tennessee walking horse | Naturally Gaited Horse

Curious about the Jambette and Spanish Walk? Wondering if your naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse can master these moves and what benefits they bring?
Here’s my story…

How my Tennessee Walking Horse Learned the Spanish Walk

By Jennifer Klitzke

Marvel, my magnificent five-year-old Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse/Spotted Saddle Horse, has been my cherished partner for nearly two wonderful years.

I welcomed Marvel into my life as an untrained colt in October 2021. He was a special gift from my dear friend, Mary. Starting a colt from scratch is a rewarding experience, one that my husband and I had previously taken on for a local horse rescue called the 2010 Trainer’s Challenge of the Unwanted Horse.

Prior to Marvel’s saddle training, I dedicated seven months to groundwork, lunging exercises, in-hand work, and liberty training with him. During this time, I familiarized him with accepting and following contact with a snaffle bit, as well as becoming comfortable wearing a saddle. This groundwork laid a solid foundation for our future saddle training.

Then May 2022 melted away the snow and ice. That’s when we began our saddle training. BUT, before riding began, the boring winter months awakened Marvel’s desire to learn Jambette and Spanish Walk.

(Well, actually. That’s when three-year-old Marvel taught me Jambette and Spanish Walk.)

So, what are the Jambette and the Spanish Walk?

The Jambette is a beneficial exercise that teaches the horse to gracefully raise and extend one of its front legs with a cue.

Tennessee Walking Horse Jambette with a rider. — Jambette with a rider.

The Spanish Walk is a graceful and rhythmic four-beat walk where each front leg extends with Jambette-like movements.

From jambette to Spanish Walk with a Tennessee Walking Horse.

So, how did my Naturally Gaited Horse learn the Jambette and Spanish Walk?

I’ve been trimming my horses hooves since 2010. In January 2022, I had Marvel’s leg stretched out ahead of him and his foot on the hoof stand to finish his trim. The very next day, Marvel began stretching his right leg out in the same manner while in the cross ties. Then the next day he did the same thing.

Interesting. The first day I thought it was a fluke, so when he extended his right leg the next day, I began putting cues to it. I tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Jambette” each time he would extend his front leg. Then I said, “GOOOOOOOD!” and gave him a horse treat.

After a few days of practice, Marvel was becoming quite proficient at performing the Jambette cue with his right leg. However, he still needed to learn how to offer the Jambette with his left leg. Like humans, most horses have a dominant side, and Marvel seemed to favor his right leg naturally. To encourage him to try the left leg Jambette, I introduced the cue for that side.

Whenever Marvel made an attempt to lift his left leg, I immediately praised him with an enthusiastic “GOOOOOOOOOD” and rewarded him with a treat. This positive reinforcement motivated him to keep trying, and we repeated the process several times. Within just one week, Marvel was able to perform the Jambette with both his right and left legs on cue.

After Marvel became reliable in performing the Jambette with both his right and left legs on cue, I took our training to the next level and introduced the concept of alternating between right and left Jambettes while Marvel was in the cross ties.

Once he mastered jambette on cue, we ventured outside for liberty training. At a S-L-O-W walk by Marvel’s side, I began to lift each of my legs and cued Marvel with a verbal command of “Jambette” and gently tapped him on the shoulder. This was the beginning of our journey into the Spanish Walk.

spanish walk in liberty — Spanish walk at liberty is both super fun and great exercise!

Amazing! I couldn’t believe my three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse had learned Jambette and Spanish Walk before he was saddle trained!

As the snow and ice melted away in May 2022, we began our saddle training journey and incorporated the Jambette and Spanish Walk. But here’s the interesting part: it wasn’t me who insisted on this, but rather Marvel himself! He found joy in expressing himself through these moves, and who am I to argue? I’ve always wanted to develop these skills with my horses, so I embraced these exercises as rewards to Marvel. Since he wasn’t particularly fond of arena work, blending moments of Jambette and Spanish Walk between gait seemed to bring him happiness (and to me as well!).

Marvel’s two favorite things so far: liberty and jambette with steps of Spanish Walk.
Yes, naturally gaited horses are versatile, personable, talented and intelligent.

Jambette Saddle Cues

First, I encourage Marvel to be in a square and balance position, not a parked-out position, as this would be hard on his back.

Next, since Marvel understands how to accept and follow a snaffle bit contact, I lift my arms and hands high to ask him to raise his chest, neck and head.

Then I say, “Jambette” and tap him on the shoulder with the dressage whip on the easiest side he offers Jambette.

As soon as he raises the leg on the side I tapped, I praise him with “GOOOOOD.” release the reins, give him a horse treat and a moment to think about it.

I repeat this two times on the same side and then I do the same exercise asking for a Jambette from the other leg.

Then I move on to something else so that the exercise is FUN.

The jambette is a great exercise for the naturally gaited horse stretching the foreleg and shoulder to develop the full range of motion.

Spanish Walk Cues

Once Marvel was set in his Jambette under saddle and understood Spanish Walk at liberty, then I cued for Jambette and asked for a SLOW walk step, stopped, said, “GOOOOOOOOD,” gave him a horse treat, and gave him a loose rein and time to think about it. I repeated this with the same leg two more time.

The next time I rode, I did the same exercise but cued for Jambette with the other leg and a step.

When we were solid in one step with each leg, then we began adding SLOW walk steps with alternating Jambettes on cue. At first Marvel would alternate his Jambettes and then take a step. It took time before he understood one Jambette and one step and then the other Jambette and another step.

Once he understood the concept of Spanish Walk, I helped him by walking my hip joints and lightly follow his rib cage with my calves for only a handful of steps. Then I stopped, praised, gave him a loose rein, horse treat, and let him think about it.

My five-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse Marvel enjoying jambette and Spanish Walk.

What benefits does the Jambette and Spanish Walk offer the Naturally Gaited Horse?

When Marvel first joined my fur family as a three-year-old colt, I noticed that he had a base narrow stance. It got me wondering if there was a way to improve his conformation. Fortunately, through the practice of Jambette and Spanish Walk, Marvel’s shoulders and chest have become stronger, and he has filled out beautifully. Now, he no longer stands as base narrow as he did before. These exercises have truly transformed his physique for the better.

Spanish Walk improves scope and range of motion in the Tennessee walking horse.

The Spanish Walk and Jambette have been transformative for Marvel, enhancing his balance, coordination, range of motion, and even instilling a sense of pride.

Additionally, the Spanish Walk is an evenly timed four-beat walk and serves as a valuable tool to break up pace. Marvel, possesses a remarkable range of natural gaits, from the trot to the undesirable pace, and all the desirable smooth gaits in between, including the flat walk, fox trot, and saddle rack.

I hope you find these benefits enticing and consider incorporating the Jambette and Spanish Walk into your own journey with your naturally gaited horse.