“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.
Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?
By Jennifer Klitzke
“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.
Riding with Lightness clinic
In 2013, I brought one of my non gaited horses, to a “Riding with Lightness” clinic with Susan Norman, a classical French dressage instructor. She had been a 15-year student of the late Jean Claude Racinet and a 3-year student of Philippe Karl—both classical French dressage masters and authors. Susan, among others, introduced me to the teachings of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness).
Among the highlights are:
Slowing the tempo WAY down to teach the horse balance
Lightness doesn’t mean a riding with a long floppy rein—the horse needs to learn balance and self-carriage before releasing to a light contact
The introduction of demi arret and descent de mains (lifting my hands up to touch the corners of the horse’s lips and release when my horse stops leaning). This teaches my horse not to lean on my hands for balance, rather to carry his own head and neck
Yet, the biggest transformation came from a simple statement: “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”
Experiencing the ‘Ask’ difference made me take an honest look at how I ride and its effect on my horse.
What kind of rider am I: ‘Make’ or ‘Ask’?
My Trakehner/thoroughbred, Seili in 2013 at 29 years old
Thoughtful, gentle, kind. That’s who I thought I had been as a rider when I began dressage lessons in 1988. That’s how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride and train my Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding, Seili. He was my best friend, and I thought I had always considered his needs.
In the German dressage system, I learned to confirm our training in the show ring. When we reached consistent scores of 60% or above, we were ready to move to the next level of training. Thirty years ago, achieving 60%-plus at recognized shows wasn’t easy to do. Over the years the scoring system has become more generous.
I unknowingly had become both an ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’ rider. I was an “Ask” rider at home (which is how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride) and a “Make” rider at shows: perfectionistic, demanding and controlling to meet the test requirements and appease the judge, my peers and the crowd of onlookers.
Adding to the pressure I took on, was how my horse reacted while being away from home: nervous, spooky, and tense—Seili became a monster.
I felt even more out of control. Fear overcame me. All I thought about was MY ambition to attain those 60s so that I could advance to the next level. (Or if I am really honest, be on the leader board, win, or at the very least, not be completely humiliated before my peers and a crowd of onlookers.)
I felt pressure because many of those watching knew Seili’s talent riding at home. Yet I could not understand why I couldn’t replicate this at a show. Seili was two horses: a calm and exceptionally talented horse at home and a monster at the show grounds.
Then Susan’s words repeated in my mind, “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”
My riding paradigm at home is ‘Ask.’ My riding paradigm at a show had become ‘Make’.
My horse needed my support as an ‘Ask’ rider at a show. Instead of helping him relax away from home, my self interests clouded my horse’s needs. As a ‘Make’ rider, I felt out of control and frustrated that Seili didn’t meet my expectations.
I didn’t recognize my horse at a show. My horse didn’t recognize me at a show. Susan’s words helped me realize I had two horses because I was two riders: ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’. My horse became a monster in my own ‘Making.’
‘Make’ isn’t fun for me or my horse. ‘Make’ doesn’t relax me or my horse. ‘Make’ produces perfectionism, control, tension, and dominance in me. ‘Make’ creates more tension, resistance, fear, shutting down, and wanting to run away in my horse. Seili became a monster of my own ‘Making.’
If I am the leader in our partnership, I realized the importance of becoming an ‘Ask’ rider wherever we are together: at home or away from home. ‘Ask’ invites relaxation in the rider and horse, leading to harmony, partnership, and trust.
Obstacles arise at home and away from home. Yet, the answer is still ‘Ask’ which leads to relaxation. When tension or fear creep in, I need to help my horse find relaxation before I ‘Ask’ again.
‘Ask’ paradigm put to the ultimate test
After processing Susan’s words, I wondered if it possible to show dressage with an ‘Ask’ paradigm? Could I let the perfectionism of the test requirements go? Could I look beyond the crowd of onlooks and my peers while facing the judge’s evaluation as we rode through the test requirements? Could I let go of the fear of failing? The fear of losing control if my horse become a monster? Instead, could I focus on being an ‘Ask’ rider and lead my horse into relaxation, balance, engagement, rhythm and connection? Could I let go of the outcome?
I put this new paradigm to the test with my non gaited horse, Indy. Not only were my peers watching, my first riding instructor was watching, who I hadn’t seen in 34 years!
2014 winning dressage ride and highest score of the day with 73 percent!
Would you know that this dressage test became a test of a lifetime and a turning point. Not only was our ride the most joy-filled, harmonious, connected and relaxed dressage test I had ever ridden, it became proof that ‘Ask’ can produce wonderful results. It was our very best ride ever!
At the final halt salute, the judge popped out of the booth and applauded, “Bravo!”
My horse and I received the highest score of the SHOW (73 percent) and placed first among18 riders in the class.
This paradigm shift made all the difference. ‘Ask’ produced partnership and relaxation between me and my horse. I rode my horse like I would at home and this transformed my horse while at a show.
From that moment on, I became an ‘Ask’ rider with my non gaited and naturally gaited horses wherever we ride: at home, the trails, at shows, at cow sorting league, endurance rides, clinics and lessons.
Taking an honest look in the mirror has been humbling. Yet, it has been profoundly rewarding for my horses’ sake.
How to become an “Ask the Horse to Do” Rider
Showing dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse with ‘Ask’ in mind.
Susan, among others, introduced me to the work of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness) that teaches this paradigm in great detail. I have been studying Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and his DVDs: Classical Dressage (Vol 1-4), Classical versus Classique and Legerete 1 & 2. I do my best to translate and apply this philosophy with all of my horses.
Ecole de Legerete teaches a step-by-step progression in how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider. You learn how to train your horse without harsh bits, big spurs. weighted shoes, chains and pads or artificial aids. You’ll learn how to lead your horse into relaxation of mind and body, balance, and impulsion to be light to the hand and light to the leg.
Legerete instructor, Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones coaches me in organizing my aids to draw my naturally gaited horse’s haunches into the circle.
Then you’ll learn how to develop symmetry, flexibility, strength, and softness through lateral exercises that will help your horse become ambidextrous through its full range of motion and produce its best quality gaits. All the while, you’ll learn how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider which will transform your partnership into joy and harmony whether at home or away at a show.
If you are interested, below are others posts I’ve written about how I have applied Legerete with my naturally gaited horses:
Did you buy a gaited horse and wonder why it isn’t always smooth? Helping your gaited horse relax in mind & body is a great place to start.
Here’s my story…
Relaxation of Mind & Body Lead to Smooth Gaits
By Jennifer Klitzke
If you bought your naturally gaited horse, such as a Tennessee walking horse, Missouri Fox Trotter, or Rocky Mountain for its smooth ride and wondered why it isn’t always smooth, I’m with you. The smooth natural gaits are genetic, yet they need to be developed. Some naturally gaited horses are easier than others to train.
I bought my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse as a three-year-old with 20 rides on her. In one lap of our arena, she demonstrated lots of smooth natural gaits and a few bumpy ones. I quickly discovered that it was up to me as the rider to identify and put cues to each gait so that I train my horse instead of my horse train me.
Dressage is the form of riding I apply with my naturally gaited horses. Why? Because dressage teaches the horse relaxation of mind and body, balance, forwardness without rushing, rhythm, connection, symmetry, and collection. Over time the horse develops its full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long-term soundness.
Why I begin with relaxation of mind and body
Each time I ride, relaxation of mind and body are essential ingredients to achieving smooth natural gaits. In fact, I cannot achieve quality smooth gaits without relaxation. Relaxation of mind is free from worry and anxiety. The horse is able to be in a dialogue of communication with me. Our conversation is more the focus than what is going on around us. Relaxation of body is free from tension and bracing so the horse is able to move comfortably forward without rushing.
I ride and train two uniquely different naturally gaited horses: my Tennessee walking horse, Makana and my foxtrotting mare, Lady. Makana can get anxious on a windy day when trees come alive. She is not in a trainable mind until she is relaxed. If I were to continue riding Makana while she is anxious, it only reinforces the anxiety and teaches her to rush into a poor-quality gait.
Relaxation of mind
On days where Makana is anxious, we work in hand and do lateral flexions in hand or in the saddle at a halt to help her relax her mouth, lower jaw and poll and stretch her muscles. This helps her partner up with me. Then we proceed with training in a state of relaxation to produce quality smooth gaits.
Watch: Flat Walk and Running Walk by a Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and I. When she is relaxed in her mind, it transfers through her entire body and brings about quality smooth gaits.
Lady is pretty unflappable on windy days. She rarely spooks or gets anxious, like Makana, but Lady came with bit resistance. She would tense her lower jaw and poll which transferred tension throughout her body and back. If Lady were to remain in a state of body tension, she would travel faster and faster until she blasted off into a hard trot.
Relaxation of body
For Lady, before we begin riding, I lead her into relaxation of her mouth, lower jaw, and poll. After she is soft and flexible, then Lady settles into her natural smooth gait.
Lady’s smooth gait today has more relaxation, balance and lightness.
Anytime either horse becomes tense or anxious, I slow down or halt, re-establish relaxation and resume the riding session. Without relaxation of mind and body, there is no quality smooth gaits.
With relaxation of mind and body, quality smooth gaits follow. That means relaxation transforms my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse’s step pace into quality smooth gaits, such as a four-beat flat walk and a lateral canter into a three-beat canter. For Lady, relaxation transforms her hard trot into a natural smooth gait.
Watch: How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact
Relaxation of mind and body are key to smooth gaits.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas (and a little time for some Walkin’ in Wonderland)!
Video: Walkin’ in Wonderland on a Naturally Gaited Horse
This video captures footage from the winter of 2013 showing multiple smooth natural gaits on cue, and one bumpy one. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I had a perfect snow season and we took advantage of it. So far this year, we are off to a good start!
Stay safe out there while you enjoy some walkin’ in wonderland!
Happy Thanksgiving from Jennifer, Makana (bottom right) and Lady (center).
Happy Thanksgiving
By Jennifer Klitzke
It has been quite a year to say the least. And we have all experienced it in one way or another. Yet, I am thankful for another day to ride, another day to live, and another day to love.
I am thankful to have finally landed a full-time job six-weeks before COVID shut down the world. I am thankful to still have a job through this time of COVID while many people are on furlough.
Then a couple months later came the tragic death of George Floyd in my city that stormed the world with public outcry for justice. Many people lost their businesses to looting, arson and rioting. This impacted my husband’s business significantly. Again, I am thankful to have a full-time job.
A couple months later, my husband father passed away. Soon after my husband’s uncle passed away with COVID. He was a health man, who in fact was a high-level medical physician for decades. COVID is no respecter of person.
A couple months later, I lost my Arabian and less than two weeks later I lost my dog. So, it has been a sad year. Yet, I am thankful to still be working full time and have the opportunity to ride my naturally gaited horses.
My greatest apologies for my lack of gaited dressage posts this year. Since March, I have been working from 7am to 9pm most days with a break for lunch and dinner to ride. While I haven’t had much time to write, thankfully, I have been recording my rides. I have exciting insights to share about my experiences with Legerete for the naturally gaited horse. I have made a few gaited dressage posts and can’t wait to unpack more details soon!
I hope you all have a wonderful Facetime Thanksgiving with those you love and have some time to horse around with your naturally gaited horses.
I swore I would NEVER buy another mare…since her I’ve had three.
I swore I would NEVER buy a horse under 16 hands…since her I’ve had four.
I swore I would NEVER buy an Arabian…since her I’ve had two.
That was 24 years ago.
They said you can NEVER teach a trotting horse a natural, smooth gait. She taught herself.
She watched Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse move out in a natural smooth gait. I think she was smart enough to realize the fox trot was more comfortable on her back than the hard trot.
Saying Goodbye is Never Easy
By Jennifer Klitzke
Today, I said farewell dear friend, to my Spanish/Egyptian Arabian mare, a great granddaughter of the famous Morofic Egyptian Arabian stallion who was a standing sire for the Egyptian palace for many years.
I’ve been praying about this weighty decision for two months since her last vet call. Nearly 35 years old and missing many teeth made it impossible for Tara to eat hay of any kind to keep her warm. Unlimited Senior feed couldn’t keep weight on her. Then she began to wobble like a drunken sailor. Her lack of coordination was a sign of being 120-something in people years. Then came an early October winter storm that made it clear she didn’t have another winter in her.
Yet, to her very last day, Tara remained the top-of-the-pecking-order boss mare who was the first to greet me in the morning with a nicker.
Making the decision to say goodbye is never easy even though the vet encouraged the decision for a peaceful and humane ending. It was better than finding her on a bitter cold winter day fallen on the ice with no way to get back up.
Yes, that’s true. It still doesn’t make the weight of the decision any easier.
How Tara Squashed the Nevers
Back in the early 1990s, I was searching the Sunday classified ads for a kid’s horse since my 16.1H trakehner/thoroughbred Seilie (aka, Mr. Seilie Monster) was not suitable. Seeing an ad for a 10-year-old, 14.1H, registered, purebred Arabian mare caught my eye.
Why? She was small, an Arabian and a mare. The three things I swore I would never.
Yet, small was practical for kids and her affordable price overshadowed the latter.
After interviewing the man on the phone, he assured me Tara would be a great kids horse. She began as a trail horse, you know.
Arriving to his small hobby farm, I was struck by her beauty which blinded all the red flags:
He didn’t want to ride her to show me what she knew
He wouldn’t let me ride her or work with her to know what she knew
Turns out she was only trail horse at Bunker for a week because it didn’t work out. That’s when he brought her home for his wife (who didn’t ride), and there she sat for the last six years.
I hit the road with disappointment. I loved her look. She reminded me of an Andalusian, my favorite breed. And she had a white heart on her nose the kids would surely love.
A week went by and I couldn’t stop thinking about Tara. If Tara was a kid’s horse, surely he could ride her for me, right? If Tara was a kid’s horse, surely I should be able to take a test ride, right? I called the man back and asked if he would reconsider.
The man agreed as long as I signed a waiver that I wouldn’t sue him if I were injured. Red flag number four.
Well, Tara clearly had little training . On a scale of 1 (lazy) to 10 (hot), she was an 11 (firecracker). I figured I could work with her for a while and she would settle down.
Tara at 27 years old.
I remember taking her to the outdoor arena where I boarded. Tara was so explosive that riders began to disappear, one by one. No one wanted to ride with us, because she could rein back as fast as she moved forward and our steering wasn’t very good.
A year later, when she turned 11, I took her to the Brightonwood schooling show and rode her in three Training level tests. The first judge remarked, “Hmmm, perhaps you could look into getting your mare on some hormone treatment to help her settle down.”
Tara at Brightonwood, age 11.
The last Training Level 3 test was our best. (After schooling her for three hours, she had finally calm down.)
Well, ten years later. That’s how long it took before Tara became that kid’s horse after-all. She packed many young people around: Jumping, dressage, trail riding yee-haw style. Kid’s LOVED it!
Tara introduced many kids to riding including this 5-year-old who later returned as a teen to ride Tara.
One of the many kids who fell in love with Little Miss Tara.
Another ambition young rider with Tara.
Tara brought smiles to many adult riders, too.
First time on a horse for this teen and Tara took good care of her.
Another adult rider who enjoyed Tara.
Tara even brought smiles to many grownups, too.
A Gaited Arabian?
After I purchased Makana, my naturally, gaited Tennessee walking horse, Tara picked up a natural, smooth gait on her own. And because it was much more comfortable than her hard trot, I encouraged it. She still had her walk, trot and canter on cue, as well.
My naturally gaited Arabian. Call it a fast walk if you want: it is four beat and smooth with a head nod and her smooth natural gait is like a fox trot leaving my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in the dust.
One of my little friends who rode Tara was interested in showing Tara. She hadn’t been to a show since in 15 years, so I took Tara to a dressage schooling show when she was 26 years old to see how she would do. The judge commented, “The free walk on a long rein is not suppose to be a running walk!”
I would normally ride my Tennessee walking horse with a couple other gaited riders on the trail. One day I brought Tara instead.
Unloading her from the trailer, one of the gaited riders asked, “You’re going to ride an Arabian?! You’ll be trotting the whole time to keep up with us, you know!”
“Do you want to bet on that?” I replied.
Birthday ride with Tara when she was 24.
Little Miss Tara kept up with the gaited horses without breaking into a trot or canter! She was happy to be the brave leader or to tag along behind.
In fact, when Tara and Makana, my TWH went on trail rides together, Makana could hardly keep up with Tara’s smooth, what-ya-gonna-call-it gait.
Tara’s last trail outing at 30 years old riding across bridges my late father had designed while at the MN State Department of Natural Resources.
All-around Trusted Friend
Tara was my go-to horse for decades between the kids who came to ride. I could ride her anywhere, with horses or alone. She jumped, did dressage, trails, obstacles, sorted cows and team penning. We even rode bridleless. I wish I had gotten into endurance riding earlier in her life, because Tara would have been amazing!
Tara at 26.
Tara was the only horse I’ve ever trusted enough to give bridleless riding a try.
Team penning at 26 years old.
Dang, the cows were practically bigger than Tara! She had no fear.
Our first time sorting cows.
I rode Tara until she was 32 years old. Granted our rides were just hacks around the farm, but she still had spunk.
Me and Tara with Ernie enjoying the trails at our farm.
You are forever in my heart Miss Tara. You are the horse that turned those NEVERS into possibilities. You turned me into an Arabian lover, a mare lover and a short horse lover. You became the Arabian who learned a natural smooth gait, and you became that kid’s horse after all.
But one NEVER remains the same: Saying goodbye is NEVER easy.
Riding across the many bridges at Wild River State Park designed by my late father, Gerald Filson.
You and Mr. Seilie Monster are now running free on the other side of the rainbow bridge.
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