Category Archives: Dressage for the Gaited Horse

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

Gaited Dressage: From First Level to Intro?

Three Ring Circus Schooling Show

By Jennifer Klitzke

In an unexpected turn of events, Gift of Freedom (Makana) found her way to the Three Ring Circus schooling show held at Carriage House Farm in Hugo, MN on May 28, 2012 and sponsored by St. Croix Saddlery.

And how’s that, you ask? Well, I woke up at 5am to give Indy, my six-year-old Spanish Mustang a bath before his second schooling dressage show, when I noticed a gash under his chin where the bridle would fasten. “Oh, crap!” I thought as I cleaned up his wound. Then I wondered if the show manager would let me switch horses as long as we rode the tests we had entered. Being 5:30am and our first class at 7:58am with an hour drive time, I took the gamble and cleaned up the other horse I have a current coggins on: Gift of Freedom. The only problem is that Makana doesn’t trot and this is a large trotting horse show.

“Oh, well,” I thought, “we’ll go for the experience.” So I quickly got Makana ready, and we were on our way to the largest show I’ve ever been to—over 200 horses entered. Makana rode in place of Indy in Intro A, B, and C dressage tests with 24 horse/rider teams in each category. We drew a lot of attention as the only horse that didn’t trot, and as a result, I had several great conversations with people about gaited horses and dressage training.

I even met one family who’s daughter shows their Tennessee walking horse at a trot and has done very well at recognized shows. She said her horse’s trot is super smooth. Now that would be ideal, a smooth trotting horse. Compare that to my warmblood who practically sends me to the chiropractor every time I ride him! So if you have a Walker that trots, maybe traditional dressage shows are in your future. Gaited dressage clinician Bucky Sparks says his Walking horse stallion can trot on cue without it disrupting the flat walk and running walk, so I know it is possible to train a horse to trot and gait. As for me, I bought a gaited horse to gait and a trotting horse to trot.

We had terrific weather for the show. The Carriage House Farm facility is top-class with dust-free rubberized footing in the indoor and well-drained ag-lime footing outdoors. The show was extremely well organized for the number of trailers transporting over 200 horses and hundreds of cars filled with spectators. Amazing!

Makana seemed to enjoy being there as much as I did. I giggle because we had skipped Intro level when we began showing at dressage schooling shows a couple years ago. Now we are schooling second level and here we were showing Intro level. Makana did the best she could. After the first ride, the judge commented, “I have no idea how to judge your tests because you didn’t show a trot.” After our last ride she commented, “Nicely ridden. That’s a very nice, obedient, supple gaited horse.”

We finished all tests in the 53-56%-range and about middle of the score board—not bad for a horse that doesn’t trot!

Gaited horse at Three Ring Circus dressage show

Gift of Freedom and Jennifer Klitzke were the only gaiting gaited duo among a hundred entries at the Three Ring Circus Schooling Show held Sunday, May 28, 2012.

httpv://youtu.be/6rvFq_7GZPo

httpv://youtu.be/TmGkWOBhnMY

httpv://youtu.be/LnT2H8Xt6HU

 

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Rider Position and its Effect on Forwardness

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riders hands

Rider Position and its Effect on Forwardness

By Jennifer Klitzke

While auditing a gaited dressage clinic with Larry Whitesell, demonstrated three ways how rider position can effect the horse. The position of the rider’s hands, head, and arms can encourage the horse onto the forehand. And of coarse, I’m mortified that I’ve been guilty on all counts.

In Larry’s first demonstration, a woman volunteered to be the horse. She closed her eyes and held the bit in her hands while Larry held the reins. Larry repositioned his hand position from thumbs on top to a horizontal position (aka, puppy paws, piano hands). Without pulling on the reins, he asked her if she noticed a change and if so, what did it feel like.

The volunteer said, “It feels heavy.”

I was amazed how just turning the wrists from vertical to horizontal without pulling back on the reins could actually be felt as heavy through the reins! Larry said if hand position feels heavy to the horse, it can put the horse on the forehand.

In Larry’s second demonstration he changed his head position from looking ahead to looking down at the horse’s head. The volunteer had her eyes closed as she held the reins. Larry asked her if she noticed a difference and she said, “It feels heavy.” Again, I was amazed that the position of one’s head makes a difference to the horse through a loose rein contact.

Larry added that if you ride with straight arms, it also feels heavy to a horse and places them on the forehand. Wow, I’m guilty on all accounts and all at the same time! It’s no wonder my horse travels on the forehand.

Now that I’ve become aware of riding positions that are counterproductive to what I aim to achieve, I can become more intentional about riding with my thumbs up, arms at my sides with a bend at the elbow, and my head positioned up and looking ahead of where we are going.

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

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
Subscribe: Naturally Gaited youtube channel
Follow: facebook.com/naturallygaitedhorse

For more about Larry Whitesell and his gaited dressage training methods, visit: whitesellgaitedhorsemanship.com.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Videos, Western Gaited Dressage

Record-Breaking March Heat

 

Western gaited dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

Lawn mowers, mosquitoes, flowering trees, song birds in chorus, and the return of hay fever—in March!

Midwest March heat melted previous high-temperature records. Perhaps the March heat is what inspired my mare’s record-breaking heat that showed up the day before our western gaited  dressage demonstration this season.

Up until last year when she turned seven, Makana had been a saint 95% of the time. That’s when I began to notice a change in her behavior. Saint one day and erratic the next. It was nearly impossible to get her moving forward.

At first I thought it was my riding position, then I explored saddle fitting issues, tried some supplements, and changed her diet. The one thing I hadn’t considered was a change in her hormones, mainly because I can never tell when she’s in heat. She shows no physical outward signs.

Makana and I had a terrific time riding through the mild winter temperatures, until March, the day before our gaited dressage demonstration at the Western Dressage Clinic. The day before the clinic I had my record-breaking worst ride ever! Explosive, distracted, spooky, unwilling to turn or bend to the right, I couldn’t believe this was the same horse I had been riding all winter! Getting after her only made her behavior worse, so I asked for my saintly husband’s help.

Dan grabbed his helmet and said, “How about if I get on? I’ve never experienced what you’re describing.” He calmly climbed on and walked her around singing, “Rawhide.” Makana mellowed out within a few verses. Was it the song? Not likely, but my husband’s approach made a profound difference, and he taught me an important lesson. He patiently wooed Makana out of her frenzy by inviting her into relaxation. My approach of reacting to her behavior by getting after her only stirred her up more. Ding-dong!

So, at the Western Dressage Clinic, I didn’t sing “Rawhide,” but I did apply Dan’s approach as I dealt with Makana’s marishness and it worked. No explosions; no erratic behavior. My mare could have been more forward and paid a little more attention to me over that handsome demonstration gelding, but I didn’t react to her marishness by getting after her. I kept redirecting her to relaxation through long and low stretching, leg yields, shoulder-in, hauches-in, rein back, transitions between the working walk, flat walk, running walk, free walk and canter. In fact, we even rode through first level, test one!

The success of Dan’s approach really doesn’t surprise me. After all, he knows how to gently love me out of a rather marish day and turn it into smiles and sunshine.

Video: Western Dressage Demonstration: NWHA First Level, Test One

As a “thank you” gift from the clinic organizers, Makana received her first bag of “Mare Magic.” I’ve heard good reports and will keep you posted.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Clinics

Gaited Dressage featured at Western Dressage Clinic

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gaited western dressage

By Jennifer Klitzke

Driving to the Western Dressage Clinic on Saturday, May 24, reminded me of our Annual B.L.E.S.S. Your Horse Clinics in Proctor, MN because the dense fog gave me a viewing distance of two car lengths. Thankfully I had a passenger who knew where we were headed, otherwise I think my GPS would have made me more lost than ever!

Over fifty fun and friendly horse people came together for a wonderful clinic hosted by Enchanted Hollow Farm in Buffalo, MN and organized by Judy Conger and Gene Hacket which focused on the up-and-coming equine sport of Western Dressage.

Speakers included AnnMarie Brockhouse with the Western Dressage Association of Minnesota and Western Dressage Association of America, Judy Conger, Jan Halter and me.

After a morning of lively conversations, education, an informational overview about the WDAA, door prizes and lunch, we headed to the barn for an afternoon of riding demonstrations. Jan Halter showed her Second Level dressage gelding and how dressage has improved their partnership. I rode my TWH mare, Gift of Freedom through the NWHA First Level, Test One gaited dressage test after demonstrating first level gaits, lateral exercises, the power of “long and low,” and relaxation in bringing a gaited horse into a frame to begin four-beat gaited movements.

Afterwards, Jan rode her quarter horse through a western dressage test, and then dressage instructor Judy Conger coached two brave volunteers through the basics of western dressage on their horses. The “before’s” and “after’s” were inspiring. Both horses were jogging in a relaxed and round frame.

Photo Gallery>

NWHA First Level, Test One gaits
httpv://youtu.be/k5EPaqEsgRo

NWHA First Level, Test One
httpv://youtu.be/gE7i4QSFTOk

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Snow Day

Snow Day

Gotta count my blessings. We received our first snow storm of the season—and it’s nearly spring! More often than not, the snow season begins in November and lasts until March.

In any case, I had a blast riding my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana in the snow. We were practicing our four-beat flat walk, running walk and canter for the March 24, 2012 western gaited dressage demo held at Enchanted Hollow Stables in Buffalo, MN.

Thankfully it will be held indoors!