup, she didn’t even ask us to back⸺maybe for fear that the class may never end! It was a good ride gone bad, and one we continued to practice class after class after class until our blue ribbon ride. From there it got ugly.

Gift of Freedom and I rode respectably through flat walk, running walk, and canter during her solo ride. She even stood calmly in a lonely lineup and backed softly on cue.

“Phew!” I thought.

Moments later the announcer declared us the winner. That’s when the whoop-whoop cheering Saddlebred crowd ignited Makana’s dance moves. She swirled through the air, around and around and around like a top and wore a hole through my panic button. The sequenced-dressed blue ribbon lady spun around like a disco ball to the beat of the organ music while she prayed for an opportunity to transfer the beautiful blue ribbon to my jacket.

Somehow, even without Photoshop, the show photographer actually captured a smile through this frightening frenzy.

Makana continues to teach me humility⸺or humiliation⸺whichever comes first. (Next time I’ll remember that humility is far more pleasant!)

“The good” that came through “the bad and the ugly” was the encouragement I received from many long-time competitors.

“I’ve been there, too,” each one would say.

I wasn’t alone in my fear and frustration when things don’t go according my plan. Each person encouraged me to persevere and face the next class with confidence. Some offered helpful tips like, “Remember to breathe,” and “Think of turning Makana’s antics into schooling opportunities.”

Another “good” that came from the Mid-Summer Celebration was the thrill of meeting national clinician Anita Howe and watching her ride her signature head nodding naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse stallion Papa’s Royal Delight who won a Grand Championship. Anita watched some of our rides and offered insights to help us establish better balance, softness, and engagement that will improve our flat walk, running walk, and canter.

If I had not experienced “the bad and the ugly,” I would have missed “the good” that many seasoned competitors like Anita Howe had to share. The blue ribbon reminds me of the good people who encouraged me when I wanted to pack up and go home. And the blue ribbon reminds me that I find a “gift of freedom” whenever I face my fears with a breath of fresh air.

What are your thoughts? Please reach out and send me a message or stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and “like” us on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Winter Riding with Gaited Horses

Riding gaited horse in snow

No indoor arena? Plan B: Riding through the snowy landscape during the long winter months has been another great way to keep my naturally gaited Walking horse in shape for the show season. It is also the most breathtaking way enjoy the winter wonderland. (Even my lovely husband thinks so!)

Video: Walkin’ in Wonderland on a Naturally Gaited Horse

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

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
Subscribe: Naturally Gaited youtube channel
Follow: facebook.com/naturallygaitedhorse