Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in forward movement, relaxation, rhythm, balance and contact in the flat walk. Horse is ridden bareback and barefoot.
Do you have a gaited horse that is lazy? I’ve discovered the key to forward movement with my smooth gaited Tennessee walking horse: Stop using my leg aids.
Here’s my story…
Forward Movement without Leg Aids
By Jennifer Klitzke
Forward movement without rushing is a requirement in dressage. Other requirements are relaxation (of mind and body), rhythm (consistent tempo and strides), contact (acceptance of the bit), straightness (developing evenness in both directions), and collection (balance) as you move through the training process with the horse.
Coming from decades of German dressage, I learned to ride my horse forward from the hind quarters, through the body and into a snaffle bit contact. I developed an unconscious habit of driving my horse forward with my legs and seat, clucking and squeezing my calves against the sides of my horse to move forward with each step and into the contact. If that didn’t prompt forward movement, I would add the tap-tap-tap of a dressage whip.
I couldn’t figure out why my horse had less and less forward movement.
I explored saddle fit, my horse’s physical condition, and I even changed horse’s diet. Nothing seemed to get my horse to move forward without my continued prodding. I figured I just had a lazy horse.
The same thing began to happen when I began training my Tennessee walking horse until I stumbled upon a new training approach which helped me realize my error.
Separate the “go” from the “stop” for forward movement
At a classical French dressage clinic, I was introduced to the book Another Horsemanship by the late Jean Claude Racinet, a classical French dressage master who followed the work of Baucher’s second training method. Racinet’s book opened my eyes to a new idea: separating my leg “go” aids from my hand “stop” aids.
By combining my riding aids: driving my horse forward with my legs and seat into a snaffle bit contact, two things happened:
My horse became confused, “Do you mean ‘go’ or ‘stop’? I cannot do both simultaneously.”
When my horse chose to slow down, I developed the habit of becoming the engine that drove my horse forward with each step.
Lightness to the Leg for Forward Movement
From French dressage, I learned that forward movement is the horse’s responsibility not the rider’s. The rider needs to train the horse this responsibility. The rider needs to teach the horse to move forward with ONE squeeze and release of the calves and maintain this forward movement without continued squeezing.
This is how to obtain lightness to the leg for forward movement:
First, teach horse what the leg aid means.
Important: do not combine the leg aid with rein action.
Second, immediately cease using leg aids when the horse moves forward.
Third, be consistent in the application to train the horse to maintain lightness to the leg without prodding the horse along with each step.
Looking back, I realize that I didn’t have lazy horses. I had either confused my horses by combining my “stop” and “go” aids or dulled my horses to my leg aids with my continued squeezing with each step.
Riding with awareness to develop forward movement
Combining my stop and go aids had become an unconscious habit, so did driving my horse forward with each step.
As soon as I changed my training method to be responsive to the first leg cue without combining my go and stop aids, my horse maintained forward movement without continued leg aids with each step.
The concept of obtaining forwardness without leg aids works for someone like me who has gotten into the habit of squeezing with each step. Now I am riding with more intentionality and awareness of cause and effect, which I believe will replace those unconscious bad habits over time.
Forward movement is possible without leg aids. The calves have a place, just not with EVERY step the horse takes.
Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse moving in forwardness, relaxation, and rhythm in the flat walk. Horse is ridden bareback, barefoot, and on a loose rein.
There are many ways to train your naturally gaited horse. Is dressage the right choice for you?
By Jennifer Klitzke
You don’t have to show dressage to learn how to ride dressage with your naturally gaited horse. Dressage doesn’t require that you ride in an english saddle. Dressage doesn’t even require that you ride in an arena, but here are a few things to consider if dressage is a good choice for you.
10 questions to ask if dressage is right for you:
Do you desire to train your horse in a manner that can prolong your horse’s soundness and riding career?
Do you desire to teach your naturally gaited horse gaits on cue that break up pace and the hard trot for a smooth natural ride?
Do you desire to learn and apply a humane training method with your naturally gaited horse that doesn’t use heavy shoes and pads, harsh bits, big spurs, and artificial training aids?
Do you desire two-way communication with your horse?
Do you LOVE the process of learning?
Are you committed to riding your horse regularly, at least three days a week?
Are you willing to learn how to become an effective and aware rider in order to communicate consistently with your horse in ways your horse understands?
Are you willing to invest in regular lessons (two-four lessons a month for several years) with an experienced dressage or gaited dressage instructor?
Are you open to an instructor’s feedback in order to improve your riding that will in turn help your horse?
Will you apply what you learn between lessons in order to progress in your riding skills and sense of feel?
If you’ve answered “yes” to all 10 questions, you are a PERFECT candidate for dressage, and your naturally gaited horse will thank you!
My naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady and I practicing quality trot on cue to develop engagement and the top line muscles on a 20-meter circle.
Dressage isn’t for everyone, though. And that is okay. For those who ride once a week or once a month or for those who are unable to take regular lessons with an experienced dressage instructor, dressage isn’t going to be good choice.
Here’s why.
Dressage is a form of riding and consistent communication with your horse every time you are together
The main ways dressage riding uses to communicate with your horse are through your balanced riding position and effective use and timing of your reins, legs, seat and weight aids.
Effective rider aids and a balanced riding position can lead your naturally gaited horse into:
Relaxation of mind and body
Balance of the horse’s weight more equally on all four legs and posture in the chest instead of on the forehand
Forward energy from the hindquarters without rushing
Steady rhythm with even strides
Connection from the hindquarters, through the back to the bit
Contact with a snaffle bit teaching the horse to accept connection while also following the natural head and neck motion of the horse with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands
Engagement of the hindquarters to step deeper under the belly and activating the belly to lift the back to a neutral position
Straightness, meaning training the horse to be equally flexible in both directions
And ultimately collection to do really fun things like the counted walk, piaffe, and canter pirouettes after the horse has been physically developed
The effective use and timing of rider aids and a balanced riding position can develop these attributes and lead your naturally gaited horse to quality smooth gaits on cue and a partnership of harmony.
Trail riding with a gaited horse.
Unfortunately, becoming an effective dressage rider can’t be grasped in a two-minute Youtube video. It takes commitment and an investment of time and money–often years–of regular lessons in order to develop a balanced riding position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat, and weight aids. In fact, top dressage riders continue to take regular lessons, because dressage cannot be perfected and riders never stop learning. Dressage is a journey.
Learning dressage is an investment
Dressage lessons are an education. You can expect to pay $50-$75 or more for a 45-minute lesson. The more experienced the dressage instructor, the more you will pay for a lesson. Some instructors pay a facility fee to teach there. If you use a school horse, it will also cost. Traveling clinicians cost even more because of their expertise, insurance, and added travel and lodging expenses.
It also takes commitment to develop your horse physically for dressage. This means you need to ride your horse up to six days a week. Your riding sessions don’t need to be long, just consistent. This will help you and your horse progress. Riding three days a week can help maintain your horse’s training and conditioning. If you desire to advance with your horse, you’ll need to ride more often.
Developing the feeling of right
So much of learning how to become a dressage rider is developing the sense of feel. The best way to learn feel is with an experienced dressage instructor who can help you become aware of how it feels when the horse is moving well, what to do when it doesn’t feel right, and how to direct your horse back to the feeling of right. After you have learned how it feels with one horse, it takes time to discern the feeling of right when riding different horses.
Dressage riders learn to work through conflict
Sometimes progress is slow. Sometimes there are set backs. Sometimes it feels like you hit a brick wall with your training or you can’t figure how to overcome a bad riding habit or mental obstacles such as the fear of falling off. Dressage riders press on and overcome obstacles and work through these conflicts with their instructors.
Becoming a dressage rider is entering a relationship with the horse and learning how to work through conflict, discerning if you’re encountering resistance, if your horse is trying to tell you it hurts or it isn’t clear with your instructions. A dressage rider is always searching for resolution with day-to-day conflict and breaking through a recurring issue. When that happens it makes the struggle worth it!
Becoming a dressage rider and working through conflict with my horses and facing my riding fears have taught me to be a better and more understanding and compassionate person with people.
Dressage riders have a different perspective
What sets dressage riders apart from pleasure riders is their utter passion for learning and improving their riding and their horse’s development. A dressage rider can be consumed with enjoyment by just traveling in a 20-meter circle. A pleasure rider would say, “Boring!”
Why? To a dressage rider, every step of that 20-meter circle is a thinking, sensing and feeling world, and communicating with their horse through the reins, legs, seat and weight aids.
Oops, falling in. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, need more engagement. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, falling on the forehand. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, rushing a bit. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward. Oops, getting tense in the jaw and back. Communication to restore. Good horse. Release and reward.
Hurrah! Seven amazing steps in a row with balance, relaxation, rhythm, engagement, connection, and deep even strides. The feeling is euphoric! Praise and release and enjoy the ride until the next communication to restore. No worries.
A word about showing dressage
Dressage isn’t something you do only at a show. The purpose of dressage shows are to perform before a trained dressage judge the effectiveness of your balanced riding position and the use and timing of your rein, leg, seat and weight aids. Together, this balanced riding position and set of aids communicate with the horse to lead the horse through the test requirements.
Dressage shows feature a series of tests beginning with Introductory level on up to Grand Prix–what you see in the Olympics–only with trotting horses.
Dressage isn’t something you do only at shows.
Every dressage test is written to evaluate flexibility in both directions. This checks for how ambidextrous the horse has become through its training. During the ride, a scribe writes the judge’s scores and feedback on the test. Riders can take home the test sheet with comments and scores. The test results confirm whether the rider and horse are ready to move up to the next level in training. Generally, if they are consistently scoring over 65%, they are ready to move up. Showing Gaited Dressage>
For those who pursue dressage, here’s what you can expect
Dressage offers many benefits for your naturally gaited horse such as prolonging your horse’s soundness. Dressage teaches the rider to help the horse find relaxation in its mind, body and travel more balanced on all four legs, and activate the abdominal muscles to lift the back from a hollow to neutral position. Plus, dressage is a humane training method that doesn’t use heavy shoes and pads, harsh bits, big spurs, and artificial training aids. This helps the horse stay sounder longer.
Dressage offers benefits for the rider as well such as helping your naturally gaited horse break up pace and the hard trot for a smooth natural ride that is easier on the rider’s body.
Dressage is a two-way communication between the rider and horse through a balanced riding position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids.
So, if you LOVE the process of learning and improving your riding position and effective use and timing of your aids to help develop your horse, and you enjoy riding often, at least three days a week, dressage is a great choice!
Me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana practicing shoulder in on a circle, one of my favorite exercises to develop balance, connection, and softness.
Find an experienced dressage instructor
You’ll need to find an experienced dressage instructor who will school you in developing a balanced riding position and becoming effective with your rein, leg, seat, and weight aids at the proper timing. This will help you communicate consistently with your horse in ways your horse understands. You don’t need to find a gaited dressage instructor to teach you this.
For me, I took regular lessons with my dressage instructor for 12 years. I took two lessons a month. After each lesson, I kept a notebook and wrote down everything we worked, everything I learned, and I practiced what I learned until the next lesson. Many dressage riders I know take one or two lessons a week. If I had the money, I would have done the same, so I made best use with the lessons I could afford.
My regular dressage lessons ended when my husband and I moved to a rural hobby farm. Not much dressage where I live, let alone gaited dressage.
Yet, I still take as many lessons as I can with dressage and gaited dressage clinicians who come to my state, like Jennie Jackson.
Bottom line, to learn dressage, you need to take regular lessons for a long time. Olympic dressage riders take regular lessons. Dressage is a riding discipline that cannot be perfected. That’s why I love dressage so much. Every ride is new. It never gets boring, because there is always something to improve, usually with me, and then my horse follows.
Find the right dressage instructor for you
If you have the option of choosing from several dressage instructors, I would watch how they teach and find the instructor who suits you best. Ask them questions about their teaching style and how their approach with a new dressage student and one with a horse that gaits instead of trots.
Every instructor has their own style and personality. Some are direct, firm and to the point, others are gentle and encouraging and instill confidence, others are driven to achieve and desire to see their students in competition, others are laid back, fun and could care less about showing. Some are better teachers than riders. Some are better riders than teachers. Some have a set curriculum that all students work through. Some meet the individual needs of you and your horse. Some have thick accents that make it hard to understand what they are saying. Some cost more than others. Some travel to your barn. Others require that you trailer your horse to their facility.
Getting to know your instructor can be uncomfortable. I remember a couple of my instructors spent our first couple lessons working in hand. I never even got on my horse! And this was after over 20 years of riding. I had to be open minded to hear what I was being taught if I wanted to learn from these instructors. One of my teachers is an instructor in training with Philippe Karl, and I needed to learn how to work in hand. It makes riding easier. I am so grateful!
Dressage is a partnership
Dressage is a partnership between the rider and the horse. We are in a relationship together. Sometimes a circle. Sometimes sorting cows. Sometimes on the trail.
An ear-hip-heel riding position helps us stay balanced with our naturally gaited horse, but did you know that inner body tension can send unintended messages to our horse?
Here’s my story…
Rider Tension and its Effect on the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
I couldn’t wait to get back to the Schmitt Training Center and take lessons with Rick and Kari after the Ecole de Legerete clinic with Master Instructor Bertrand Ravoux. I wanted to continue practicing what we learned.
This time I didn’t bring my naturally gaited horses with me. Rather I rode two of their amazing school horses, one of which is named Kahlua. Rick and Kari are wonderful teachers, and Kahlua is equally as good–(likely because Rick and Kari trained her).
Kahlua is a 23-year-old half Arabian who was the catalyst that brought Kari and Rick together. Over fifteen years ago Kari was having some training challenges with Kahlua and asked Rick for help, and they have been together ever since.
We began our lesson reviewing work in hand that Bertrand taught. We wanted Kahlua light and following the bit, not leaning on the bit or resisting the bit. Kahlua is a champ. She is light and responsive–much lighter than I have ever experienced. Now I have something to shoot for with my naturally gaited horses at home.
A balanced riding position is important, and Kahlua taught me another important lesson about my inner body tension.
While riding Kahlua at a walk, she began to slow down, so I squeezed and released my calves, clucked, and tapped her with the whip as I would riding my gaited horses. She moved forward for a few steps and began slowing down again.
While my riding position was aligned ear-hip-heel, Kahlua was telling me that my inner body was tense–like a half halt. My shoulders were tense, my back was tense, and my hips were tense. Kahlua slowed down because my tense body told her to slow down.
I mentioned this to Rick and Kari, and they were thrilled that I noticed this.
Interesting. I am not sure if I was tense because I was riding an unfamiliar horse or because I was taking a lesson OR if I am tense all the time and just needed a responsive horse like Kahlua to tell me so.
If the latter is true, I just wonder how much of an impact my inner body tension has had on my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse’s lack of forwardness and my naturally gaited fox trotting horse’s over-zealous desire to speed off? Could one horse be stopping because I am telling her to and the other trying to run away from my body tension? Hmmm…
Now that I am back to riding my naturally gaited horses, I am paying great attention to my inner body relaxation, because I clearly see how much of an impact it has on a horse’s movement.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse in an active forward flat walk.
Makana is moving more forward with less reminders on my part, and Lady is more relaxed, (but I still think she enjoys being fast if you ask me!)
My naturally gaited fox trotting horse performing a shoulder in on a small circle.
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.
It was our first 75-degree spring day after a long winter. I couldn’t wait to get Makana, my naturally gaited Walking horse mare, saddled for an afternoon ride.
I had thought that the gale-force winds would be our greatest riding challenge as I negotiated Makana past the disco tree dancing to and fro at the corner of the arena. I had no idea we’d be riding 100 yards from our new neighbor’s artillery range practice, plus enduring a steady stream of overzealous motorcyclists roaring by!
The frenzied sights and sounds gave us plenty of opportunity to practice riding bio-mechanic techniques I have learned from Mary Wanless that helped me maintain a secure riding position each time my explosive horse reacted to unexpected gun fire, thundering motors, and swaying bushes. Among Mary’s riding tactics include breathing deep into my stomach, bearing down of my internal anatomy to lower my center of gravity, holding my weight in my inner thighs to distribute my weight across my horse’s back instead of my weight resting on my horse’s spine, and pressing my fists forward toward the bit instead of pulling back.
The distractions challenged me to practice what I learned from Larry Whitesell about becoming a trusted leader. Whenever my horse got tense, nervous, and distracted it was my job to lead her back to balance and relaxation, and while doing she became a safer horse to ride. The best way to lead Makana back to balance and relaxation is through many transitions and lateral exercises.
So I practiced the suppling and lateral exercises I learned from Jennie Jackson and Outrageous, the gaited dressage school master I rode while I was at the March 2015 Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic in Tennessee. Lateral exercises, such as pivot the fore, shoulder in, and haunches in break up tension, lead to balance and relaxation, and improve the communication between me and my horse. As Makana realized that I was helping her find balance and relaxation through this harried situation, she learned to trust me more as a reliable leader.
In addition to riding bio-mechanics and leading my horse back to balance and relaxation with suppling exercises, we also practiced what I’ve been learning from the Philippe Karl Classical Dressage DVD series regarding the separation of the rein and leg aids, riding my horse into balance, and encouraging Makana to open and close her mouth, salivate and swallow by making my connection with the less sensitive bars of her mouth instead of from tongue pressure. These elements help to produce relaxation in the jaw and poll which help to produce a relaxed body which makes for a more trainable horse.
Although it wasn’t the joyous and relaxing spring ride I had hoped for, it was a successful milestone for me and my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana. I faced my riding fears, trusted the skills my mentors have imparted, remembered to breath, (prayed a bunch that I didn’t get shot by stray bullets), and managed to work Makana through the distractions in real time. We managed to end our ride with quality flat walk possessing good rhythm, balance, over stride, and impulsion.
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