By Jennifer Klitzke

Perfect weather, no bugs, and a western saddle that fits! My new (used) saddle arrived less than 24 hours before the Rocking R Schooling Dressage show in Foley, MN. I purchased a Synergist western saddle that fits Makana and feels like I’m riding in a dressage saddle with a horn. It’s lightweight, short enough length as to not bridge across my mare’s back and poke into her loins, and plenty wide to allow her freedom to move her shoulders.

Not only that but I brought along a friend who has never shown before and who had just purchased her first horse five months ago. She pulled me into my first team penning practice, so I encouraged her to give Western dressage a try. The gaited dressage and Western dressage classes were combined for a total of three entrants – two non-gaited horses and a Walking horse.

Warm up was a gas! I couldn’t restrain myself from using the ground rail and cross rail schooling fences to get Makana loosened up. Gymnastic jumping is so FUN!

We rode our Western gaited dressage using the NWHA gaited dressage training level, test one and first level, test one. As of yet, no Western gaited dressage tests are available. The Western Dressage Association of America rules allow entrants to ride in a snaffle or curb. I opted to ride in my Mylar level 2 curb.

Makana received her highest scores yet! 70.83% in training level and 71.38% in first level. We scored “8’s” in our centerline halts and free walks on a long rein and “7.5’s” in overall gaits. Improvement areas for us are to work on a more consistent contact, which is easier said than done on a head-shaking horse; evenness in gait regardless of changing footing conditions between deep and compacted sand; and showing more difference between the working and lengthened gaits in first level.

Western gaited dressage photos>

httpv://youtu.be/40Aa8TRqhPE

httpv://youtu.be/tcQ11Bev_Oo