All posts by Jennifer Klitzke

"Dressage is more than trot...and the saddle you ride in." -Jennifer KlitzkeSome traditional dressage riders believe that dressage is ONLY for horses that trot. While many gaited horse owners believe that dressage will MAKE their gaited horse trot. Others believe that teaching their gaited horse to trot on cue will ruin their horse's natural gait.I challenge these notions and here's why...Dressage improves the quality of natural movement in a horse whether it trots or has a smooth four-beat gait.Dressage is a French term for training the horse and rider. Whether a horse is ridden in an english or western saddle; whether the horse trots or gaits, it doesn't matter. Dressage brings about the best natural movement whether the horse walks, trots, flat walks, fox trots, or canters.Why? When a rider grows in knowledge, awareness, and application of a balanced riding position with the horse's center of gravity and applies effective use and timing of leg, rein, seat, and weight aids to communicate with the horse, dressage improves relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, harmony, engagement, straightness, and collection. These elements improve the quality of movement and the full range of motion. For the naturally gaited horse, this means, smoother gaits, deeper strides, and a sounder horse for longer.Enjoy the journey!
Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Long and Low for the Gaited Horse

A long and low riding position helps the gaited horse relax and stretch the muscles and break up pace with a four-beat walk sequence.

Riding your gaited horse in a long and low frame can improve the quality of all gaits. In dressage, long and low is called free walk on a long rein. The free walk on a long rein is a great way to start a young green horse, as well as begin and end every ride on a horse of any level of training. This long and low position helps the horse relax and stretch the top line muscles. It also helps the horse slow down into a four-beat walk sequence with maximum over track.

The DVD “Training the Gaited Horse from the Trail to the Rail” by gaited horse trainers Gary Lane with Anita Howe offers tips to resolve pacing by using long and low.

Anita builds her foundation in the easy-gaits by encouraging a forward flat walk in a long and low frame. Over time of consistent and regular training, the gaited horse will have developed top line muscles and established a consistent four-beat step. Then more tempo can be added into the smooth gait.

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