Tag Archives: rein back

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Back to Fore Connected by Core to Improve Natural Gait

back and fore connected by core

Let’s be honest. How many of us who show naturally gaited Tennessee walking horses are fixated on the hind leg depth and length of stride (the distance between the hind foot behind the horse’s tail to the hind foot beneath the belly)?

I know I have been.

Back to Fore Connected by Core to Improve Natural Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

There is nothing wrong with striving for the BEST possible natural stride length our naturally Tennessee Walking Horses can offer. However, I realized that focusing on the hind leg stride length is only part of the equation to achieving a quality flat walk and running walk.

Think this through with me.

If the hind legs offer a big stride (the distance between the hind foot behind the horse’s tail to the hind foot under the belly), the front foot stride length distance needs to equal this or else the horse face plant. Right?

Below is the sequence of a full stride of flat walk. Notice the length of hind stride and fore stride along with the head nod.

Hind step
Hind leg stride with head nod, snaffle bit contact and following hands.
Fore step
Fore leg stride with head nod, snaffle bit contact and following hands.

In order to create the best possible natural smooth flat walk, I think back to fore, connected by core.

Here’s what I mean by back to fore connected by core. First, I establish my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking horse in relaxed balance and forward movement without rushing to develop an even rhythm. At the same time, I follow her natural head and neck motion with my hands to encourage a soft contact. In addition, I follow her side-to-side belly sway with my lower legs and hold my weight in my thighs with my core without tensing. Together this helps my horse produce her best possible smooth flat walk with the most over track she is capable of.

When the naturally gaited horse is working back to fore connected to core, the hind footsteps deeper under the belly and under my center of gravity. This produces my horse’s maximum over track along with maximum depth of back stride equaling the fore stride.

091718 hind fore stride length and overtrack
When the naturally gaited horse is working in relaxed balance, with forward movement, and back to fore connected to core, the hind leg steps deeper under the body to produce maximum over track along with maximum depth of back stride equal to fore stride.

How back to fore connected by fore feels

Bringing it all together. Back to fore connected by core feels through. It feels balanced. It feels rhythmic. The chest and wither feel lifted. My horse moves forward without rushing into deep strides with shoulder scope. Most of all, the flat walk is SMOOTH.

So next time you hop on to ride your naturally gaited horse, think back to fore, connected by core.

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

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Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Rein Back for the Gaited Horse

Gaited horse rein back
Practicing rein back with smaller steps that bend and fold the hind quarters of my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse.

A quality rein back has many benefits for the naturally gaited horse.

Rein Back for the Gaited Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

Back in the days when I rode dressage with non-gaited horses, the rein back was commonly not introduced until the Second level tests. Since many riders never reach Second level, they miss out on learning the benefits of the rein back.

I took my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse to a gaited horse clinic. The clinician introduced the rein back to horses and riders of all ages and training levels. After all, the rein back is a required movement in TWH rail class shows. Yet a quality rein back has great benefits for the gaited horse.

A quality rein back

In a quality rein back, I like to train my naturally gaited horse to engage from behind, bending the hindquarters, engaging the abdominal muscles, and lifting the back, chest, and wither. The horse needs to soften in the bridle without dropping behind the bit. Then step back with the hind legs leading versus the forelegs pushing back.

Also, important to note: In a quality rein back, the horse needs to walk back, not pace backward. The rein back is a diagonal foot fall sequence, not a lateral footfall sequence.

Benefits of a quality rein back

  • It rounds the back and engages the hind quarters
  • It diagonalized the steps which is helpful for gaited horses that tend to pace
  • It is a great transition exercise for horses that tend to get heavy on the forehand and lean on the bit
  • It is a great preparation to a canter depart and piaffe

Introducing the rein back to the horse in hand from the ground is a great way to help the horse understand the concept before teaching the horse from the saddle.

Cues for the rein back from the saddle

  1. At a halt, soften and round the horse by massaging the reins and a snaffle bit.
  2. Then draw your tailbone forward and tap on the horse’s sides in front of the girth with your lower leg and say “back.” It is the seat and leg aids that encourage the rein back. The purpose of the reins are to soften and prevent forward movement. The reins DO NOT pull the horse back.
  3. As the horse offers a step back, immediately stop cuing and let the horse think about it. Scratch the horse on the neck lightly and reward the effort.
  4. Repeat one step a few times and reward each time.
  5. Then ask the horse for two steps with the same cues and alternate your leg cue with the second step.

After the horse is consistent with the concept of rein back from the saddle, I ask for more deliberate steps backward. Sometimes I tap my riding crop on the horse’s shoulder to encourage the backward movement. Soon, the deliberate steps can be accomplished without the encouragement of the riding crop.

Another application is to apply the lower leg behind the girth and tap the riding crop on the horse’s croup. If the horse moves forward, close your fingers on the reins without pulling back. After a few tries, the horse will grasp the concept and produce a more engaged rein back.

If you’re interested in showing Walking Horses at rail class shows, the rein back is a required movement in most classes. So, get good at it and while you do, you’ll discover just how much the rein back improves the roundness and engagement of the forward gaits.

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

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
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Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Rein Back To Smooth Gait

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How to perform a quality rein back for smooth gait:

All horses are prone to traveling with a hollow back, but when a naturally gaited horse travels hollow, it often leads to uncomfortable gaits. Gaited horse riders enjoy smooth gaits. Here are ways to help our horses develop a neutral and relaxed back for smoother gaits.

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 Freedom 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

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