All posts by Jennifer Klitzke

Following the Natural Head and Neck Motion

Age-defying Dressage
Showing dressage on a horse that doesn’t trot (2013)

Many people ride their naturally gaited horses with low fixed hands. I did this, too until I learned a new way leading to relaxation and smoother gaits.

Here’s my story.

Following the Natural Head and Neck Motion

By Jennifer Klitzke

I’ve been a passionate student of dressage since 1988, predominantly of the German school, learning how to post and develop my core to sit a bouncy trot. This kept me in shape, I’ll give you that!

Then in 2007, my aging body longed for a smooth ride, and that’s when I acquired my first naturally gaited horse: a just turning three-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse filly named Makana. I began her training with the German dressage I knew until I was introduced to a gaited rail class instructor. This is where I learned to ride with low fixed hands.

Then French dressage clinicians traveled to my region, and they acquainted me with the work of modern classical French dressage Masters, such as Philippe Karl and his School of Légèreté. This launched a book and DVD study into his methods which were vastly different than the German dressage and rail class instruction I had learned. I gradually began to adopt Karl’s methods as I rode my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse.

Philippe-Karl-Legerete-DVDs-video-camera
My DVD collection of classical French dressage Master Philippe Karl.

A few years later, I learned that Karl had been teaching School of Légèreté instructor certification clinics at three USA locations—one of which was not far from family. At my next trip to Seattle, WA, I contacted Nichole, one of Karl’s instructors in training for lessons.

Each day with Nichole I took several lessons on her non-gaited horses. First, we began with: Work in Hand: Educating the Mouth.

Then Nichole taught me how to apply the exercises from the ground to the saddle. First, we began at a halt and then a walk.

As soon as I began the walk, Nichole noticed my low fixed hand position. While my arms and hands were quiet at my sides, she also noticed my pelvis and lower back followed the motion of the horse more than necessary. It seemed my back and hips were overcompensating for my still arms (tense shoulders, elbows and hands).

My efforts to remain still with my arms and hands began to affect the horse with tension and heaviness. This great observation and feedback is just what I needed. I certainly did not intend to impose this response from my aids! The book and DVD study I had been doing was great, but only one-on-one lessons can give specific real time feedback.

Instead of being still with my arms and hands, Nichole encouraged me to follow the horse’s natural head and neck motion. This meant becoming aware of my arms and hands―elastic fingers and relaxed wrists, elbows and shoulders while maintaining a light contact with the reins connected to the snaffle bit.

This was an epiphany for me!

Granted, I was riding a non-gaited horse at a walk, but the walk is an evenly timed four beat gait. I began to think about the smooth evenly timed four beat gaits of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Gaits like the flat walk and running walk with a natural head and neck nod.

I wondered how my stillness and low fixed hands had been affecting my horse’s relaxation, willingness to move forward, and quality of natural gaits?

  • Could low fixed hands and stillness be creating tension and braces leading to pace, step pace, short quick steps, lateral canter and bit avoidance?
  • Could the tension in my shoulders, still arms and hands be saying “stop” to my horse when I intend to move forward?

Nichole taught me the importance of following the natural head and neck motion of the horse’s four beat walk with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands. This fostered relaxation, harmony and lightness with each horse I rode during my lessons.

If following the natural head and neck motion of non-gaited horses at a walk produce relaxation, wouldn’t the same logic translate to the naturally gaited head-nodding horse at a flat walk, fox trot, and running walk?

  • Would following hands produce less driving with my legs and seat to encourage my horse forward?
  • Would following hands produce less tension and more relaxation, harmony and lightness between me and my horse?
  • Would my horse be more apt to seek contact with a snaffle bit if I followed the head nod?
  • Would following hands lead to longer and deeper strides rather than short quick steps?

How many naturally gaited horses struggle with a camel walk, hard pace, step pace, and a lateral canter? Would horses be smoother to ride if they felt more comfortable and relaxed? Could following the horse’s natural head and neck motion lead to smoother gaits?

Did You Know

When the horse holds tension in the mouth, jaw and poll it affects the body with tension. For the naturally gaited horse this body tension can lead to pace. (Just do a study on the hyoid apparatus, the horse’s tongue, and the effect it has on the horse’s body and movement.)

Wouldn’t the opposite be true? If the naturally gaited horse where more relaxed in the mouth, jaw and poll wouldn’t it lead to smoother gaits? Wouldn’t following the natural head and neck motion of the horse lead to relaxation better than low fixed hands?

I began to explore this idea of following the natural head and neck motion with my hands at the flat walk and running walk. In the beginning I was rather clumsy with my following arms. Yet it was a step in the right direction since I was letting go of the tension in my shoulders, elbows and hands as compared to a low fixed hand position.

Overtime I gained more finesse in the use of elastic fingers and wrists, along with relaxed shoulders and elbows, as I followed my horse’s natural head and neck motion at the flat walk and running walk.

Watch: Why follow the natural head and neck motion with relaxed arms

Granted, it is a lot easier to ride a naturally gaited head nodding horse with floppy reins, but dressage is my passion. I needed to find a way to communicate with a light contact that produces relaxation leading to smooth gaits. I believe following the natural head and neck motion is beneficial.

Balanced flat walk
Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in flat walk (2025).

Special thanks to Nichole Walters, the owner and instructor of Cadbury Farm who taught me the “Educating the Mouth” and “Following Hands” exercises that she learned firsthand from Philippe Karl and his School of Légèreté.

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Why Work in Hand Makes Training Gaited Horses Easier

Educating the Mouth Why Work In Hand Makes Training Easier

Work in hand? If you’re like me, I just like to get on and ride. Recently, I experienced the purpose work in hand has in building communication with my horse. This translates to our riding time, makes training easier, develops harmony, and helps the naturally gaited horse move in lightness and balance.

Why Work in Hand Makes Training Gaited Horses Easier

By Jennifer Klitzke

Before I set out to Seattle, WA to visit family for a week in 2016, I learned that Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl had been teaching School of Légèreté instructor certification clinics in three USA locations. One of these locations was not far from where I would be staying.

Ecstatic with the opportunity to get first-hand teaching in this Classical French Dressage method I have been studying, I contacted Nichole Walters, the Légèreté instructor in training to take lessons while I was in Seattle.

Nichole asked about my experience with Karl’s philosophy and the training with my horses. I explained that I had been studying Karl’s DVDs Classical versus Classique and Classical Dressage 1-4 and applying what I learned with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, fox trotting horse, and Spanish Mustang.

Philippe-Karl-Legerete-DVDs-video-camera
My DVD collection of Classical French Dressage Master Philippe Karl.

Learning by DVDs are great for teaching concepts, but nothing beats one-on-one instruction for applying these concepts in real time. Lessons with Nichole were dot connectors!

When Nichole urged me to begin understanding balance and lightness with working in hand, I sighed. I just wanted to get on and ride. Philippe Karl’s DVDs cover work in hand, but I had glossed over that portion thinking it wasn’t important.

WRONG!

Nichole said Karl believes educating the horse’s mouth in hand is so important. He won’t teach his students how to ride until they know how to work the horse effectively in hand.

Benefits of working in hand

  • Balance: Teaches the horse lightness; how to carry its own head and neck and not lean on the bit; teaches the horse to lift its head and neck, open the throat latch; shift its balance from the forehand to carry more weight on the hindquarters; and helps the horse raise its whither by engaging the chest and shoulder muscles.
  • Educates the mouth: Teaches the horse how seek and follow a light, steady, even contact with a snaffle bit; relaxs the mouth and lower jaw, taste the snaffle bit and swallow; flex at the poll; and carry its own head and neck and not lean on the bit.
  • Flexing: Teaches the horse to follow an even, steady contact of the bit to a 45- to 90-degree bend to the right and left. This allows the horse to stretch the outside neck muscles while remaining balanced in the shoulders; then follow the snaffle bit to extend its neck down and out to stretch the top line muscles and spine. (Ideally the poll should be no lower than the height of the wither, so the horse remains in balance.)

After these work in hand exercises in place, I learned to direct the horse in hand at a walk. The horse’s body remains straight while the neck is in a 45- to 90-degree flexed position. This teaches the horse lightness, balance, forwardness, and straightness in the shoulders before the horse is directed into a small circle while remaining in balance.

After the horse walks straight while bending in the neck, then directed the horse into  a neck extension on a small circle (volte). If the horse learns circles first, it often loads the inside shoulder. This in hand exercise helps the horse learn balance, lightness, and straightness as it follows an even, light, steady rein contact.

Three hours of work-in-hand lessons were GOLDEN! Work-in-hand taught me how to direct my horse to find body balance and acceptance of a light, following snaffle bit contact. This ground work made it easier to train my horse from the saddle. 

Video: Why work in hand makes training the naturally gaited horse easier

Steps to work in hand

1) Face the horse and align my spine to the horse’s spine;

2) Raise the horse’s head and neck and open the throat latch (open the angle between the neck and the lower jaw) by applying equal contact on the corners of the horse’s mouth in direction of the horse’s ears. This helps the horse shift its balance from the shoulders onto the hindquarters. (Notice the horse square up its fore legs and raise its chest). This is a terrific for horses that lean on the bit.

3) Keep gently raising the horse’s head and neck until the horse begins to taste the bit and swallow. If the horse leans on the bit, QUICKLY press and release upward with both hands on the bit toward the ears. Wait for the horse to respond with lightness and remain in the upward position you desire. If the horse leans on the bit, repeat with a QUICK upward motion. The horse will learn that it has to carry its own head and neck.

4) If the horse stops tasting the bit, unlock the tension in the jaw. One hand remains neutral and holds the snaffle ring and the other hand directs the snaffle toward the bridge of the nose. As soon as the horse begins to taste the bit, bring both hands to the neutral position and maintain a light and steady contact;

shift balance by lifting head
Lift the head and neck high enough to be light into an open throat latch position (open the angle between the underside of the horse’s neck and jaw), encourage the horse to shift its balance from the shoulders and more onto the hindquarters. Noticed the forelegs are perpendicular to the ground and not leaning toward me and the chest and wither are raised.

5) Then, while holding one ring of the snaffle while the horse is in a balanced stance, collect the rein of the opposite snaffle ring so that there is EVEN contact with the snaffle ring and the opposite rein;

Even contact
Then I move to the side while maintaining the contact and head and neck position. One hand remains on the ring of the snaffle and the other on the rein.

6) Gently lead the horse’s head and neck to one side with even contact. This stretches the outside neck muscles. (Notice the inside neck muscles concave and the outside muscles convex) ;

Stretching the outside neck muscles
With even contact, I reposition myself from the side to the front of the horse while encouraging the horse follow the contact and turn its head and neck. This stretches the outside neck muscles. Be careful that the ears remain level and the horse continues to taste the bit.

7) Then direct the horse to follow the contact down and out to the side to stretch while keeping its ears level. This stretches the outside neck muscles and prevents the horse from contracting the neck muscles and hollowing the underside muscles. It also builds the top line muscles. Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage goes into detail why this is so important.

Extend the neck with even contact by guiding the horse with the hand down and out. Seek to maintain balance without the horse leaning onto the inside shoulder. It is most ideal if the horse’s poll is no lower than the height of the whither because it helps the horse maintain balance on all four legs, evenly in the shoulders, and the horse won’t collapse its pectoral muscles.

My lessons began with a horse that knew these exercises so that I could experience how it feels when it goes right. Then I worked with a horse that was just starting these exercises so that I could experience what it is like when things go wrong and how to correct it. This would help me at home when I began teaching my naturally gaited horses these in hand exercises.

Nichole guaranteed that if I spent ten to fifteen minutes in hand with each of my horses, it would produce balance, each horse would learn how to taste the bit, swallow, flex to each side, and follow an even, light, steady contact before riding. My horses will progress quicker in their training and become lighter on the bridle.

Applying work in hand at home

After the lessons with Nichole, I returned home and began to apply these exercises with my horses. Now I see why Karl feels so strongly about educating the horse’s mouth while in hand. I’m astounded with how soft, light, and balanced all of my naturally gaited horses are becoming when I begin riding sessions with these in hand exercises.

Lady: Grade fox trotting mare

Anytime my horse begins to get tense, anxious, or lose balance, I slow down the tempo or to a halt and reapply these flexibility and suppling exercises until relaxation and balance are restored. This has been a better option for me and my naturally gaited horses compared with riding through miles of tension.

The same cues used in hand can be applied from the saddle at a halt. Plus, the riding we do in a relaxed and balanced state develops the quality smooth gaits and muscle memory I desire. This dressage approach has led to a harmonious partnership with my naturally gaited horses.

Makana: Tennessee Walking Horse

Years later, work in hand and Legerete is how my unstarted three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse / Spotted Saddle Horse, Marvel, has been trained and is coming along nicely. Plus, I cherish the fun and interactive partnership we have developed. Below are photos of us as a six-year-old.

Marvel: Tennessee Walking Horse / Spotted Saddle Horse

Anytime my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horses get worried, or my Foxtrotting mare, Lady gets tense in her body, I just ease down to a slow walk, halt or even dismount to work in-hand and restore relaxation. I don’t proceed until I’ve established mental and physical relaxation.

Getting started with work in hand

I had never given work-in-hand its proper respect until Nichole’s introduction. If you are a visual learner like me, I’d encourage you to purchase Philippe Karl’s Classical Dressage DVD Volume 1 which covers the work-in-hand exercises plus much more. Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage is also a great study aid with lots of pictures and detailed explanation.

For those who have studied decades of German dressage like I have and wonder what the differences are between German and French dressage, Karl’s DVD Classic versus Classique is an amazing contrast with riding lessons from Philippe Karl and FEI German Trainer Christoph Hess. Here’s my thoughts about it after watching this DVD: Can German and French Dressage Co-Exist?

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Tennessee Walking Horse Head Nod (or Head Peck)?

TWH Head Nod or Head Peck
By Jennifer Klitzke

Tennessee Walking Horse Head Nod (or Head Peck)?

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between the Tennessee walking horse head nod and head peck?  If your wondering what a “Head Peck” is,  you’re not alone. That was my question after getting some cyber coaching from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson.

Western Gaited Dressage

I’ve been an English dressage rider for decades, so giving Western gaited dressage a try, I felt like how a cowboy would feel riding in Spandex.

Recently I rode my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) in our first FOSH IJA Western Training 1 Test. After I received my Test results, I asked my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson for feedback on how we can improve our Western gaited dressage riding.

Connection for a TWH Head Nod

For some reason, I had the misbelief that riding Western gaited dressage meant riding with longer, looser reins. (Maybe that’s what they do with the traditional, jogging horse variety.) According to national Tennessee walking horse judge, Jennie Jackson, the mechanics of a Tennessee walking horse head nod require connection from the hindquarters, through the body, through the rider’s legs, seat and rein aids, and through the shoulder, neck, and head, to the bit.

Riding the Medium Walk

Jennie gave me terrific feedback in regards to riding the medium walk, which makes up the majority of this test. The medium walk is an active, even, four-beat walk with a head nod. The rider’s seat follows the motion of the belly sway as the hind legs alternately step under the body. The head nod needs to be in connection with the hind leg steps through the rein, seat, and leg aids of the rider. Jennie said that at times during the medium walk of my Test, my horse displayed a “head peck” instead of a “head nod.”

What the Heck is a Head Peck?

Head peck? What the heck?! Jennie explained that the head peck is an evasion where the Tennessee walking horse’s head simply flicks upward and is not connected with its hind leg steps.

The Head Nod

The Tennessee walking horse head nod is where the horse travels forward from the hindquarter steps, through a neutral back into a connection with the rider’s seat and rein contact—not loose, floppy reins. The head and neck should nod down with each step of the hind legs instead of flick up.

Jennie said that I need to feel the engine of my horse from behind and through her body to connect her from back to front so that her hind legs step boldly under her body, through my aids, through her shoulders, neck, and head and to the bit.

Video: Head Nod (or Head Peck)?
This video shows and describes the difference between the Tennessee walking horse head nod and the head peck I learned from Jennie Jackson. It is far too valuable for me to keep to myself. I hope it is helpful to you as well.

Thanks for watching. Stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and join our community on facebook.com/naturallygaited. Subscribe to Jennie Jackson: Dressage en Gaite on Facebook.

Half Halt Awakening: Does the Half Halt Serve a Purpose for the Naturally Gaited Horse?

half-halt-awakening-does-the-half-halt-serve-a-purpose-for-the-naturally-gaited-horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

What is a half halt? Why is it used? When do you apply it? Does the half halt serve a purpose for the naturally gaited horse? Can a half halt improve the quality of gait?

Half Halt Awakening: Does the Half Halt Serve a Purpose for the Naturally Gaited Horse?

When I flew to Alabama in January to be Jennie Jackson’s working, the half halt wasn’t one of the questions I had on my mind. Instead I was interested in learning how to lengthen the stride of a running walk without rushing. I was soon to learn that the half halt was the secret ingredient to do just that.

The half halt is a broad term used to rebalance the horse, and as a dressage rider, I’ve been acquainted with the half halt for decades. Yet, I had not understood its application with the naturally gaited horse. My focus had been establishing a head nodding even rhythm and a SMOOTH gait. Beyond that I hadn’t developed an awareness for the need of half halts that could lead to gait quality.

That is, until I traveled to Amazing Gaits Equestrian Center and rode with Jennie. Each day I rode several naturally gaited Tennessee walking horses of various training levels. Some were green, others were well schooled, and one was being rehabilitated from Big Lick. Within each level of training, some horses rushed, others leaned on the bit, some took small quick steps, and some barged through the outside shoulder in a lateral exercise. In each case, Jennie taught me the importance and application of the half halt.

From Jennie’s coaching, I had a half halt awakening that taught me three important keys to its effectiveness. The first key is to become aware of when a half halt is needed; the second key is knowing and consistently applying the half halt aids at the right time; and the third key is knowing when to release the half halt.

Applying half halts with the naturally gaited horse

  • Awareness of need: Now that the ice has melted and it’s safe to ride again, I’ve been putting half halts into practice with the horses I ride. I’m amazed with how many half halts are applied within a riding session and how many reasons a half halt is needed. I’m using half halts to prepare my horse for a transition, whenever my horse leans on the bridle, or rushes, or becomes distracted, or feels heavy on the forehand and needs to re-shift its balance onto the hindquarters. Whenever my horse takes short quick steps, and whenever my horse bulges through the shoulder in a lateral movement.
  • Aids of the half halt: After I recognize the need for a half halt, I simultaneously freeze my lower back, still my hip joints from following my horse’s movement, and squeeze my fingers on the reins without pulling back. I hold this position until the release.
  • Timing of the release: Riding several horses of various training, along with Jennie’s coaching, really pointed out that the release of a half halt is not a one-size-fits-all. Sensitive horses will respond to the half halt quicker than less sensitive horses. One horse I rode tended to rush and a two-second half halt was applied before the horse responded. Another horse I rode also rushed, but she was much more sensitive so the half halt was released in a half second. As soon as the horse responds to the half halt by slowing down, or rebalancing, or straightening through the outside shoulder, or taking a deeper stride under its body, it is important to release the half halt. This means opening my fingers without letting the reins slip through, relaxing my lower back and resume following the horse’s motion through my hip joints alternating to the rise and fall of the belly sway which is in sync with the hind legs as they step under the body.

Sometimes a half halt and release is followed up with another half halt and release because the horse responded to the first half halt, took a couple balanced steps, and then rushed off again. Over time, with consistent half halts and releases in response to the rushing, the horse will rush less.

One horse I rode was barn sour. Every time we headed away from her friends, the horse began moving sideways. I tried to overcome this by riding with a fixed outside rein against her neck. It wasn’t working. Instead, Jennie encourage me to apply the outside rein like a half halt, then lift both reins up and over to the other side, and release. For this mare, the release made all the difference.

I am becoming more aware through the sense of feel just how half halts are rebalancing my horse to shift more weight onto the hindquarters, helping my horse become lighter on the bridle and rounder in the frame, and slowing my horse whenever she rushes to encourage deeper strides under her body.

This half halt awakening has opened my eyes to many benefits the half halt brings to the naturally gaited horse and in improving the gait quality of the horses I ride.

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Humane Training Leads to National Championships

dressage s for gaited horses too

By Jennifer Klitzke

I’ve been a horse-crazy dressage rider for nearly 30 years. In 2007, my aching back gave up that bouncy sitting trot, and I bought Gift of Freedom (Makana), my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse. SMOOTH was all I had in mind. I wanted to ride a horse that would be easier on my aging body.

In fact, showing dressage wasn’t even a considered when I looked at Makana, because I thought dressage was only for horses that trot. But dressage had been the only riding style I knew, so that’s what became our training language.

I love dressage because of the connection and harmony it brings between me and my horse. I love the relaxation, rhythm, balance, and impulsion it creates. I love how natural and humane it is as a training method. Connection, harmony, relaxation, rhythm, balance, and impulsion works for all horses whether they trot or gait. Plus, I love how dressage challenges me to become a better rider and communicator to my horse through the use of my aids.

I live on a rural hobby farm with few dressage instructors nearby, so I’ve began coasting on the knowledge I had gained from 12 years of traditional dressage lessons.

Then I joined a local TWH association and began attending clinics whenever gaited dressage instructors traveled to Minnesota and Wisconsin. I learned from people like Jennie Jackson, Larry Whitesell, Jennifer Bauer, and Bucky Sparks.

Makana has been barefoot for as long as I’ve owned her, and so are the other horses at my farm. A few years ago I began to study natural barefoot trimming and the importance of a low carbohydrate diet. I keep all of my horses trimmed on a regular basis. My husband likes the cost savings, but I like the natural and holistic approach to hoof care. Trimming hooves is pretty good exercise, too!

Meanwhile, through the Tennessee walking horse association, I learned that down South some Tennessee walking horses are shod with heavy shoes, thick pads, and chains. Caustic substances are applied to their front feet to intentionally make them sore. All this is done to accentuate their movement in what is known as the “Big Lick.” This isn’t dressage, nor is it natural or humane. In fact, it is illegal to sore horses this way. Yet still goes on because it is hard to enforce.

Then I became introduced to FOSH (Friends of Sound Horses) and the NWHA (National Walking Horse Association). FOSH is on the front lines fighting against soring and abuse, and both organizations are firm supporters of natural and humane training methods.

In 2010, three years after Makana and I had began my backyard gaited dressage journey, I learned of a tradition schooling dressage show only 10 miles away. I contacted the show manager and asked if I could ride my Tennessee walking horse and replace trot with flat walk. The show manager agreed. Little did I know that the NWHA had already written tests which did exactly that.

Getting to the show that day, I wondered if fellow competitors would laugh at me for entering a horse that didn’t trot, but I didn’t care. I was curious what a trained dressage professional would have to say as to where we were at in our training in regards to rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion, balance, and harmony. The feedback we received was meaningful, challenging, and affirming. It gave us something to work toward.

Through conversations with trotting horse riders, I was introduced to women who also owned gaited horses they rode on the trail. Up until that point, riding their gaited horses using dressage methods had not occurred to them. A couple of the women invited me to their next trail ride. I was thrilled to have someone to ride with.

During that first show, I learned of another schooling dressage show which offered gaited dressage entries using the FOSH tests. Then I learned that the NWHA had  worked with the USDF to replicate dressage tests using flat walk in place of trot.

Well, five years and fifty-five gaited dressage tests later, I’ve gotten over being the odd-ball at the traditional dressage schooling shows, because of the people we’ve met along the way. Makana and I get to  present a natural and humane alternative to the soring and abuse people hear about in the TWH industry. They get to see firsthand how dressage brings about rhythm, relaxation, connection, impulsion, straightness, collection, harmony, and balance in a horse that doesn’t trot.

In 2015, Makana and I showed at five USDF open schooling shows as the only gaited horse among the trotting horses and rode 10 NWHA tests.

2015 Gaited Dressage Show Record

May 2, 2015
Wildfire Farms Schooling Dressage Show
Maple Lake, MN
Judge: Jodi Ely
NWHA Training Level Test 3: 68.2%
NWHA First Level Test 1: 70.4%

May 9, 2015
Arbor Hill Schooling Dressage Show
Stillwater, MN
Judge: Molly Schiltgen
NWHA Training Level Test 3: 67.27%
NWHA First Level Test 1: 65.56%

May 30, 2015
Northwoods Schooling Dressage Show
Corcoran, MN
Judge: Colleen Holden
NWHA First Level Test 1: 65.926%
NWHA First Level Test 3: 70.294%

August 2, 2015
Carriage House Farms Schooling Dressage Show
Hugo, MN
Judge: Jennie Zimmerman
NWHA First Level Test 1: 64.07%
NWHA First Level Test 3: 62.06%

August 15, 2015
Wildfire Farms Schooling Dressage Show
Maple Lake, MN
Judge: Nancy Porter
NWHA First Level Test 1: 66.5%
NWHA First Level Test 3: 63.9%

Naturally gaited TWH Gift of Freedom ridden by Jennifer Klitzke was named 2015 NWHA First Level Champion.

“This accomplishment demonstrates the commitment, consistency and communication of partnership.” —Dianne Little

With our 2015 dressage scores, my naturally gaited and barefoot Tennessee walking horse mare, Gift of Freedom, has been named the 2015 NWHA Gaited Dressage National Champion at First Level, 2015 FOSH Gaited Dressage National Champion at First Level and 2015 FOSH Gaited Dressage National Champion at Training Level.

Dianne Little, FOSH Gaited Dressage Program Director writes, “You are to be congratulated for riding eight tests at First Level with all scores over 62%.  Of these eight tests, four scores were over 65%.  This accomplishment demonstrates the commitment, consistency and communication of partnership.”

Questions?

Let me know your thoughts by completing the form below.


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