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All posts by Jennifer Klitzke
Gaited Dressage at St George
By Jennifer Klitzke
After the TWH Celebration Show, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I were back to being the solo gaited horse/rider entry at the St. George Dressage Academy schooling dressage show held Saturday, August 9, 2014. One of the spectators saw us gaiting and asked if I would be trotting my gaited horse during the test. Was I ever glad that I had contacted the show manager ahead of time and received permission to ride the NWHA gaited dressage tests en gait, otherwise that’s what I’d be expected to do—trot!
Our NWHA Training Level Test Three and NWHA First Level Test One were among the 46 dressage tests ridden—Intro level through First level. Our training level test felt like our best yet with a respectable score of 66.8%. I attribute our success to Jennie Jackson who traveled to Minnesota for the second year in a row to teach a “Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse” clinic. Jennie really set us on course in establishing rhythm, connection, and forwardness without rushing. My mare is no longer “flat walkin’ in a tight skirt.” Her hind steps are deeper, more even and consistent, combined with a deeper and straighter head nod. Makana’s canter has also improved. While we love to see a true “four-beat” flatwalk, Makana has achieved a solid “three-beat” canter which is rounder and more engaged.
After our first level dressage test Judge Jim Hatch remarked, “Thank you for bringing your gaited horse to the show. This was a first for me!” I thanked him for his willingness to provide feedback for where we are at in our training. Even though my gaited horse doesn’t trot, the elements of dressage still apply: rhythm, balance, forwardness, harmony between horse and rider, acceptance of the bridle, rider’s correct and effective use of aids, rider’s position and seat, and precision of the required movements.
Thank you to St. George Dressage Academy for opening their beautiful tree-lined facility up for this venue as a chorus a song birds kept us company while we rode our tests.
Video: NWHA Training Level Test Three
httpv://youtu.be/-Iv6XNCcQfY
TWH Celebration offers Gaited Dressage
By Jennifer Klitzke
When the Minnesota Walking Horse Association asked if I would be willing to help set up the dressage arena for the first ever gaited dressage classes offered at the 2014 Celebration Show, I gladly accepted. I’m all about supporting the cause for gaited dressage and advancing the use of natural and humane training methods.
So after my workday, I drove an hour and a half to Hinkley, Minnesota where Sally Frones and I (two grandma-aged women) measured and pounded stakes to mark the perimeter for a 20 x 40 meter dressage arena which was a perfect size for the beginner-friendly tests which were selected: FOSH Introductory One (working walk, free walk); FOSH Introductory Two-Gait A (working walk, free walk, flatwalk); NWHA Introductory A (working walk, free walk, flatwalk); and NWHA Training Level One (working walk, free walk, flatwalk, canter).
Sixteen dressage tests were ridden by six riders and seven Tennessee Walking Horses. For a few of the riders (and horses), the Celebration Show had marked their very first time riding a dressage test. Everyone did quite well, and I even have the pictures to prove it! Photo gallery»
Each rider was given the option of using a “reader” who called out the next series of movements so that the rider didn’t have to memorize the test. While the rider and horse were performing each movement, the judge provided brief feedback and a score from “0” to “10” which was recorded by a “scribe” onto a score sheet after the required movements. At the end of the test, the score sheet was tallied and the highest percentage would identify the winner of the class.
The best part of riding a dressage test is that the rider gets to take home the score sheet which often provides helpful feedback from the judge. This can give the rider insights as to where they are at in their training and what to work on improving, whether it be forwardness, roundness, relaxation, balance, rhythm, and bending in the horse or rider position, precision, and delivery of aids.
I’ve been showing my gaited horse at open schooling dressage shows for the last four years. Not only was it fun to ride with other gaited horses at the Celebration Show, but this was the first dressage show I’ve been at where there wasn’t even a trotting horse in sight!
Gaited Dressage at Lakeview Farm
By Jennifer Klitzke
I took my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana to Lakeview Farms on Saturday, June 21, 2014. The farm hosted an open schooling dressage show featuring traditional dressage, western dressage and gaited dressage. It isn’t surprising that we were the only gaited entry, but, I was surprised to learn that our First Level Test One ride was the highest level test ridden of all competitors that day!
Lakeview is a well chosen name since the facility is located on a lake shore. Only June’s record rains have created a few more than the one lake it is known for. Flooding forced the schooling show to the indoor arena.
After we rode NWHA Training Level Test Three, judge Nancy Porter, a long time USDF R-judge remarked, “That was very interesting. Judging a gaited horse in dressage is a first for me!”
I smiled and thanked her for accommodating us as there are few venues for gaited riders to get expert feedback from an “R” judge on where we are at with our balance, rhythm, harmony, relaxation, suppleness, transition, submission, rider’s position, and use of aids.
Our recent lessons with Jennie Jackson helped us maintain our bending through serpentines and 10 meter half circles at a flat walk, our connection has improved over last year, and my mare’s canter was clearly three beat with more roundness. We received respectable scores of 64.2% in Training Level Test Three and 65% in First Level Test One.
Lakeview plans on one more schooling dressage show this Fall. I hope more gaited folks will give it a try. This is a very low-key, beginner-friendly show with beautiful trails to ride and even a trail obstacle course to play around in after your tests are complete. In fact, I met two women at the show who own Tennessee walking horses and one of the women tacked up after my last ride and we took a lovely trail ride through the beautifully groomed wooded trails.
Thank you to Lakeview Farm for accommodating gaited dressage at their schooling dressage show and to Nancy Porter for judging. It was a privilege to ride for and receive feedback from a USDF “R” Judge.
Video: NWHA Training Level Test Three
Video: NWHA First Level Test One
Video: Backing an L-shape
Collected Walk-Canter-Walk Transitions for the Gaited Horse
Here’s a dressage exercise that can improve a gaited horse canter while improving a rider’s balanced position and timing of rein, leg and seat aids.
How to improve a gaited horse canter using dressage
By Jennifer Klitzke
In the short time Jennie Jackson was in Minnesota this year I learned so much. Here’s an effective exercise she taught me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse: collected walk-canter-walk transition on a 15-meter circle to improve our gaited horse canter.
This exercise helps the rider organize their rein, leg and seat aids; develop effective use and timing of the aids; maintain a balanced riding position through the transitions; direct the horse into a relaxed, forward balance canter transition; and develop quality canter steps.
Here’s how…
Establish a collected walk on a 15-meter circle:
- Establish a forward moving collected walk in a shoulder-fore position by applying inside lower leg calf through the ankle at the girth. This helps to bend my mare’s body and step her inside hind leg under her belly toward her outside front leg.
- My outside indirect rein is held slightly against the neck with more contact than my inside softening rein. The outside rein keeps the outside shoulder from falling out and keeps the neck rather straight.
- The inside rein massages as needed to soften my mare’s jaw so that she flexes at the atlas (poll) slightly into the circle enough where I see the corner of her eye.
- It is important that her ears remain level without tilting her head to the side.
- The energy from her hindquarters travels through her body and into the connection with my hands which feels like her shoulders lift, and she becomes lighter in front while I feel her back puff up under my seat as she engages her abdominal muscles.
Develop collected walk to canter transitions
- The timing of this transition is important. The outside hind leg is the first step in the canter sequence. When I feel my mare beginning to step her outside hind leg forward, that’s when I need to apply my outside lower leg behind the girth.
- Maintain the inside lower leg at the girth and the rein connection so that my mare holds the bend through the canter transition.
- Focus on a still riding position during the upward transition without tipping my upper body forward. This allows my horse to step into a balanced canter.
Teach the gaited horse canter transitions to quality canter steps
- Bring the horse back to a collected walk before the canter quality falls apart. Over time, the horse will build more and more consecutive quality canter steps.
- During the downward transition from canter to walk, grow taller in the saddle while applying a slight half halt with the seat, a brief closing of the fingers on the outside rein, and a release as the horse moves into a forward moving collected walk.
Watch: Walk-Canter-Walk Transitions on a 15-meter Circle
Thank you, Jennie Jackson, for coming to Minnesota. I have finally connected with a coach who not only has the applied knowledge and proven experience through the highest levels of dressage with Tennessee walking horses, but someone who communicates gaited horse concepts in ways I understand. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse has never moved better!
For more about Jennie Jackson and dressage en gaite, visit Jennie Jackson: Dressage en Gaite.
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