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.
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I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Do you have a tense, anxious and pacey gaited horse? You are not alone. I did too. Here’s what’s worked for me to find relaxation and break pace for a smooth gait. Find relaxation and break pace with long and low, plus these tips and videos.
Long and Low to Break Pace and Improve Smooth Gait
By Jennifer Klitzke
Have you ever asked, “How do I help my gaited horse break pace for a smooth gait?” You’re not alone. I asked this question back in 2007 when I bought my first Tennessee walking horse, Makana. She was just turning three years old with a few rides on her. I thought naturally gaited horses were born to be smooth. Yes, they are. However, I quickly learned that it was up to me to help my horse develop her smooth gaits with consistent training.
I set out to find resources for smooth gaited horse training. I purchased and studied gaited horse videos and books where I learned that many people ride their gaited horses using curb bits two handed with contact. This approach was new to me. As an avid dressage rider since 1988, I was familiar with riding two handed with contact using a gentle snaffle bit. A curb bit was only added to the snaffle bit (bradoon) at Third Level and beyond, but not used predominantly with contact.
I also attended naturally gaited horse clinics and took lessons with local instructors where I was taught to ride with low fixed hands. This was also a new concept for me. As a dressage rider, I had learned to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse with the snaffle bit contact. I thought, “Wouldn’t it be the same for the head nodding gaited horse?”
It seems pace is a common theme among gaited horse owners—especially for those, like me, who own Tennessee walking horses.
Ingredients of pace
Pictured below, is me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana, early in our training. As you can see, we struggled with pace. Does she look relaxed: her expression, her body, her mouth? Notice the spurs and riding two handed with low, fixed hands using a curb bit.
Relaxation leads to smooth gait, yes. Just where do you begin to unravel the elements of this quandary and begin the journey to a relaxed smooth gait?
How to Break Pace for a Smooth Gait
Makana has had a consistent smooth gait for years now. Helping her find relaxation in her body and mind is key to break pace. This begins even before I start riding long and low.
Steps to relaxation
First of all, I stopped using equipment that cause tension. No more spurs, snug nose bands, and riding with curb bits two handed with contact. I maintained regular hoof trims at natural angles, double checked my saddle fit for comfort, and had the vet out annually to check teeth and floated as needed.
Developing a language of communication
To relax my horse’s mind, I had to become aware of what created anxiety and worry to help my horse find relaxation. Here, we embarked on a journey to develop a dialogue of harmonious two-way communication using dressage for the gaited horse.
Watch: Introducing Contact In Hand and In Saddle
I began by teaching my horse how to acceptance and follow a mild snaffle bit contact starting with work in hand. Then the same exercises from the saddle at a halt, and then at a slow walk. We only progressed tempo as long as she was relaxed in her mind and body. If she became tense or worried, we would slow down or halt until she was relaxed again.
When we progressed in tempo to a free walk on a long rein. I had to learn how to follow her natural head and neck movement with relaxed arms shoulders and hip joints.
Becoming a relaxed and confident rider
Most important, I needed to face my fears and learn how to become a relaxed and confident rider in order to convey relaxation and confidence to my horse. If my horse is nervous and I react in nervousness, it only reinforces her worry. I need to become the relaxed leader of our relationship. This takes time. For me, this has been a work in progress. Because of intentionally working at it, I am a more relaxed and confident rider, and it has paid off in my relationship with Makana.
Long and low for relaxation
Gaited horse experts talk about the importance of lowering the horse’s head and neck to aid in relaxation. Why? Because relaxation is a key component for smooth gait.
In dressage terms, a long and low dog walk with contact is referred to a free walk on a long rein. This is a required movement in all dressage tests—Introductory through Olympic Levels. The free walk on a long rein shows the rider and horse in a posture of relaxation during the test. The riding team leaves the arena at a free walk on a loose rein.
Free walk on a long rein
Long and low or free walk on a long rein is only one of many positions a horse is trained at to develop full range of motion.
In a dressage test, the free walk is graded on a scale from 0 to 10. The latter score means a perfect free walk. In a quality free walk on a long rein, the horse is shown in a state of relaxation. The horse is ridden in an approved snaffle bit and stretches forward, down, and out while taking equally timed steps with over track. This means the hind leg hoofprint steps over the fore hoofprint as it leaves the ground. The more over track the horse offers is considered a quality walk. For maximum stride length, it is important to move the horse forward without rushing in a regular rhythm and tempo.
This quality position allows the horse to stretch through the back and neck to a seeking contact with the bit. The horse’s nose is ahead of the vertical. The back is in a neutral position, and the horse’s chest is up and not collapsed. Most dressage tests show the free walk on a long rein along a straight line across the diagonal. This challenges how well the horse remains between the rider’s leg and rein aids. This symmetry is also scored.
The rider maintains a light contact with the snaffle bit and follows the horse’s natural head and neck motion with relaxed shoulders and arms. The rider also follows the horse’s side to side belly sway with relaxed hip joints and a balanced and aligned (ear, hip and heel) riding position. The rider’s relaxation aids the horse’s relaxation.
Video: Free Walk on a Long Rein
The free walk on a long rein is a terrific way to begin and end every ride, as well as reward your horse throughout a training session.
Long and Low to Steps of Smooth Gait
As my horse develops a consistent free walk on a long rein, then I begin asking her for a few steps of flat walk or smooth gait. I stop and reward my horse before my horse begins to pace or trot or feel like a rough ride. Then we return to a relaxed walk and ask for the smooth gait again.
After a few smooth steps of gait, I halt and reward my horse. Over time, a few good steps of smooth gait lead to a circle and then a few minutes of smooth gait.
Why lower is not better
I used to believe that the lower the horse’s head and neck are stretched to the ground the better. Many gaited horse experts claim this is true in order to develop a smooth gait. I gave this a try for a couple years. It helped my horse become smoother; however, my horse developed the habit of traveling on the forehand. This became a new habit that has been hard to break. Plus, being on the forehand compounded the tripping.
In hindsight, why train long and low as low as you can go when long and low at a neutral position also breaks pace?
Consider balance when training long and low to break pace
Balance is an important concept in dressage. I began to study the science of biomechanics and balance, and the importance of engaging the thoracic sling (chest and shoulder muscles) from Dr. Hilary Clayton’s research and French dressage master Philippe Karl’s book: Misconceptions of Modern Dressage.
Clayton and Karl are dressage and biomechanics experts. Their writings helped me realize the struggles I was having with my gaited horse being on the forehand and when my Trakehner/Thoroughbred were moving into Second Level. Prolonged long and low trains the horse to travel on the forehand.
Moments of long and low are good, not miles. Long and low stretching is good, but lower is not better.
Here’s why. The horse’s head and neck weigh up to one tenth of its body weight and when propelled ahead of the horse’s legs naturally places the horse on the forehand.
Adding to this, when the horse’s poll (between the ears) is lower than the height of the wither, the horse collapses the shoulder and chest muscles. Training a horse in this unbalanced position means conditioning the horse on the forehand with undeveloped chest and shoulder muscles. Then when you want to teach collection, you have to retrain your horse to develop the chest and shoulder muscles and break the habit of leaning on the bit and traveling onto the forehand.
Long and low to riding in balance is like breaking the habit of slouching with good posture. Not easy to do.
Long and low out of balance
Pictured above is my naturally gaited fox-trotting horse, Lady, in a long and low position. Notice that she is disengaged from behind (not stepping under the rider’s position with her hind leg). Notice that her chest muscles are collapsed, and her abdominal muscles are not lifting her back to a neutral position. She may be relaxed, but she is not effectively developing her top line muscles in this position. She is traveling on the forehand, and behind the bit.
Long and low in balance
Pictured above is my naturally gaited horse, Lady, in a neutral balanced position on a long rein. This is called a neck extension. She is traveling in a relaxed smooth gait and stepping more under her body than disengaging behind her tail. Can you see the difference in balanced compared with the other photo?
Watch: Action Reaction to Neck Extension
Steps to cue the neck extension
Benefits of a free walk on a long rein from a balanced position
A free walk on a long rein from a balanced position produces many terrific benefits for the gaited horse including rhythm, relaxation, forward movement without rushing, and depth of stride to increase stride length, stretching the spine, and building the top line muscles.
Most importantly, a free walk on a long rein from a balanced position puts the gaited horse into a relaxed position that helps break up the foot falls of pace into four individual steps—the sequence of a four-beat smooth gait at a slower tempo. From this quality walk, ask for a few steps of smooth gait. Stop and reward your horse. Then repeat.
How to teach the horse to lower its head
If your horse is just beginning to learn the basics with a snaffle bit and needs to start by lower its head and neck, here’s an exercise I learned from naturally gaited clinician, Bucky Sparks, which he calls “Stretch the Bit.” This exercise teaches a horse to discover relaxation by lowering its head and neck on cue at a halt. Once a horse discovers relaxation, they are more likely to seek it the next time you cue for it.
1. Begin this exercise at a halt. If the horse’s head is too high, lift your hands up and out to each side. This position touches the less sensitive corners of the horse’s lips. As I draw my arms out to the side, I feel a pull in my triceps which helps me to remember not to pull back.
IMPORTANT: Don’t pulling back or apply low fixed hands that press the bit into the horse’s tongue and causes pain. Pain causes tension in the mouth and lower jaw.
When your horse’s head is too high, position your reins up and out to each side without pulling back. Begin this exercise at a halt.
2. Release to reward: As soon as your horse begins dropping the head and neck, release the reins.
3. Repeat the exercise: Don’t get discouraged if it takes a couple minutes before the horse lowers its head or if the horse lowers and then pops its head back up. This is a common reaction when introducing something new to the horse as well as for horses who are tense or resistant. After a few tries, most horses discover relaxation and prefer it over tension and hollowness because it is more comfortable. Eventually the horse learns to remain in a lowered headset for longer periods of time.
4. Stretch and release at a walk: When the horse gets consistent with this exercise at a halt, you can begin stretching the bit at a walk on a large 20-meter circle. My horse found relaxation quicker on an arc of a circle than traveling on a straight line.
5. Add transitions and changes of direction: After a few circles, repeat the exercise traveling in the opposite direction. Switch directions every 3 or 4 circles. Then add some walk-halt-walk transitions to keep it interesting and “stretch the bit” and “release to reward” at a halt before transitioning to a walk. The transitions also help to improve the horse’s balance.
Watch: Stretch the Bit and Release and Reward
Notice that when the horse lowers, its head and neck are at the wither height.
Neck extension or free walk on a long rein is only a portion of my riding sessions as a warmup, break time and cool down.
As my horse advances in its training, I like to replace the “stretch the bit” with a more traditional dressage application I call “squeeze and release.”
How to Squeeze and Release to Lower the Head and Neck
1. Squeeze and release with the rein: On a 20-meter circle at a walk, I gently squeeze the inside rein with my fingers and hold my fingers closed until my horse gives. Then I immediately release the inside rein by opening my middle, ring and pinky fingers to reward the horse. I don’t drop the rein. I maintain a light contact with my thumb and index fingers. Each time the horse’s head pops up, I’ll repeat the “squeeze and release.”
2. Application of the inside calf after the squeeze and release: Once the horse is relaxed and understands this concept, I will touch and release my inside calf at the girth as my horse steps its inside hind leg forward. This encourages my horse to step deeper under its body with its inside hind leg. The timing of this cue is important.
Also, it is important to separate the timing of my hand and leg aids. I like to apply the leg aid after I release my hand aid. Combining my hand and leg aids is like driving a car with my foot on the break and gas pedal at the same time. This is confusing to the horse. Separating the timing of my hand and leg aids (even by milliseconds) produce clarity for my horse and leads to lightness of aids.
4. Inside leg to outside rein: Then I capture the forward energy into an ounce of contact with the outside indirect rein which I place lightly against my horse’s neck. The inside leg to outside indirect rein combined with the softening inside rein helps keep my horse in a consistent long and low frame on a 20-meter circle.
Watch: Squeeze and Release to Lower the Head and Neck
When my horse is consistent in the neutral frame (poll no lower than the height of the wither), I ask for a few deeper, more ground covering steps and more forwardness without rushing from the hind quarters to begin the free walk on a long rein.
How to improve long and low or free walk on a long rein
1. Awareness: Improving the free walk on a long rein begins by becoming aware of how the free walk feels and looks when it is moving well and when it needs improvement. Finding a riding coach who can provide timely feedback is a great way to learn this “feel.” This takes time, patience and consistent training, but the free walk offers such wonderful benefits to the horse. A balanced and engaged free walk teaches the horse to maintain a consistent relaxed tempo, maximum length and stride depth, even four-beat rhythm, and an extended head and neck position: all of which helps to develop the top line muscles.
2. Cueing deeper and longer strides: While traveling at a relaxed land neutral walk, the timing of my cue is critical. I press and release my right calf at the girth as the horse steps forward with its right hind leg (or as I feel the horse’s belly dip down on the right side). Then I apply and release my left calf as the horse steps forward with its left hind leg (or as I feel the horse’s belly dip down on the left). The application of my calf should encourage a deeper step beneath the body.
IMPORTANT: Don’t cue every step or the horse will begin to ignore the cues. I stop cueing as soon as my horse increases its depth of stride. Then I follow the motion of the belly sway with each relaxed hip joint. I don’t push my pelvis forward to drive my horse. I only follow the horse’s motion. To lengthen the stride, it is important not to use both leg aids at the same time since this shortens the stride.
If the horse ignores my calf aid, I will follow up a calf aid with a tap of a dressage whip applied to the same side I applied my calf to activate that hind leg while it is stepping forward. Timing is key.
Another way to encourage more energy and deeper strides in the free walk is to make a cluck sound as the hind leg steps forward. As soon as the horse increases the energy and depth of stride, stop the sound. If you show gaited dressage, using voice as a training aid will not be an option since the use of voice is not allowed during a test.
3. Following the movement with the seat: After cueing my horse for deeper strides, I follow my horse’s forward movement with each hip joint as each hind leg steps beneath under the belly. I become aware of the feeling of the horse’s rib cage lift on one side and lower on the other. I keep my body still from the core but not stiff, tense or locked in the joints.
IMPORTANT: Follow not drive: There is a difference between following the motion a horse produces with relaxed hip joints and driving the horse forward with the pelvis. I have found that driving a horse forward with the pelvis is annoying to the horse. It tends to create extra noise and irritation to the horse’s back. I like to teach the horse to be light to the leg and hand instead of driving the horse forward with my pelvis.
4. Circles and straight lines: I like to teach my horses the free walk on a large circle versus a straight line along the rail. This way the horse learns to listen to my aids instead of following along the rail.
Once the horse is consistent on a 20-meter circle in both directions, I will add serpentines, figure eights, and moments of straight lines. If the horse’s head pops up, gets tense, hollow and pacey, I’ll return to the arc of a circle. Over time, the horse will learn to travel in straight lines across the diagonal in a free walk on a long rein. This is a required movement in all dressage tests.
Developing straightness for symmetry
Another benefit of riding circles versus straight lines is the outer muscles are stretching, and the horse extends the outside legs more because the outside legs are traveling on a larger circle than the inside legs. All horses tend to be stiffer on one side more than the other. Circles help the horse become more evenly flexible. This symmetry is referred to as straightness. Straightness in dressage does not mean riding in straight lines, rather developing the horse to become ambidextrous which is best done in a curved position.
Remember, after the horse is in balance at a walk, then lengthen the reins and release the horse to a neutral position. Keep the horse’s poll no lower than the wither height to help preserve the horse’s balance. And ride your horse like playing an accordion with lots of transitions to develop the full range of motion for quality smooth gaits.
2021: My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. We are riding bareback in her smooth gait, an even four-beat flat walk riding in balance and relaxation.
Dressage for the gaited horse breaks pace and teaches relaxation and balance
Today I train my gaited horses in a position of balance and relaxation from the start using dressage.
Dressage for the gaited horse develops the horse’s full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long-term soundness.
2022: Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, at 18 years old.
Dressage benefits the gaited horse:
Relaxation of the mind allows for a more teachable horse. Relaxation of the mind means less anxiety and tension. Relaxation of the mind helps build a partnership of harmony between the horse and rider to promote trust. A relaxed horse is more attentive to the rider and less focused on distractions. This reduces the risk of spooking.
Relaxation of the body allows for a more trainable horse. Relaxation of the body transforms tense muscles, a hollow posture, and pace into more flexible and maneuverable movement and smoother gaits. Relaxation of the body includes expression of the mouth, flexibility of the lower jaw and poll, stretching and flexibility of body muscles, a maneuverable posture, and lifting the chest and back. Relaxation of the body promotes smoother gaits—less pace, step pace, hard trot, and lateral canter.
Stretching the spine and building the top line muscles increase the depth of stride and the length of stride.
Developing symmetry through gymnastic exercises to help the horse become ambidextrous. These exercises promote balance, strength and flexibility traveling clockwise or counterclockwise for evenness of stride, length of stride, and depth of stride.
Lateral exercises break up the pace and step pace for more even smooth, four beat gaits.
Dressage develops the full range of motion, quality smooth gaits on cue and long-term soundness.
Our dressage program
I help my horses find balance at a halt and relaxation in the mouth, lower jaw and poll. Then instead of long and low (as low as I can go), I release to the neck extension to stretch the spine and top line muscles and flexions side to side. This stretches the neck muscles of the horse.
I do not ride my gaited horse in a free walk or neck extension the entire session. I ride my gaited horses like playing an accordion. The accordion stretches out and shortens to make high and low notes for a song. Similarly, I like to develop my horse’s full range of motion with big strides to develop the lengthening muscles and small collected steps to develop the carrying muscles.
We begin riding a free walk on a long rein to warm up and stretch the muscles. Next, we transition between lateral exercises at a slow deliberate walk with small steps (balance, strength and suppling) to a forward without rushing neck extension at a flat walk (lengthening muscles) for a couple minutes.
Our balancing exercises include the shoulder in, haunches in, shoulder out, renver, rein back, counter bend turns, counted walk, and half steps. Then we enjoy flat walk, fox trot, and/or canter exercises, and end with free walk on a loose rein as a cool down. This method makes transitions from Intro Level to Training Level to First Level to Second Level much more seamless.
Dressage with my naturally gaited horses is not only fun, but it has also created a great bond with each horse. Best of all, this method of training breaks pace and hard trot. I enjoy quality smooth gaits with all three of my naturally gaited horses.
Through relaxation, balance, connection, forward rhythm without rushing, connection and symmetry, dressage develops full range of motion for quality smooth gaits.
How Dressage Improves Quality Smooth Gaits
By Jennifer Klitzke
My Tennessee walking horse, Makana as a two year old.
As an avid dressage rider of the trotting horse variety since 1988, I had competed with my hard-to-sit Trakehner/thoroughbred gelding successfully through Second level dressage.
Then in 2007, I learned about smooth gaited horses that don’t trot, and I began searching for a horse that would be easier on my aging body. That’s when I fell in love with my first naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. She was just turning three years old. Dressage was the only riding method I knew, so that’s how she was trained.
Trot or smooth gait, all horses need training
Beginning our training, I thought a Tennessee walking horse was born to be smooth! Well, smooth gaits like the flat walk and running walk are natural and inherent, BUT it was up to me to develop them.
I was familiar with walk, trot, and canter. My naturally gaited TWH had these gaits, too—plus a myriad of new gaits. Some were smooth, some not so smooth. I needed to identify the smooth gaits as the flat walk, running walk, fox trot, and saddle rack and began to develop each gait on cue. Then I helped my horse maintain more and more consecutive steps of each smooth gait without breaking. Over time we would work on refining the quality of each natural smooth gait.
My naturally gaited Walking horse also came with a few gaits that were not so smooth such as the pace, stepping pace, and lateral canter. These were gaits I wanted to discourage.
Communication tools
A dressage rider communicates with the horse through consistent use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids. The reins connect to a mild snaffle bit, and the rider teaches the horse how to accept and follow the snaffle bit contact. The rider learns to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse.
It takes an educated rider to train a horse. Regular lessons are a great place to start. I have been taking lessons for over 30 years. Dressage is never mastered. It is great for people who are life-long learners. Learn More: Is Dressage Riding the Right Choice for You?
Smooth, natural gaits such as the flat walk, running walk, fox trot and saddle rack are fun to ride! Shown above is a naturally gaited and barefoot Tennessee walking horse performing an evenly timed, four beat flat walk with a head nod.
Connection and the head nodding horse
My biggest question, “How do you ride a head nodding horse using dressage?”
Dressage taught me to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse’s walk with relaxed arms to maintain a light snaffle bit contact. Some naturally gaited horses, such as my Tennessee Walking Horse nods her head and neck at the walk, flat walk, running walk, and fox trot. Do I follow the natural head and neck motion in these gaits to maintain a light snaffle bit contact? yes.
It was a lot easier to maintain a light contact riding at a trot since the horse’s head and neck remained stationary. Now I would need to learn a following contact with my horse’s head and neck nod. This would prove important since maintaining low fixed hands leads to tension in the mouth, lower jaw and back which encourages pace and hard trot.
Following the natural motion of the head nod with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands would be my best way to earn trust and relaxation with my horse. This was new territory as we began our gaited dressage journey.
A good dressage program teaches the naturally gaited horse:
Relaxation of mind and body
Balance
Forward rhythm and tempo without rushing
Connection
Symmetry
Collection
Over time, these attributes develop the full range of motion of collected through extended smooth gaits and improve the quality of natural smooth gaits for long term soundness.
How dressage improves quality smooth gaits:
Dressage teaches a rider a balanced position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids that lead a horse into relaxation of mind and body, balance, forwardness without rushing, rhythm, connection, straightness and collection over time
By relaxing the horse’s mind, the horse is in a more trainable state of mind
By relaxing the horse’s mouth, jaw and back, pace and hard trot can be replaced with a smooth natural four beat gait
With lateral exercises, the naturally gaited horse can develop symmetry to be more ambidextrous and supple
A good dressage program improves confidence in the rider which leads the horse into more trust in the rider as the leader
Most of all, naturally gaited horses flourish when ridden using a good dressage program that builds partnership, trust, and respect as compared with domination training methods or the use of severe bits, heavy shoes, chains, pads, artificial enhancements, and mechanical devices
A good dressage program develops your horse’s best quality, smooth, natural gaits on cue.
Over the years, it is clear that dressage has improved the smooth, four-beat quality and range of movement in my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse. Her collected walk, medium walk, free walk, extended walk, flat walk, running walk, fox trot, saddle rack, and canter are well established now—all smooth and on cue. We are even dabbling with counted walk and steps of piaffe!
Watch: How dressage improves smooth gaits
Enjoy the journey! If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us»
Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl offers unique insights to break up pacey walks in trotting horses. If this is true, this can also remedy pacey naturally gaited horses.
Pace and the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
Recently I came across a Facebook post from Becky Holden, an accomplished dressage rider/trainer/instructor/clinician, licensed School of Légèreté teacher, and long-time student of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl (PK), founder of the School of Légèreté.
In Becky’s last clinic lessons with PK, she rode a younger trotting horse that had a tendency to pace at the walk.
Yes, even trotting horses can struggle with a pacey walk often called a camel walk.
What I found interesting was PK’s insights as he taught Becky how to help her horse break up the pace to a natural four beat walk. I believe PK’s insights translate directly to naturally gaited horses that struggle with pace.
PK explained that horses with a pacey walk are lazy with their hind legs and/or are too quick with their front leg steps.
To remedy the pace, PK’s suggestions to Becky are that, “We need to stimulate activity from the hind legs with shoulder-in on the circle and slow down and give amplitude to the front legs with neck rein turns or counter shoulder-in on the circle.”
Neck rein turns are a great way to lighten a horse that is heavy on the shoulders. By neck rein, the rider draws both hands to the outside of the bend with equal light contact and a nudge sideways if needed.
Counter bend with neck rein moves balance from the outside shoulder to the inside shoulder.
In addition to a counter bend neck rein on a circle, you can do a counter bend figure eight or counter bend serpentine by changing the counter bend and neck rein for each circle or serpentine loop. For a serpentine, slightly bend the horse to the outside of a serpentine and neck rein (counter bend) the opposite direction of the bend. Then straighten the horse a few steps and bend the other direction and neck rein (counter bend) the opposite direction of the bend and straighten a few steps until the serpentine is complete.
After a couple figure eights or a serpentine, liven the horse in a forward gait along the straight side and repeat the figure eight or serpentine counter bend neck rein exercise. Theses exercises can be first taught to the horse at a walk and then at a trot or gait.
Don’t practice pace—practice quality gait
Instead of practicing a poor quality gait, such as a pacey walk, PK encourages riders to apply plenty of transitions between gaits and exercises using the rein back; figure eight at a walk (one circle shoulder-in and the other circle counter shoulder-in).
Then the rider can proceed in a straight line while maintaining a quality slow, yet forward walk in rhythm; and trot [gait] shoulder-in on the circle, transition to walk shoulder-in on a circle, and transition back to trot [gait] shoulder-in on a circle.
Lady is being ridden in a Dr. Cook bitless bridle showing rein back on a loose rein. The rein back engages the hindquarters and lifts the back and wither.
I find PK’s insights regarding pace interesting. Often our remedy to pace in the naturally gaited horse world focuses on relaxing the back through lots of long and low. Many times the long and low gets too low where the poll falls below the whither and the naturally gaited horse develops a habit of traveling on the forehand. When the horse is on the forehand it trips more often and this can be dangerous for the rider.
Long and low can relax the back and break up pace, but it can also cause the horse to disengage the hind legs and fall on the forehand.
By controlling the timing of the foot falls using transitions and lateral exercises, PK’s approach improves balance on all four legs, relaxation, and quality of natural gaits.
Shoulder in on a circle helps Lady engage from behind to step under her belly, lift her back and whither by activating her abdominal and chest muscles, improving balance, and relaxing her jaw, tasting the bit, getting softer on the bridle, and accepting a light, stead, even contact with both reins.
In fact, PK doesn’t support long and low (when the horse’s poll is below the height of the wither) because it trains the horse to travel on the forehand, slouching its pectoral muscles, and travel out of balance. Instead he teaches neck extension (head, neck and nose out and down yet no lower than poll to wither height) in a forward walk, trot or canter.
The neck extension provides the same great benefits as long and low, yet maintains the horse’s balance, plus relaxation, strengthening the top line muscles, stretching the spine, and improving engagement.
This is a great example of a neck extension at a flat walk. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is engaged, lifting her back, stretching out, forward, and down at chest level with an even snaffle bit contact.My naturally gaited fox trotting horse Lady showing a quality trot on cue.
For more about Philippe Karl and the School of Légèreté, visit philipp-karl.com.
Experience quality smooth gaits: flat walk, running walk, fox trot or saddle rack through dressage!
There’s smooth and then there’s QUALITY smooth gaits
It’s like waking up to a couple scoops of pre-ground canned coffee brewed in a drip coffee maker, and then there’s waking up to freshly ground coffee brewed French press style. Both coffees will jump start your day, but the latter is a memorable experience. Why go back to pre-ground canned coffee after that! Right?
To me there is no comparison to riding a naturally gaited horse trained using dressage. Why settle for an untrained gaited horse with random, undefined gaits when I’ve experienced dressage to develop quality smooth gaits on cue: flat walk, running walk, fox trot, saddle rack, and canter.
Makana at 17 ridden bareback and barefoot at a flat walk.
There’s no greater feeling than the connected power and well-oiled looseness of a naturally gaited horse performing a smooth-running walk or the collected happy dance of piaffe on cue!
Some naturally gaited horses, like the ones you see at breed shows, are blessed with astonishing movement, big strides, and huge head nods. Many say these horses are born to gait and easy to train the natural smooth quality gaits.
More common are naturally gaited horses that pace, have a hard, hollow trot, or not much overstride. Is there hope for horses like these? Will a pacey or trotty horse ever gait smoothly? Can a smooth gait improve in quality?
Dressage is for all riders and all horses, whether they trot or not!
Dressage teaches the rider to lead their horse into balance, relaxation of mind and body, rhythm, forward movement without rushing, connection, symmetry, and collection over time. The rider develops a balanced riding position and communicates with the horse through effective use and timing of leg, weight, seat and rein aids. This training develops a partnership of trust as well as the horse’s best possible quality smooth gaits and maximum range of motion.
Dressage develops quality smooth gaits, too!
At nine years old, my naturally gaited fox-trotting horse, Lady, came to my place. She had a dog walk on a loose rein and a hard, hollow trot when I took up contact with the snaffle bit. Lady has an inherent fox walk, fox trot, and flat walk, but it took time, patience, and consistent dressage to develop these smooth gaits on cue.
It also took time, patience, and consistent training to earn Lady’s trust with contact. I began with just an ounce of snaffle bit contact and increased the tempo of the dog walk to a fox walk. I focused on relaxation (of mind and body) and rhythm.
Once we established a consistent fox walk, I further increased the tempo just before she would trot to establish the fox trot. This process took several months of riding Lady 4-5 days a week for 45 minutes each time. We worked through issues that came up and finally experienced a natural smooth gait one step at a time.
Smooth gaits to quality smooth gaits
When Lady and I had established smooth gaits on cue, I further refined those smooth gaits to quality smooth gaits. We applied dressage exercises that produce balance, relaxation, rhythm, connection, engagement, symmetry, and collection. These exercises include circles, serpentines, figure eights, leg yield, pivot the fore, shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in, rein back, transitions between walk and fox trot, transitions between the gait, and even teaching her a quality trot on cue!
Lady is being ridden in a Dr. Cook bitless bridle showing rein back on a loose rein. The rein back engages the hindquarters and lifts the back and wither.
I communicate with Lady through effective use and timing of my rein, leg, seat and weight aids as well as became aware of my riding position and its effect on her to develop more and more steps of “the feeling of right“.
Dressage will not transform Lady into astonishing rail class movement, but dressage will help Lady develop her best quality smooth gaits on cue. We are still working on more engagement, relaxation, and connection. I am thrilled with how smooth and fun Lady is to ride on the trail!
What about the bumpy lateral horse?
Unlike Lady’s diagonal, hollow trot, other naturally gaited horses have bumpy lateral gaits like pace, cross canter, and lateral canter. Don’t be discouraged if your horse has one or more of these. Smooth gaits are inherent. It takes consistent training, patience, and time to bring them out. Dressage is a lifelong journey and a partnership with your horse.
Trotting a gaited horse over ground rails helps break up pace.
Ground rails and teaching the lateral gaited horse how to develop a quality trot (on cue) are helpful ways to break up pace, cross canter and a lateral canter.
Video: Breaking Pace & Cross Canter Using Trot & Ground Rails
Over time dressage helps the naturally gaited horse develop its best quality smooth gaits and full range of motion. This means a deeper and longer stride length, breaking up pace with a smoother, more even four-beat gait, breaking cross canter to a truer three-beat canter, and breaking a hard, hollow trot to a smooth fox trot.
Beginnings of my dressage journey
In 1988, I was invited to watch my first dressage show at Brightonwood Farm where dressage trainer Kathy Theissen and her upper-level Morgan, Bullwinkle, danced to the rhythm of a musical freestyle. She led him through his full range of motion and gaits—collected to extended. I loved the partnership, harmony, connection, expression, joy, and beauty Kathy and Bullwinkle shared. This moving performance is one I will never forget. I came to the show unfamiliar with dressage and left deeply inspired to become a devoted dressage student.
Watching my first dressage show: Kathy Theissen riding Bullwinkle, 1988, inspired me to become a devoted dressage rider.
For 19 years I became an avid dressage student with trotting horses: riding 5-6 days a week year-round, taking regular lessons, attending clinics, reading books, and watching videos.
Then in 2007 my aging body desired a smooth gaited horse. That’s when I bought Makana, a three-year-old Tennessee walking horse. It didn’t take long to realize the smooth gaits would need to be developed through consistent training.
Fortunately, most of Makana’s gaits were smooth, except the stepping pace and lateral canter. Discerning which smooth gait was my biggest challenge. Then adding cues to each gait through effective use and timing of my reins, legs, seat and weight aids.
Smooth gaits and quality smooth
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 little to no head nod in the collected walk. Lateral exercises supple, strengthen and improve symmetry and the quality of natural smooth gaits.
After each smooth gait is established with a set of cues, I use dressage to improve the quality of her smooth gaits through exercises that help strengthen her body, like circles, leg yield, shoulder-in, haunches-in, pivot the fore, rein back, transitions between gaits and within gaits. These exercises help develop balance, relaxation, connection, engagement, straightness and collection which improve the quality of my naturally gaited horse’s smooth gaits.
Naturally Smooth Gaits» Today Makana is able to express the following natural smooth gaits on cue and in balance and self-carriage on a loose rein: free walk, medium walk, flat walk, running walk and canter.
Makana is also able to perform the following natural smooth gaits on cue, in balance and with acceptance of an even snaffle bit contact: medium walk, flat walk, running walk, saddle rack, fox trot, collected walk, counted walk, piaffe, canter, counter canter, collected canter, and medium canter.
Developing quality gaits on cue doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, consistency, and patience. Yet the time it takes develops a partnership. Every ride is a new conversation with my horse and every lesson, clinic, and dressage show is an opportunity to learn and grow. I can’t wait to experience what we will discover next!
Dressage begins with the rider learning a balanced riding position and communicating with the horse through effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids to lead the horse into balance, relaxation of mind and body, rhythm, connection, forward movement without rushing, symmetry, and collection.
If you thinking about starting your dressage journey and need help, here are a few ideas:
Join a local dressage association to find local dressage instructors, clinics, and schooling shows open to gaited horses
Travel to a gaited dressage clinic
Host a gaited dressage clinic
Video: How Dressage Improves Movement in Naturally Gaited Horses
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