Gaited dressage quality improves through gymnastic training
I have been eagerly waiting for my arena to dry out enough this summer to begin cavellettis and gymnastic jumping. Not only would I love to train for a three-day-event with my Tennessee walking horse mare, but I am hoping that gymnastics over cavellettis and fences will improve her “jump” in the canter and strengthen her hindquarters for a more forward and deeper flat walk.
For the first two days I free-lunged Makana over ground poles, raised cavellettis, and a bounce. The third day I climbed on and rode her through the same configurations. She seems to enjoy the variety that gymnastic jumping provides.
Encountering the moose at the gaited trail trial (2011).
Oh, my goodness, I think the weekend spent at the Gaited Trail Trials was the most fun I’ve ever had on horseback: gorgeous weather, beautiful trails, challenging obstacles, encountering a MOOSE (really), and stories about Sasquatch around a campfire with fun and kind people.
Gaited Trail Trial
By Jennifer Klitzke
September 2011, the Minnesota Walking Horse Association sponsored the third annual Gaited Trail Trials at Hobby Horse Farm in Carlton, MN. Many gaited breeds were represented including Walking Horses, Foxtrotters, Icelandics, and Peruvian Pasos.
Around 30 participants rode in groups of two or three through a 2-1/2 hour course along beautifully groomed trails and were confronted with 12 challenging obstacles. Each rider navigated their gaited horse through each obstacle one-by-one and was judged on a scale from 0 to 24. Zero being the best score. (Actually, for those who went the extra challenge could earn a -1 deduction).
Obstacles included a safety check, rocking bridge, opening and closing a gate, a construction zone, an extreme hill, crossing through a river, encountering a scare crow, a moose (yes, moose), navigating through an active camp site and a sawmill, and ending with a gaiting exercise and trailer loading/unloading.
Trail Map
Each participant was given a trail map to navigate the course to each obstacle.
Gaited Trail Trial map
Safety Check: The first check point was a dismounted safety check. Each participant was asked to show their halter, lead rope, pocket knife and hoof pick before tightening their girth and mounting.
The Wobbly Bridge: Each participant rode over a wobbly bridge. Branches and pine boughs were lying on and to each side of the bridge. Makana thought it was a snacking station and the judge had to remove the pine boughs from her mouth twice. She stepped on and off the bridge twice before we moved to the next station.
The Gate: Each rider had to unhook a gate, open it, ride through it, close it, and refasten it. Makana did everything except the final refastening part.
Construction Zone: Each rider had to navigate their horse through a grid of tires and fallen tree trunks. Each side of the trail was covered with fluorescent orange webbing and the judges were hiding in the bushes. Makana was apprehensive but slowly made her way through the grid.
Extreme Hill: Then each group had to decide if they wanted take the steep hill or the EXTREME hill for a bonus deduction (That’s where the -1 score is possible). Our group of three opted for the extreme hill.
When it was our turn, Makana boldly made her way up the hill and I was thinking, “Ah, piece of cake,” until we turned the bend and had about 50-feet of a near perpendicular EXTREME climb. I leaned forward as much as I could with my feet behind me and expelled words I hadn’t expressed in years. We made it! What a good little horse! Thankfully the downhill wasn’t nearly as steep.
The Scarecrow: We were off to the corn field where a scare crow was attached with mylar balloons and placed next to the tallest cornfield I’ve ever seen. Each participant had to ride past the scare crow. A bonus deduction was given if your horse touched it. Makana walked past the scarecrow slowly and I opted not to make her touch it.
The River Raft: The next obstacle was crossing a rushing river that was about 2-3 feet deep. I was so proud of Makana because we have never navigated through moving water before. A bonus deduction was possible if the horse touched an inflatable raft that was tied to the side, plus backing the horse into the deeper current. We opted to just walk through the swift moving water.
The Campsite: This obstacle included a duck blind and boxes. Each rider had to ride their horse while moving and stacking three boxes with a rake. Makana did okay until my grandma hand lost strength and I dropped it.
One of the ribbon winners rode a horse that was blind in one eye and she had a broken arm. I don’t know how she managed to steer her horse and maneuver the boxes with the rake with only one working arm. Amazing!
There were several great stretches for gaiting well-groomed trails through woods and meadows. Seriously, it was so fun to ride at a good clip without bouncing!
The Wood Cutter’s Camp: This multi-sensory obstacle was by far the most frightening for Makana. A blazing fire pit, people chopping wood with axes, a functioning wood splitter, and a back-firing tractor, while a ten-minute rainstorm blew through. I took the easy way out and received a score of “24.”
The Moose: Thanks to connections with the DNR, a moose was hauled in and stationed dead center of the trail. Makana didn’t think the moose was nearly as frightening as the judge’s umbrella to the other side of the trail. Inch-by-inch we worked our way between the umbrella and the moose. A bonus deduction was possible for horses brave enough to touch the moose.
Horse camping at the gaited trail trials.
Congratulations to the winner Rachael Nyenhuis with an amazing score of “3”. Makana and I finished the course with a score of “97”. It was truly the most fun I’ve had with horses and horse people in the 30 years I’ve been riding.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Northwoods Dressage Association Gaited Dressage Demonstration
Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom and Jennifer Klitzke were featured as one of the demonstration teams at the Northwoods Dressage “Ride-A-Test” Clinic in Proctor, MN. The team demonstrated how gaited dressage training can improve the natural movement of the gaited horse and rode through NWHA First Level, Test Two before a couple dozen onlookers.
Dressage is More than Trot
I was honored to bring my seven-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse mare, Gift of Freedom, to the Northwoods Dressage “Ride-A-Test” Clinic in Proctor, MN to demonstrate the benefits of gaited dressage training.We were among five demonstration horse/rider teams over the lunch hour. Other informative and well-executed demonstrations included gymnastic grid training over fences, dressage driving, tandem driving, and an encapsulation of Training-Fourth Level frames, gaits, and movements.
After a bouncy, three-hour trailer ride along 35W road construction, Makana, my saintly husband, and I made it safely to the Dirt Floor Arena with an hour to spare before our NWHA First Level, Test Two gaited dressage demonstration. There were the usual Proctor race track distractions such as a model airplane show to our right, heavy equipment prepping the race track behind us, and a well-used port-a-potty relieving spectators to our left, plus cones, jumps, and carts chasing horses around the warm up arena. My husband even caught on camera some impromptu port-a-potty inspired piaffe between restroom visitors.
Makana rode a respectable test–gaited dressage style–demonstrating the range of gaits: medium walk, free walk, flat walk, running walk, canter, medium canter, and halt. Afterwards we demonstrated suppling exercises that help establish balance, bending, engagement and range of motion. These exercises included the leg yield, shoulder in, haunches in, rein back, transitions between flat walk and canter, serpentines, and 10- and 15-meter canter circles. In case you are wondering, these exercises are not intended to train the gaited horse to trot. Rather, these dressage exercises are meant to bring out the best natural, innate smooth gaits your horse can achieve!
While USEF tests require a trot, dressage as a training method is not measured by whether your horse trots or not. The essence of dressage is to produce balance, rhythm, relaxation, connection, harmony and engagement. These qualities improve the movement of all horse breeds, whether they trot or gait, and to help any horse be the best it can be and a joy to ride.
Whether you intend to show gaited dressage at schooling shows, recognized dressage shows that offer gaited dressage classes or just ride for pleasure, dressage training builds teamwork with your horse and improves your horse’s movement without the use of mechanical devices, harsh bits, and expensive shoes. I’ve witnessed dozens of pacey horses transformed into four-beat, smooth mounts with the use of dressage training–and not one of them trots!
Rocking R Farm, Foley, MN hosted their second of three well-attended 2011 schooling dressage shows on Saturday, August 6, 2011 open to gaited dressage. I rode Gift of Freedom (Makana), my seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse mare in First Level, Test One and First Level, Test Two. We were the only gaited dressage team riding among 36 horse/rider combinations.
Instead of a three-day affair like last weekend, the Rocking R Show was three hours for us; this included two hours travel time! We were off to a frantic start since I didn’t plan for how long it would take to get there and arrived 20 minutes before my first test. Yet we missed the soaking rain storm that swept through the show grounds a half hour earlier. The overcast sky and rain cooled the temperature down to a comfortable 75-degrees and the precipitation made for excellent footing.
Judge Jane Linville remarked on our winning Gaited First Level, Test Two ride which scored 65.67%: “Wonderful pair. Solid test. Beautiful horse.”
We received 63.1% on First Level, Test One. The Judge provided great constructive feedback in areas we can work on improving before the next show.
Jennifer Klitzke riding Gift of Freedom in the Amateur-Owner-Trainer-Owner-Trainer Three-gait Tennessee walking horse class at the 2011 Mid-Summerfest Celebration Show in Cannon Falls, MN.
The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
By Jennifer Klitzke
The three-day 2011 Mid-Summer Celebration Show held at Simon’s Arena in Cannon Falls, MN drew talented Tennessee walking horses and well-schooled riders from Canada, Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin and Minnesota. Jennie Jackson who is also the owner and trainer of the famous TWH dressage stallion Champagne Watchout was the judge of the Walking Horse classes. The show also featured Saddlebred, Morgan, Hackney, and Arabian classes.
A blue ribbon doesn’t always tell the whole story, but let me tell you, I worked hard for this one.
Gift of Freedom (Makana), my
seven-year-old Tennessee walking horse and I won the Amateur-Owner-Trainer
Three-Gaited Tennessee walking Horse class, and yes, we were the only entry.
After our ride, Judge Jackson
commented, “That was really brave!” (You’ll understand what she meant in a
moment.)
For me, the 2011 Mid-Summer
Celebration Show was a new twist on an old cliché; it was about “the good” that
came through “the bad and the ugly.” It seemed that Makana and I were off to a
great start. She had an unusual amount of energy despite the 105-degree heat
index. She had the right amount of energy for flat walk, running walk, and
canter.
The lineup was another story. Makana
normally shines in the lineup by standing calmly and backing soft and round on
cue. Instead she exuberantly expressed a desire to back before it was our turn.
She backed and backed and backed so much that the Judge Jackson excused us to
the end of the lineup. When Judge Jackson reached the end of the lineup, she
didn’t even ask us to back⸺maybe for fear that the class may never end! It was a
good ride gone bad, and one we continued to practice class after class after
class until our blue ribbon ride. From there it got ugly.
Gift of Freedom and I rode
respectably through flat walk, running walk, and canter during her solo ride.
She even stood calmly in a lonely lineup and backed softly on cue.
“Phew!” I thought.
Moments later the announcer declared
us the winner. That’s when the whoop-whoop cheering Saddlebred crowd ignited
Makana’s dance moves. She swirled through the air, around and around and around
like a top and wore a hole through my panic button. The sequenced-dressed blue
ribbon lady spun around like a disco ball to the beat of the organ music while
she prayed for an opportunity to transfer the beautiful blue ribbon to my
jacket.
Somehow, even without Photoshop, the
show photographer actually captured a smile through this frightening frenzy.
Makana continues to teach me
humility⸺or humiliation⸺whichever comes first. (Next time I’ll remember that
humility is far more pleasant!)
“The good” that came through “the
bad and the ugly” was the encouragement I received from many long-time
competitors.
“I’ve been there, too,” each one
would say.
I wasn’t alone in my fear and
frustration when things don’t go according my plan. Each person encouraged me
to persevere and face the next class with confidence. Some offered helpful tips
like, “Remember to breathe,” and “Think of turning Makana’s antics into
schooling opportunities.”
Another “good” that came from the Mid-Summer Celebration was the thrill of meeting national clinician Anita Howe and watching her ride her signature head nodding naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse stallion Papa’s Royal Delight who won a Grand Championship. Anita watched some of our rides and offered insights to help us establish better balance, softness, and engagement that will improve our flat walk, running walk, and canter.
If I had not experienced “the bad and the ugly,” I would have missed “the good” that many seasoned competitors like Anita Howe had to share. The blue ribbon reminds me of the good people who encouraged me when I wanted to pack up and go home. And the blue ribbon reminds me that I find a “gift of freedom” whenever I face my fears with a breath of fresh air.
Instead of a three-day affair like last weekend, the Rocking R Show was three hours for us; this included two hours travel time! We were off to a frantic start since I didn’t plan for how long it would take to get there and arrived 20 minutes before my first test. Yet we missed the soaking rain storm that swept through the show grounds a half hour earlier. The overcast sky and rain cooled the temperature down to a comfortable 75-degrees and the precipitation made for excellent footing.
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