Are naturally gaited horses supposed to be smooth? Why do gaited horse fall in and out of a smooth gait or not at all? How can a naturally gaited horse develop quality smooth gaits?
Developing Quality Smooth Gaits One Step at a Time
By Jennifer Klitzke
Lots of people buy a naturally gaited horse believing they automatically offer a smooth gait all the time. Some gaited horses are all born with this ability, but most need training to develop a consistent smooth gait.
Dressage is one form of training for the naturally gaited horse to develop quality smooth gaits. Through exercises that develop relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, symmetry and engagement, a gaited horse can develop quality smooth gaits on cue.
How? With three important keys.
1. Know the difference between a quality smooth step and a step that is unbalanced, rushed, hollow, tense, or disengaged.
2. Practice quality smooth steps.
3. Stop and reward the horse before the steps get pacey, out of balance, tense or hurried.
In the beginning it might be one or two steps. Then it leads to a few quality steps. Over time the few steps become a few minutes of quality smooth steps.
Avoid practicing poor quality steps, because that’s the muscle memory you’ll create. Practice consistent quality smooth steps to deliver clear communication to your horse.
When my horse becomes unbalanced, loses rhythm and rushes, hollows or becomes disengaged, that’s a great clue to simply slow down to a relaxed and balanced walk and re-establish quality smooth steps.
When I’ve re-established a quality walk, then I transition to the smooth gait a quality step to quality steps.
Over time, a few quality steps turn into circles of quality steps. Seconds into minutes for longer durations of quality smooth gait over time.
How can you tell the difference between a quality smooth step from a smooth step that is unbalanced, rushed, hollow, tense, or disengaged?
I’ve been perusing my equestrian education since 1988 and there is always more to learn. Taking lessons, attending clinics, studying DVDs, reading books, and recording rides are great ways to learn. All of this helps me become a more effective rider and better communicator with my naturally gaited horses.
Good dressage lessons are important to gain timely feedback. This feedback helps the rider develop the feeling of right and the feeling of the horse falling out of balance, rushing, hollowing, tensing, or disengaging and knowing what to do to regain the feeling of right.
What if my naturally gaited horse paces instead of walks?
Again, a good dressage instructor can help you determine why your horse is pacing.
There are many reasons why a naturally gaited horse paces:
Sometimes the horse has developed the habit of pacing.
A dressage instructor can help you learn exercises like shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in at a slow walk that help to break up the pace into a four-step walk.
Sometimes the horse paces because it is tense in the mouth and back.
Lateral exercises also break up tension and help to soften, supple and strengthen the naturally gaited horse.
Sometimes the horse paces because the equipment causes pain.
A good dressage instructor can help you find an english or western saddle that fits you and your horse without pinching or hollowing the back. An instructor can help you learn how to develop a balanced riding position (ear, hip, heal) over the horse’s center of balance. This helps to be an easier load to carry and not throw the horse out of balance.
A good dressage instructor can also teach you how to help the naturally gaited horse accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact. This relaxes the mouth, lower jaw, and poll and has an effect on the entire horse.
Sometimes a horse paces because the rider throws the rhythm off
The horse’s footfall rhythm can been disrupted when the rider cues at the wrong time. A good dressage instructor with teach you effective timing of aids.
Another reason the horse paces is when the rider doesn’t follow the natural movement of the horse’s head and neck, lower back, hip joints and leg with the belly sway. A good dressage instructor can teach you how to follow the horse’s natural movement without disrupting the timing of steps and without creating tension in the horse.
Sometimes a horse paces because it was born to pace
Is there hope for a naturally horse who was bred to pace? Yes, a good dressage instructor can help you learn all the above and your horse can learn a smoother gait.
Will it be easy? No, but with patience, joy, and perseverance, breaking free from a hard pace is possible.
Video: Quality Step to Quality Steps
In this video I share what I’ve learned from good dressage instructors about developing quality smooth gaits — one step at a time.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Have you heard people say, “Never trot a gaited horse, because trot will ruin the smooth gait?” I bought a gaited horse for a smooth ride. Yet I discovered how a quality trot on cue can improve the quality of the smooth gait.
Here’s my story.
Benefits of Teaching the Smooth Gaited Horse a Quality Trot on Cue
By Jennifer Klitzke
Walk-trot-canter are my roots. I began dressage with non-gaited horse breeds in 1988. Twenty-nine years later, my youthful mind grew into a grandma body. Dressage with smooth gaited horses launched my new destiny. I thought my posting days were behind me. Then I discovered a quality trot on cue offers great benefits for the naturally gaited horse.
Whoever panicked gaited horse riders by saying trot ruins smooth gait, missed two important facts.
First, the difference between letting a gaited horse trot versus the rider directing the horse into a quality trot on cue. The former lets the horse train the rider. The latter is the rider training the gaited horse.
Secondly, not all trot is the same. Just as not all gait is the same. There are quality smooth gaits that have relaxation, even strides, regular rhythm and tempo. Just as there are poor-quality gaits with short and uneven strides, a hollow frame, irregular rhythm, and a rushed tempo that fall in and out of pace and a smooth gait.
Trotting the naturally gaited horse isn’t for every rider and every horse. If you ask an educated dressage rider, teaching a gaited horse a quality trot on cue has many benefits.
Video: Benefits of Trotting the Gaited Horse on Cue
Benefits of a quality trot on cue for the smooth gaited horse:
Helps develop relaxation
Develops the top line muscles when ridden in a neutral position
Develops rhythm
Improves engagement and forward movement without rushing
Strengthens the hind quarters for deeper strides reaching under the body
The diagonalized motion of trot breaks up a lateral moving pace
Teaching the naturally gaited horse a quality trot on cue improves rhythm and engagement that can improve these qualities of the smooth natural gaits. Plus, the diagonalized foot fall of the trot can help break up a lateral pace.
Transforming a hard trotting gaited horse with dressage
Lady was purchased from a sale barn. My friend was told she was a six-year-old unregistered gaited horse. Yet the only gaits Lady had were a walk and a hard trot. After a couple years of trail riding on a long floppy rein with Lady, my friend brought her to my place. She wanted to know if Lady had a smooth gait after all.
Dressage rider meets a trail ridden gaited horse
Riding with a light snaffle bit contact was as new to Lady as riding on a long floppy rein to me. I did my best to keep arena riding interesting for Lady. I mixed up our rides with lots of transitions, circles, serpentines, changes of direction along the diagonal, and lateral exercises.
My strategy with Lady: We began with a relaxed state of mind and body beginning at a walk. Then I would increase the tempo before she began trotting. Over time, Lady developed three smooth gaits on cue: a dog walk, a fox walk, and fox trot.
Lady’s smooth gaits aren’t showy, but they are fun to ride, especially on the trail. We see a lot of the forest in a short amount of time and my grandma body doesn’t pay for it later! Plus, I took the dressage to the trail, and it made both Lady and I happy. Dressage made more sense to Lady on the trail than the arena.
I also learned that Lady enjoyed our time together best when I met her halfway. I asked for a smooth gait on cue with a light snaffle bit contact. Then I would release the contact to a long floppy rein as long as she maintained her smooth gait in self-carriage. This was Lady’s reward, and this dressage rider enjoyed another way of riding.
Who says dressage needs to be in an arena?
Lady’s first dressage show as a smooth gaited horse
In July 2016, I entered Lady in her first dressage show. It was a North American Western Dressage Virtual Show open to smooth gaited horses. Even unregistered grade horses, like Lady, were welcome to enter!
Lady and I rode a Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test. It included walk, free walk, and a smooth gait which replaced the jog trot. Also, the dressage test required a snaffle bit contact with no floppy reins during the test.
Turns out, Lady was the only smooth gaited horse competing at our level. In her first show, she placed 5th of 9 horses with a score of 60.357%. I was thrilled!
Lady in her smooth gait while showing her first Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test
The ah-hah moment: Feedback from the dressage judge
The dressage judge provided wonderful written feedback on our dressage test. While I was happy with Lady’s smooth gait, the judge noted where Lady seemed tense and lacked engagement. She also pointed out where Lady moved more relaxed and engaged to work towards that.
The feedback provided helpful insights in our training and what needed improvement. Since our dressage test was recorded, I could watch where the judge made these comments!
The ah-hah moment was realizing the difference between a smooth gait and a QUALITY smooth gait!
Up to this point, developing a smooth gait was my goal. Now I had a new goal: developing quality smooth gait. I began focusing on a relaxed state of mind and body, engagement from behind, and a softer connection with the bridle.
Lady’s response to engagement wasn’t rainbows and unicorns. She resisted by rushing off with tense, short steps until she blasted into a hard, hollow trot. Ooh, my grandma body felt those jolts! Then I had a flash back to my trotting horse days and had an epiphany.
Epiphany: Drawing insights from dressage with non-gaited horses…a quality trot on cue!
The jarring trot jolted my memory back to the days I posted 20-meter circles developing a quality trot on cue. A quality trot helps develop the horse’s top line muscles with a relaxed mind and body, as well as rhythm, connection, and engagement from behind.
Did you know that not all trot is the same?
When a trotting horse is tense and hollow, the trot is a rough ride. When the horse learns to relax its back, engage from behind, and step deeper under its belly, the trot becomes smoother. I learned this to develop a manageable sitting trot. Plus, a relaxed back is beneficial for the horse.
Recalling these benefits of a quality trot on cue became my strategy for Lady. Any time she resisted a quality smooth gait on cue by blasting into a hard trot, I redirected her into a QUALITY trot on cue.
While teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue, it is important to allow moments for the horse to stretch out and down to stretch the topline muscles and spine. The rider lightens their posting in a two-point position to allow the horse’s back to round. Avoid too many consecutive steps in this position as it drives the horse onto the forehand.
Huh!? Why would I teach trot to the hard trotting gaited horse I just taught a smooth gait?!
The difference between evading through hard trot and teaching a quality trot on cue
There is a big difference between an evasive hard trot the horse chooses and the rider teaching the horse a quality trot on cue.
Lady’s hard trot was an evasion to avoid a quality smooth gait on cue. The hard trot is not quality, nor was it on cue. She would grab the bit and run away in a tense, high headed hollow trot. Left unchecked, Lady was training me.
Instead, I need to teach Lady a new way to trot. I needed to guide her trot into relaxed state of mind and body, moving forward from behind into a light contact with the snaffle bit on a 20-meter circle, and develop an even rhythm and tempo without rushing.
Teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue has many benefits:
Breaks up lateral pacey movement since trot is a diagonal gait
Develops the abdominal muscles to lift the back to a neutral to round position instead of an unhealthy hollow positionStretches the top line muscles and spine, when trotting in a neutral position, which is beneficial to the gaited horse
Stretches the outside muscles when performed on a 20-meter circle and promotes symmetry when both directions are stretched
Develops the topline muscles of the neck and back instead of the underside neck muscles
Encourages engagement which teaches the gaited horse to step deeper under the body with each hind leg step and lift the back to a neutral to round position producing depth of stride to improve the quality of the smooth gait
Develops rhythm that improves quality in all gaits
Teaches the gaited horse gaits on cue, teaches rider and horse proper roles in the relationship
Teaching a smooth gaited horse a quality trot (or soft trot as shown) on cue has many benefits: engagement, rhythm, balance, strengthening the top line muscles, and breaking up pace. This type of trot produces depth of stride which improves the quality of the smooth gait.
After a few circles of quality trot, I cue for the smooth gait. I am amazed how much better the smooth gait has improved after a few circles of quality trot on cue.
Lady’s easy gait improves in engagement, rhythm, and balance after a few 20-meter circles of quality trot on cue.
My strategy has been to ask Lady for an engaged smooth gait on cue first. If her response is resistance or a lack of engagement, then I cue for a quality trot. It doesn’t take Lady long to prefer an engaged smooth gait over a quality trot on cue.
Second dressage show as a smooth gaited horse
In September 2016, we put our strategy to the test. I entered Lady as a smooth gaited horse in her second Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test with the NAWD Virtual Show.
Not only did Lady’s smooth gait improve with more relaxation and engagement, but she placed 2nd of 11 horses with a score of 64.821%. Lady was the only smooth gaited horse in the class!
Video: Western GaitedDressage Intro Test
Teaching the smooth gaited horse a quality trot on cue isn’t for every rider or every horse. It has helped my gaited horse, Lady establish more engagement in her smooth gait. Now that she is working in a quality smooth gait with connection, rhythm, relaxation and engagement, I haven’t had to ask for the quality trot on cue.
Will trotting a gaited horse on cue ruin the smooth gait?
Whoever began the myth, “Never trot a gaited horse, because trot will ruin the smooth gait,” maybe didn’t know the difference between letting the gaited horse hard trot versus training the gaited horse a quality trot on cue.
A quality trot on cue teaches the gaited horse rhythm, relaxation, balance, and forward movement without rushing to develop engagement, a softer connection, a deeper stride beneath the body with each hind leg, and it breaks up a lateral moving pace.
My naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady in a quality, balanced fox trot with contact.
That’s where years of dressage on trotting horses have paid off for me. I never imagined that I would be trotting a smooth gaited horse on purpose, since I got a gaited horse for a SMOOTH ride. Yet I discovered that teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue can improve the quality of the smooth gait.
In the end Lady prefers an engaged smooth gait over a quality trot on cue any day, and that makes us both happy!
I am thankful for another year of smooth riding. How about you?
I am thankful for another year of training my five-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Marvel who is progressing well in his smooth gait. Thankful for Makana (19) and Lady (20+) who are sound and smooth in their senior years.
And I am thankful to those of you I have met this year, who have shared your dressage journey with your naturally gaited horse. I have enjoyed getting to know you and to hear how dressage is making a difference in developing smooth gaits and a partnership of harmony!
Over the last thirty-five years, I have studied from many circles of thought that have shaped my riding paradigm with dressage as the basis of communication.
By Jennifer Klitzke
As an avid dressage rider and passionate equestrian of humane training methods for over three decades, I have studied from many circles of thought. Throughout this blog you will encounter the sources, experiences, and people who have shaped the foundation of how I ride, train, and relate with my naturally gaited horses using dressage as the basis of communication in everything we do.
Among the many circles of thought and experience that encompass my riding paradigm are German dressage, French dressage, natural horsemanship, naturally gaited horse training, biomechanics of riding, biomechanics of movement, natural hoof trimming, horse care, showing dressage, cross country, stadium jumping, rail class, endurance, competitive trail, trail obstacles, and cow sorting leagues.
The common denominator of the many circles of thought and experience I embrace is humane training with respect for the horse. No abusive methods. No gadgets or artificial enhancements. And consistent communication using dressage.
Lady free walk and fox trot.
Lifelong learning
Since learning is a lifelong study, how I relate with horses today has changed since I first began. I began with one circle of thought, mainly because when I began, one-on-one lessons from a local instructor and book learning were my only options. Today through digital media, we are blessed with instant access to dozens of humane training options from thousands of unique perspectives.
When I encounter a new circle, I give it critical thought, dabble in its tips and concepts, and take relevant parts into my riding and training. Sometimes I drop old ideas for new ideas, but I still hold onto the many circles. One circle doesn’t replace the rest.
Learning is an investment of time, money and commitment—especially the study and application of dressage. I have invested a college education’s worth of lessons over the years. Timely feedback through regular lessons taught me how to ride with feel; develop a partnership of trust and a consistent communication system with my horse using my reins, legs, seat, and weight aids; find a balanced riding position over the horse’s center of gravity; interpret the horse’s body language; and help my horse develop full range of motion and quality gaits for long-term soundness.
Lady’s collected fox trot.
How the many circles improve my dressage
I like to embrace effective humane training methods from more than one circle of thought to enhance my horse’s relaxation of mind and body, balance, forward rhythm and tempo without rushing, connection, quality movement, suppleness, and build a harmonious partnership. I believe these qualities make for a great dressage foundation no matter which circle of thought offers the insight.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying German dressage and French dressage. As a result, I blend precision and timing of aids with lightness of philosophy and joy in my heart.
From jambette to steps of Spanish Walk with a Tennessee Walking Horse.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider by learning from both local instructors and traveling clinicians. Local instructors help me persevere in my growth over time while traveling clinicians offer new insights from their breadth and depth of experience.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying the work of natural horsemanship cowboys. These horsemen and women have taught me the value of communicating with a horse in ways a horse understands, the importance of establishing trusted leadership in the relationship, and the benefits of groundwork and desensitization.
This trail obstacle is harder than it looks!
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider by breaking up arena work with trail riding, endurance riding, trail obstacles, and cow sorting leagues. The hills and uneven terrain improve our balance and stamina while the latter put my communication through the aids to the test in real time.
Marvel enjoys exploring.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying the anatomy of the hoof and understanding it’s impact on movement to promote soundness without shoes. While I’m not a professional farrier, I am an educated care giver.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after spending time riding bareback. Through riding bareback, I’ve improved my balance and core and a better sense of feel.
Riding my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse barefoot and bareback at a flat walk.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider through showing, even when I’m the only rider on a horse that doesn’t trot. And I think trotting horses have made me a better rider of naturally gaited horses. Practicing for a dressage show has forced me to face what I’d rather avoid. Shows challenge me to strengthen our weaknesses and become more ambidextrous as a rider and help my horse develop symmetry.
Showing Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at a traditional schooling dressage show at a flat walk instead of a trot.
Will we be in the Olympics someday? No, but I think I’m a better dressage rider than I’d be if I only stuck to one circle of thought.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
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