Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse running walk at 21 years old.
Are naturally gaited horses smooth? Why do some gaited horses fall in and out of a smooth gait? Why are some gaited horses bouncy or rough to ride? How can a naturally gaited horse develop consistent smooth gaits?
How to Develop Smooth Gaits
By Jennifer Klitzke
Many people buy a naturally gaited horse thinking they are automatically smooth all the time. Some gaited horses are more naturally smooth, but most gaited horses need consistent training to develop a smooth gait.
Four steps to develop smooth gaits one step at a time
1. Begin with a relaxed walk.
2. Ask for a bit more tempo to move into a smooth gait.
3. Practice consecutive smooth steps.
4. Stop and reward your horse BEFORE the steps get bouncy, pacey, out of balance, tense or hurried.
Starting out your horse might only be able to do a couple smooth steps in a row. Stop and reward every good thing! A few consecutive smooth steps can lead to more and more over time.
Avoid consecutive steps of pace, tension, or bouncy gaits, because that’s the muscle memory you’ll create. Practice what you want to keep―consistent smooth steps!
Can dressage develop smooth gaits?
Dressage is one form of training for the naturally gaited horse to develop consistent smooth gaits using exercises that develop relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, symmetry and engagement.
When my horse becomes unbalanced, loses rhythm and rushes, hollows or becomes disengaged, that’s a great clue I need to slow down to a relaxed and balanced walk before increasing the tempo to smooth gait. Tense, rushed and hollow movement never leads to the relaxed and balanced smooth gaits I desire.
When I’ve re-established a relaxed and active walk, then I transition to the smooth gait I desire―one step at a time.
Over time, a few relaxed and balanced smooth steps turn into longer durations of consecutive smooth steps over time.
My seven-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in a smooth flat walk.
How do you learn dressage?
I’ve been perusing my equestrian education since 1988 and there is always more to learn. Dressage is a lifelong learning journey. Taking dressage lessons, attending dressage clinics, studying dressage DVD and books, and recording my rides are great ways to develop my riding skills. When I become a more effective rider, I also become a more consistent trainer and better communicator with my naturally gaited horses in developing consistent smooth gaits.
Good dressage lessons are important to gain timely feedback. This feedback helps the rider develop the feeling of right and the feeling of when the horse is falling out of balance, rushing, hollowing, tensing, or disengaging and knowing what to do to regain the feeling of right.
Taking lessons from Jennie Jackson really helped improve the quality of our gaits using dressage.
How dressage can help a naturally gaited horse stop pacing?
2009: Tension equals pace. Here’s me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana, early in our training. We struggled with pace as shown above. Notice the spurs, riding two handed with low, fixed hands using a curb bit, sitting on my pockets with all my weight on the saddle. I learned this from gaited riders. They told me this is how to make them gait. Does my Tennessee walking horse look relaxed in the mouth, jaw and body? Tension leads to pace. That’s why I don’t ride two handed with a curb bit anymore. I ride with a snaffle bit using dressage. I teach bit acceptance not bit avoidance. Relaxation is the key to develop quality smooth gait.
Six reasons why naturally gaited horse pace
The horse has developed the habit of pacing. A dressage instructor can help you learn exercises like shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in at a slow walk that help to break up the pace footfall sequence into a more evenly timed four-beat walk.
The horse paces because it is tense in the mouth, body, and back. These dressage exercises can break up tension and help the horse become softer, more supple and stronger.
The horse paces because the equipment causes pain. A good dressage instructor can help you find an english or western saddle that fits you and your horse without pinching or hollowing the back. A good dressage instructor can also help you find a well-fitting snaffle bit and teach you how to help the naturally gaited horse accept and follow a light contact. This relaxes the mouth, lower jaw, and poll and has a relaxing effect on the entire horse.
The horse paces because the rider throws the rhythm off. The horse’s footfall rhythm can be disrupted when the rider cues at the wrong time. A good dressage instructor with teach you effective timing of aids. An instructor can help you learn how to develop a balanced riding position (ear, hip, heel) over the horse’s center of balance. This helps to be an easier load to carry and not throw the horse out of balance.
The horse paces when the rider doesn’t follow the natural movement of the head and neck and belly sway with relaxed hip joints and lower back. A good dressage instructor can teach you how to follow the horse’s natural movement without disrupting the timing of steps and without creating tension in the horse.
The horse was bred to pace. Is there hope for a naturally horse who was bred to pace? Yes, a good dressage instructor can help you learn all the above and your horse can learn a smoother gait.
Easy? No, but with patience, joy, and perseverance, you and your naturally gaited horse can break free from pace, and it is worth every step of the journey to smooth gaits.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
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