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

Preparation for What’s Next with My Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse

Gaited dressage horse cantering

It’s interesting how experiences prepare us for what’s next. I never imagined I’d be showing dressage after a 16-year break on a horse that doesn’t trot!

Preparation for What’s Next with My Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

I never got into this “gaited dressage thing” to show. In fact, I only wanted a smooth horse to ride that would be gentler on my aging body.

In 2007 when I bought my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana, dressage is how I trained her. It’s all I knew. Yet riding dressage on a Walking Horse is so different than on a trotting horse.

Tennessee walking horses do unusual things I had not encountered with trotting horses. The faster they travel the smoother they get, their head and neck nods with each step, their ears flop, and their teeth sometimes click.

That’s when I joined a local Walking horse association to learn more about riding this unique breed.

BLESS Clinic with Bucky Sparks
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom at a Gaited Dressage Clinic with Bucky Sparks

Shortly thereafter, I took my Makana to a gaited dressage clinic with Bucky Sparks. Later that year, I rode at a Larry Whitesell gaited dressage clinic.

Jennifer Klitzke riding at a Larry Whitesell gaited horsemanship clinic
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in in-hand with a rider.

Indeed, my worlds were colliding.

In 2008 the Walking horse association pleaded for more entries at the Washington County Fair. They were worried the Tennessee walking horse classes would be eliminated unless more people entered.

“Well, okay, we’ll give rail class shows a try,” I said. 

TWH 3-gait Trail Pleasure Rail Class
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom at a TWH breed show in the 3-gait Trail Pleasure Rail Class

It wasn’t ribbons that kept us returning to Walking horse shows. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse came alive in the show ring. She seemed to enjoy the people and other horses, so we’ve kept it up.

Gaited Dressage: Training Level
Our first gaited dressage show in 2010.

Now that I was officially riding dressage on a gaited horse and showing in rail classes, I entered my Tennessee walking horse at a local schooling dressage show the fall of 2010. We were the only gaited entry, and because of this it drew the attention of two women who owned gaited horses. We exchanged phone numbers and began to trail riding at state parks. Makana seemed to enjoy the fresh air, arresting scenery, and varied terrain as much as I did.

encountering the moose obstacle
Encountering the moose obstacle at a Gaited Trail Trial.

Trail riding prepared us for the next step. If it weren’t for the dozens of trail rides we had been on with the women I had met at the schooling dressage show, I would have never considered riding the 2011 Gaited Trail Trials which proved to be the most fun I’ve ever had on horseback!

So what’s next? I’m tinkering with the notion of eventing my gaited horse now that we have started gymnastic jumping.

Gaited horses jump too

I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
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Follow: facebook.com/naturallygaitedhorse

Sale Items

SOLD: Trailer with ramp and escape doors

3 Comments

Great starter trailer!

Two-horse, bumper-pull WW trailer with ramp (1973). This sturdy steel trailer is easy to pull, tabs are up-to-date and its ready to go!

Features:

  • 6’7″ high, 5″ wide
  • Escape doors both sides
  • Removable divider
  • Rubber mats
  • Mangers and tack storage below
  • Good floor
  • Spare tire
  • Wheel bearings packed

My humble beginnings. This was my very first trailer, and we have now upgraded. My saintly husband held out long enough to know whether or not I’d actually use a trailer before making the investment for an upgrade. (I think he was a little slow to take action since this trailer has been many places the last three years as you’ll see from this blog.) But it was paid for the minute we drove away and it has served us well!

Originally designed as a two-horse straight load trailer, I called it my one-horse slant load because I had to move the divider to the side in order to fit my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. Yet, it was super easy to pull and back, and the wind didn’t move it around. You hardly knew it was there behind you compared to our upgraded trailer.

This solid and sturdy trailer taught me how to trailer a horse: how to back up to the ball and hook it up; how to drive it myself to shows and back it; how to load and unload a horse myself; and even how to horse camp with it. Impressive!

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows

Gaited Dressage at Rocking R

gaited dressage at Rocking R

By Jennifer Klitzke

It was a perfect autumn day, 75-degrees and sunny, and made for a wonderful schooling show at Rocking R Farm in Foley, MN. Forty-nine horses were entered in dressage, cross-country, and stadium jumping. Many horse/rider teams rode all three disciplines. Next year I hope we’ll be one of them!

Gift of Freedom, my seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare and I placed first and second in our Gaited First Level, Tests 1 & 2 (the only team showing in the gaited division). Our scores were 65.52% and 61.62%. Not bad considering I had a senior moment and forgot where I was in the first test. Had I continued off course, I would have completed my final halt and salute facing the wrong way! As soon as I realized my blunder, I asked if I could resume where I wandered off course. I took a deduction, but the grace offered was well received.

During our second test, Makana ran out of gas. I think I shed five pounds during my calisthenic workout in efforts to squeeze her forward. Even though the show ran two hours behind  schedule, I was home before midnight (a little state fair humor).

The best news of all is that I spared my husband from watching another Viking’s loss.

Among Judge Jane Linville’s comments were “Great pair. Pleasant to watch. Continue to work for more uphill balance throughout. Horse has a sweet face and is trying very hard.” She concluded, “Lovely, harmonious test.”

Photos: Gaited Dressage at Rocking R>

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos

Gaited Dressage: Showing Solo

Tennessee walking horse canter showing dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

I’ve never had so much fun getting lost as I did yesterday at Sand Dunes State Forest (North) with my husband riding on a beautiful fall day. However, yesterday’s limited daylight ate up his golf time, so he opted out of the Walker’s Triple R show to play a couple rounds before cold and darkness envelop us.

gaited dressageSo I squeezed into my “big girl pants,” as my friend so often says, and loaded and trailered Makana to the show by myself, rode two tests without a reader, as the solo gaited dressage rider, and even managed to record video! (I set the camera on a post that recorded our second ride winning ride.) This year’s horse adventures have prepped me well for showing solo.

Judy and Mike Walker organized another well run schooling dressage show. They must have divine connections, because this year’s record rain held off during all three shows. We had perfect weather, no bugs, and the same friendly crowd. In fact, a couple people from the Western Dressage Association of Minnesota even volunteered to record my first winning ride on video. (Thank you Laura and AnnMarie. I will never forget your kindness!)

The two lessons I had last month really paid off. Makana stepped deeper under her body without rushing, we maintained a leg yield at a flat walk without breaking, my position and hands were quieter, my fingers followed her head nod, and we placed first in both classes as the only gaited dressage team riding among warmbloods, Friesians, and Arabians.

Now if I can figure out a way to increase Makana’s energy at a canter, we’ll be set for next week’s dressage show at Rocking R. Only next week, I may be the only gaited dressage rider, but I won’t be showing solo!

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Gaited Western Dressage?

 

Gaited western dressage: Flat walk in a long and low position.

By Jennifer Klitzke

If gaited dressage isn’t enough of a paradigm shift for many traditional dressage riders, what about gaited western dressage? Being a good sport, I rode my naturally gaited Walking horse mare in her western outfit at the last horse women’s gathering at Judy Conger’s farm. Our special guest was Karen Meyers who is the president of the newly formed Western Dressage Association of Minnesota. Turns out, Karen grew up with Tennessee walking horses and showed them in the 1970s when the classes were the main draw at the Minnesota State Fair horse show.

Knowing this, I couldn’t help asking Karen for feedback on how to establish contact with a western curb, improve the head nod, and develop the flat walk (western dressage style). Karen suggested that I take up the slack and shorten my reins to have a light contact with the curb bit, hold my arms at my sides with a 90-degree angle from my shoulder to my hand, and keep my arms and hands still without being stiff. My hands are positioned as if I’m holding two ice-cream cones and my fingers slightly open and close with the head-nod motion. Make sure the curb chain has 3-4 fingers between the chin and chain so that it encourages the horse to move without feeling punished or stopped by the bit or chain.

Instructor Judy Conger helped me establish a more correct western dressage position. It kind of feels like if someone punched me in the gut to fill out the arch in my lower back, and then the feeling of pushing my inside anatomy down into the saddle while sitting tall, and stretching my thighs down and back. (Now if I can remember to breath, stay relaxed, and for goodness sake, SMILE!)

Putting together tips I learned from last week’s lesson with this week’s feedback from Judy and Karen looks something like this:

  1. Begin with long and low on a loose rein to get the horse stretching and stepping deep under its body.
  2. After 10-15 minutes, then gradually begin taking up contact and transition to a flat walk without losing the deep steps.
  3. Return to long and low if the horse begins to rush with scampering, small steps.
  4. Mix in transitions from flat walk to halt and rein-back to an immediate forward and engaged flat walk.
  5. Throw in some canter both directions with transitions to walk or halt.

Good luck if you keep your body in that contorted position (and extra bonus points if you remember to breath and smile)!

Who knows, maybe I’ll be riding Makana gaited Western Dressage style at the next Walker’s Triple R schooling dressage show held Sunday, September 25. Entries will be taken through Wednesday, September 21. See you there!

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5oX0WSTXE4?rel=0&w=560&h=315

Photos: Gaited western dressage>