International clinician Paul Belasik coaches a Grand Prix horse and rider in a canter exercise to strengthen the horse in preparation for canter pirouettes.
By Jennifer Klitzke
I learn so much from auditing traditional dressage clinics. Even though the horses at these clinics are trotting instead of flat walking, racking, or fox trotting, it doesn’t matter to me, because I see far more commonalities between traditional dressage and gaited dressage than differences. Among these commonalities are rider position and effective use of aids; developing relaxation, rhythm, balance and engagement in the horse; and developing trust, partnership and harmony between the rider and horse.
Central States Dressage and Eventing Association, of which I have been a member on and off for decades, sponsored a dressage clinic at the Leatherdale Equestrian Center in St. Paul, MN on November 21-22, 2015 with international FEI rider, trainer, and author Paul Belasik. This was my chance to see Grand Prix horses and riders being coached in real time through piaffe, passage, half pass, canter pirouettes, and tempe changes. What a treat to witness this level of dressage—LIVE.
I soaked in many wonderful exercises that will help my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana and I improve our balance, rhythm, relaxation, impulsion, and straightness in our gaited dressage.
Among the many take-a-ways include establishing balance through transitions. Depending upon where the horse is at in its training dictates the level of difficulty in the transitions being applied. For Makana and I, we will work on walk-halt-walk, gait-walk-gait, gait-halt-gait, canter-walk-canter, and add in a few steps of slow, soft, round, and relaxed rein back as needed to increase engagement in the hindquarters and through the back. Maybe next year Makana will have the strength and balance to tackle canter-halt-canter transitions.
In any case, these transitions, especially when rein back is added, are terrific ways to improve balance in the horse while maintaining a light contact. The transitions rock my horse back onto her haunches, engage her abdominal muscles to lift and strengthen her back, and create an uphill feeling like her withers are rising up in front of my seat.
Mr. Belasik also coached students in establishing a more effective riding position. He pointed out the importance of maintaining a thigh connection with the saddle and to keep the heels beneath the rider’s hips. He outlined the importance of riding from the core which includes drawing the shoulder blades back and down. This flattens the rider’s back and keeps the rider’s elbows at their side for a more powerful and stable riding position—especially helpful for rider’s with horse that lean on the bit or suddenly try to pull the reins out of the rider’s hands.
Mr. Belasik also coached a couple riders who were newer to dressage. He explained the importance of establishing and maintaining a consistent light connection with the bridle that the horse can rely on and reach forward into. Each time a rider allowed the reins to slip through their fingers and flop, it broke the connection where horse seemed directionless. It’s rhythm changed, it’s frame changed, and the horse and rider were no longer in harmony. As soon as the rider re-established and maintained a consistent connection, the horse maintained a steady, forward rhythm, and sought out that connection, where the two became one again.
Much of what Paul Belasik taught affirmed much of my recent DVD studies in classical French dressage. These affirmations include the importance of the horse being relaxed in the poll and jaw, riding the horse in balance, engaged from behind, lifting its back, rising up in the wither, not leaning on the bridle or dropping its weight onto the shoulders, riding many transitions to improve balance, making sure that the poll is the highest point of the horse, and not riding the horse behind the vertical.
International clinician Paul Belasik is shown assisting a Grand Prix rider by cueing the horse to step deeper under itself, lowering its hindquarters, lifting its withers, and rounding its back in piaffe.
Even though I wasn’t the one riding in the clinic, I learned so much as an auditor. It feels good to know that Makana and I are on the right path to improving balance, rhythm, relaxation, impulsion, and harmony.
To learn more about Paul Belasik’s clinic schedule, his books and videos, visit Paul Belasik.com.
“Dressage is more than trot and the saddle you ride in.”
—Jennifer Klitzke
Learn more about gaited dressage on Pinterest with tips to improve balance, rhythm, relaxation, softness, impulsion, harmony, quality of gaits, rider position effective use of aids. New pins added daily.
Since launching NaturallyGaited.com, I’ve met a lot of interesting people through social media who are enjoying their naturally gaited horses in a variety of ways. Recently, I met J. Ed Casillas who enjoys his Paso Finos for trail riding, endurance riding, rescue, team penning, drill team demonstrations, and therapy riding programs.
I’ve learned a lot about Paso Finos that I never knew. Such as, did you know that Pasos are able to execute up to nine different natural gaits on cue? 1. Walk 2. Trot 3. Fino 4. Canter/lope 5. Corto/slow rack 6. Largo/fast rack 7. Super largo/singlefoot 8. Pace 9. Andadura /amble. Some gaits of which are faster than the gallop of most trotting horse breeds.
J. Ed Casillas’s story unveils a wonderful bond between a horse and rider and highlights just how versatile the Paso Fino is, so I asked him if he would share his story with you. –Jennifer Klitzke
Obi and I racing along in the Andadura gait, like a slick pace, which travels up to 25 mph and can exceed a non-gaited horse’s gallop. When Obi reaches 20 mph he goes from a natural four-beat, isochronal largo to the lateral glide ride that feels even and smooth but hits like a pace laterally as you can see.
The Versatile Paso Fino
By J. Ed Casillas, Guest Writer
Early years
Although I wasn’t a horse owner until later in life, I’ve been around horses since I was a child. One of my grandfathers was a cattleman who provided mules to the U.S. cavalry. The other was a dude rancher who had business relationships with western movie cowboys. My uncle had a ranch, and I rode his horses during branding round-ups. I also exercised other people’s horses for fun or favor, and I worked around the race track horses.
Then I suffered an occupational back injury. So at 40, when I began looking for my first horse, I knew I needed a smooth-gaited horse to go easy on my back. When I met a Paso Fino gelding named Obrizo Juan Sinsonte (Obi), I knew he would fulfill this requirement very well.
Leo and Lindsay
I had been introduced to Paso Finos when I rode Obi’s sire, Leo de Vez (Leo). Leo is a son of Coral LaCE, the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Hall of Fame stallion and 13 time top 10 sire. Leo also competed in the first all Paso Fino drill team in Florida. He was known for passing on his wonderful disposition, confirmation, and natural smooth gaits. Leo was a seasoned competitive trail, AERC endurance horse, had been shown in his younger years, and became a South East Distance Riders Association Hall of Fame stallion.
Paso Beginnings
Paso Finos found their way into my life unexpectedly. In 1996 my work took me from Tallahassee, Florida to Las Vegas, Nevada where I met Lindsay Campbell, a Florida native and Paso Fino owner. After we had been hiking partners to vistas where she wrote while I painted landscapes, she shipped two of her Paso Finos, Obi and Leo, from Florida and we became riding partners.
My initial ride on Obi showed that he was rather green when compared to Leo, so Lindsay rode Obi for the first 10 months. I rode Leo who did an excellent job educating me about riding a trained Paso Fino. While exploring the trails, I shared my enthusiasm for the Paso Fino with everyone I met. Most riders in Las Vegas rode quarter horses, paints, and mustangs. They took notice to our Paso Finos’ naturally smooth gaits.
Obi and I
Pasos for Healing
As for me, I discovered the healing properties associated with riding naturally smooth gaited Paso Finos: my back didn’t bother me as I rode and the low-impact strengthening of my abdominal and back supporting muscles rehabilitated my back without the pain of conventional exercise. In fact, the only pain I suffered with a Paso Fino occurred when Obi was unloaded from the rig. He stepped on my foot in his exuberance to get off. Fortunately he was barefoot and I wasn’t!
After Obi and I had completed our training, Lindsay began riding Leo, and I rode Obi. It didn’t take long for me to bond with Obi as my very own. He has been my once-in-a-lifetime horse.
Pasos for Trail
In 2000, Lindsay and I joined the Pasos for Pleasure program offered in Paso Fino Horse World magazine. This program recognizes those who ride their Paso Finos for recreational purposes such as trail riding. Participants log their trail miles for milestone awards. Lindsay and I loved riding long hours through nature on the virtually limitless trail system outside of Las Vegas. Lindsay and I rode with several riding clubs such as Drinkers of the Wind Riding Club, Roughriders, and a gaited group, as well as with members of organizations from the National Wild Horse and Burro Association, Nevada Horse Council, and the Trail Coalition.
Obi and I riding at Red Rock Canyon where we often would see wild mustangs and burros running free.
We trail rode West of Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon, a National Conservation area, where early Spanish missionaries and immigrants traveled through to California. Red Rock Canyon is home to several herds of wild mustangs and burros. On most of our rides we would see them roaming free.
Saving the Wild Mustangs and Burros
In 1999 the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) proposed to remove the herds from Red Rock Canyon. I discussed holding a rally and trail ride in support of keeping the wild mustangs and burros at Red Rock. The horse and biking clubs agreed. We notified the media about our rally and trail ride. Several dignitaries voiced their support such as Las Vegas Mayor-elect Oscar Goodman. Lindsay and Leo, her naturally smooth gaited Paso Fino, led the ride.
Mayor-elect Goodman riding Obi at the rally
The rally included speeches, sentiments, and discussion about the importance of wild horses to the aesthetics of Red Rock Canyon, with a backdrop of beautifully moving wooden flute music which was played by a Native American. Afterwards, Mayor-elect Goodman’s public relations officer asked if Mr. Goodman could ride Obi. I agreed and a photo was taken of Mayor-elect Goodman enjoying his glide ride on Obi which was published in the Las Vegas Review Journal. This rally and support played a major role in keeping wild mustangs and burros at Red Rock Canyon (at least for the time being).
Inspired by the Native American flute player, I learned how to play a wooden flute and took it to the trails. However I wouldn’t recommend playing the flute while riding any horse other than one as naturally smooth and well behaved as Obi. It’s hard to ride safely while playing an instrument requiring use of both hands. Folks, don’t try this at home. Obi’s largo has been clocked at 20 miles an hour. A misstep at that speed could be disastrous. In fact, we did stumble once and my wooden flute bears teeth marks to prove it!
Pasos for Rescue
Speaking of missteps, riders with much more experience than I have come off their horses during our rides with other groups. Two times Obi and I recovered the loose horses by applying natural horsemanship techniques: Pursue briefly towards the loose horse, driving in, then turning away until the loose horse instinctively follows instead of moves away, and then slowing the pace until getting hold of the loose reins.
The third time the mishap occurred after a long climb up a steep grade into the mountains. My friend was riding an Arabian named Royal who lost his footing on slick rocks. Royal scrambled wildly to regain his footing but went down. My friend’s foot was pinned against the rocks and was badly fractured. Obi blocked Royal’s way while I caught him, and we ponied him five steep, rocky miles down the mountain for help while other riders attended to my friend. I got Royal back to camp. Another rider untacked him while Obi and I met the paramedics on a rough dirt road.
There was no way, an ambulance could reach my friend. The paramedics had to travel by foot carrying their heavy equipment and a tire gurney five miles up the high elevation and steep rocky grade. Seeing that they needed help, Obi and I offered to carry the equipment. Obi had already traversed the steep trail twice—once to take Royal and summon for help and twice to return to my friend and tell her “help is on the way.” We made it the third time back to the accident scene. It took five men to move my friend to where a helicopter could land. Then Obi and I carried the paramedic’s equipment down the mountain. It sure was easier going down, even with a rope tied to the gurney to ease it downhill.
Obi was a real hero on the trail that day. We earned eight Pasos for Pleasure hours that day alone. Obi never faltered. He didn’t even flinch at the sound of the chopper when it landed or took off. We earned our 500-hour patch during that time, and it means so much to me now.
Pasos for Drill Team Demos
Obi has been featured as a demonstration horse to promote the Paso Fino breed. In 1998 and 1999, Lindsay and Leo, Obi and I, and our friend, Carlos Duran and his champion Dominican stallion, Centinela la Joya, participated in the 1998 and 1999 All-breed Festival held at Horseman’s Park in Las Vegas. Both years, the three of us had fun riding drill team routines which incorporated sliding stops. The spectators really loved our Paso Finos’ speed and naturally smooth gaits. I even let a few horsemen of other breeds ride Obi. After one turn around the arena each rider returned with the never failing “Paso Fino grin.” It seems that every person I know that has ridden Obi has turned around and bought a Paso Fino.
Pasos for Penning
For six months I took Obi to a local ranch for team penning where we won the Best Time Award. This was just friendly competition (with serious quarter horse pros). Obi really excels in this sport, instinctively knowing what to do. He cuts, holds herds, sits down, and turns quickly. Fellow riders often asked what breed of horse Obi is and how long have we had been penning. I let some riders give him a try, and they remarked on his reining skill and how fast, responsive, and naturally smooth he is. Our team had penned steers in as little as 40 seconds. Maybe someday we’ll see Paso Fino’s in the pro ranks!
Pasos for Endurance
In 2000, I moved back to Florida and ever since then I’ve acquired more Paso Finos—each one of Obi’s lineage. The Pasos for Pleasure program and the other recreational rider activities have increased the exposure of Paso Finos. The ever dependable and swift Obi has acquired the 2004-2005 High Point Endurance Horse of the Year. He has his Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Title of Proficiency and is the first Paso Fino to earn it with trail points.
I also have Obi’s younger brother, Yoda Eclipsis Sinsonte, who earned the 2008 PFHA High Point Pleasure Trail Horse of the Year. Lindsay rode Obi’s full sister, Pocita de Cosa Dulce (Pocita), and has acquired the PFHA Endurance Horse of the Year in 2007, 2008, and 2010. In 2011 the duo earned the PFHA/AERC breed (highest mileage endurance) award. Obi and Pocita’s full sibling, Miri-Castana Sinsonte has been successfully competing against quarter horses at all breed game shows in pole weaving.
Lindsay and I riding Pocita and Obi
Pasos for Trail Challenge
While Obi is still my demo horse, I’m looking forward to exploring new adventures. Recently Obi and I began riding at the ACTHA trail challenges where Obi earned a blue ribbon at his first ride and three red ribbons thereafter.
Pasos for Soccer?
Horse soccer was showcased at the PFHA Nationals, so I have a soccer ball now. I will see where this takes us. So far our Pasos seem to have fun moving the ball along. Horse soccer anyone?
Pasos for Therapy
My passion for Pasos has grown on my daughters, too. One of my daughters has developmental challenges. Riding not only helps her condition, it also improves her self-esteem and confidence. Whenever she rides she beams with happiness for all to see. For both of my daughters my Paso Finos seem to adjust to their needs like nursemaids. Their sure-footed confidence, smooth gait, and gentle dispositions allow my daughters to feel free from the day’s restraints as they enjoy adventures of their own with Pasos for Pleasure.
My daughter and I riding Obi and Yoda.
Obi is great with all riders. The video below shows him at HOpe Horses Helping PEople Therapeutic Riding Center in Archer, Florida being used as a therapy horse.
I hope you enjoyed reading J. Ed Casillas’s story about his partnership with his versatile Paso Fino Obi. If you have a naturally gaited horse you’ve developed a special relationship with and ride gaited dressage or versatility, and would like to share your story on NaturallyGaited.com, please contact me by completing the contact form. —Jennifer Klitzke
There’s nothing like trail riding on a naturally gaited horse. You can cover lots of ground and your body won’t pay for it later. But who ever said that dressage has to stay in the four walls of an arena? Why not take dressage to the trail and transform a ride to a dance?
Introducing the Gaited Trail Horse to Dressage
My friend’s naturally gaited horse fox trotting horse, Lady has been living at our place the last two summers. She doesn’t get out to ride much so she has encouraged me to ride Lady as much as I have time for.
Lady was purchased by my friend as an 8-year-old unregistered Walking horse. Registration didn’t matter to my friend since she just wanted a beautiful black trail horse. And Lady is all that—beautiful, black, and an exceptional trail horse.
When Lady first arrived she had two distinct gears, a dog walk and a hard trot. Over time Lady has developed a naturally smooth fox walk and fox trot. She’s more diagonal versus lateral on the gait spectrum.
Lady is used to being ridden bareback on the trail with a long, loose rein, so the concept of being ridden on a light contact and in balance have been new to her.
Here’s how balance and connection all started…
Resources for Naturally Gaited Horses to Improve Relaxation and Connection
A month ago, I began applying classical French dressage methods of training as taught by Philippe Karl from his DVD series Classical Dressage and Classical versus Classique, as well as principles taught from the late Jean Claude Racinet in his book: Another Horsemanship and his student Lisa Maxwell from her DVD: Getting Started in Lightness.
These instructors have taught me the importance of teaching the naturally gaited horses I ride to be soft in the mouth, jaw and poll to create relaxation in the mind which is critical before moving on to body exercises.
A relaxed mind is a teachable mind while a tense jaw and anxious mind bring about a resistant body that will not produce quality movement. Teaching the horse softness in the mouth, jaw and poll is best introduced in hand on the ground using a mild snaffle bit. These videos all provide excellent teaching in this and I highly recommend owning them for your personal library.
Relaxing the Naturally Gaited Horse for Trainability
Once the naturally gaited horse is soft and relaxed (in the mind and body); relaxed in the jaw and mouth, and licking, salivating, and chewing, then I proceed to teaching the horse exercises that bring the horse into balance. This is where the horse begins to engage the hind quarters by bending the joints, stepping under its body, engaging the abdominal muscles to lift the back, and lifting its whither to lighten the forehand for a few steps. This also can be introduced to the horse in hand which the videos encourage.
Separating the Stop and Go Aids
The French dressage philosophy differs from the German dressage philosophy I had been trained in for 12 years. While the German philosophy taught me to use my legs and seat to drive my horse into a rein contact, the French method separates the brake pedal (reins) from the gas pedal (seat and legs). Separating my seat and leg aids from my rein aids has been one habit that I have been working hard to break, and it is worth the results that I am seeing in the horses I ride. Lightness, harmony, and more willingness to go forward with less cueing on my part are among these benefits.
Timing of Aids
In addition to the separation of aids, is the crucial timing of my aids. My rein aids cue my horse’s front and my leg aids cue my horse’s hind legs. It is critically important for me to correctly discern the feeling of when my horse’s leg is in a cue-able position so that I get the desired result.
For example, if I am asking my horse to leg yield along the fence going to the right, my left calf needs to touch my horse at the girth as my horse begins to step its left hind foot forward. As I release my calf, I squeeze and release my outside (right) indirect rein to tell my horse to remain straight and not lead with the right shoulder. If my horse begins to get tense in the jaw, I squeeze the left rein with my middle, ring, and pinky fingers, and release by opening these three fingers as soon as the horse gives. At all times, I maintain a very light contact with the horse’s mouth on both reins with my thumb and index fingers.
Also, here’s an excellent blog post “The Wonder Whip” written by Manuel Trigo which was forwarded to me from a fellow gaited dressage friend. This blog post talks in detail about the timing of aids, and I find it very insightful.
Below is a video showing Lady being introduced to light contact as we leg yield along the fence. I am riding her in a Level 1 Mylar snaffle bit with white reins so that it is easier to see the amount of contact. The first leg yield is nothing short of a “hot mess,” and I explain what we worked through to “clean up” the second pass.
For Lady, establishing a soft contact and a relaxed mind before moving on to body exercises for balance have been the winning combination. Together they have brought out a beautiful transformation in Lady’s fox trot that is simply a joy to ride. The video below begins and ends just after the leg yield exercise which shows the most balanced, supple, and elegant fox trot Lady has achieved thus far.
Video: Introducing the Gaited Trail Horse to Dressage
Does your naturally gaited horse struggle with a pace canter or cross canter? Exercises over ground rails and small fences can improve canter quality.
Here’s my story…
Improve canter with a gaited horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
Experiencing dressage with my naturally gaited horses proves that relaxation of the mind and body produce smoother gaits, including canter. This means less lateral canter and four beat canter.
“Don’t practice a poor-quality canter.”
I learned an important lesson from my gaited dressage mentor, Jennie Jackson. She says, “Don’t practice a poor-quality canter.” This means as soon as my horse begins to feel flat, hollow, bumpy, braced, or out of balance in the canter, I need to stop cantering and start over from relaxation. That’s when I transition from canter to a walk or halt, reestablish balance and relaxation and ask for a quality canter depart to quality canter steps.
This also means I need to recognize the feeling of a quality canter and a poor-quality canter so that I can ask for more of the former and reduce steps of the latter. If I continue riding a poor-quality canter, that’s what I teach my horse.
If I want a quality canter, I must know firsthand what a quality canter feels like and practice more of it. That’s why taking lessons from a qualified instructor is so important to me. Instruction provides me timely feedback so that I can learn the feeling of quality and the feeling of poor quality. This helps me train my horses with greater progress and success when I am riding on my own.
Introducing canter with a gaited horse
Exercises to break a pace canter or four-beat canter
Below is a cantering exercise over two ground rails in an L-shape. I begin by letting my horse walk over the rails before we cantered over them.
This is a super fun exercise for the rider and horse.
In addition to improving the quality of canter, you’ll also learn:
Balance of the horse
Rider balance on the horse
The horse’s rhythm
Keeping the horse forward yet relaxed
Looking ahead to plan the arc of a turn and line to a rail
Getting a feel for how many canter strides to a rail
The L-shape can also be used to school flying changes over the rail by alternating the direction over each pole.
Exercises to improve canter quality
Gymnastic jumping and ground rails
Showing stadium jumping over rails
While I will never become serious about show jumping my naturally gaited horses, I enjoy schooling them over ground rails and small fences for gymnastic purposes. It gives them variety in their training. I’ve noticed that when we ride over ground poles and small fences, it creates more lift to their canter and brings out a truer three-beat canter.
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