Gaited Horse Stories

What is an Overweight Rider?

what is an overweight rider

If you, like me, weren’t born with “skinny genes,” but still have a deep love for your horse and its well-being and a commitment to responsible riding, then this post is for you.

Here are five myths commonly associated with round-shaped riders.

What is an “Overweight” Rider?

By Jennifer Klitzke

A University of Minnesota extension study states that a light riding horse is able to carry an average of 20% of its ideal body weight. That’s roughly 200 lbs. for a 1,000 lbs. horse. This study indicates many circumstantial factors and considerations, such as the horse’s confirmation, fitness level and bone density; the rider’s fitness, balance, and riding skill; the duration of the ride and how strenuous the ride is for the horse; saddle fit; and regular farrier and vet care.

Sadly, there are many individuals out there who take pleasure in shaming riders who don’t fit the mold of thinness. I’ve encountered them. Their focus is misplaced, with the attention directed towards the round-shaped rider, when in actuality should be on the concept of being “overweight” from the horse’s perspective. Let’s delve into this topic further.

Just what is an overweight rider?

Let’s explore this question while debunking five common myths associated with riders, like me, who didn’t inherit skinny genes.

Myth #1: All overweight riders are fat.

False. Overweight means the total weight on a horse’s back that exceeds the amount the horse is able to comfortably carry for the duration of the ride.

  • Overweight means exceeding 20% of the horse’s ideal body weight even if you are thin. Being tall and/or muscular can put your weight over the 20% thresh hold
  • Overweight means exceeding the duration your horse is able to comfortably carry you, whether you are under, at or above the 20% thresh hold
  • Overweight means riding too small of a horse for your load bearing capacity with saddle and tack
  • Overweight means over taxing your horse beyond its load-bearing ability, whether you are thin, heavy, tall or muscle bound

Basically, all riders are equally responsible for the horse’s welfare.

Myth #2: All round-shaped riders are too overweight to ride horses.

False. Just because a rider isn’t “thin” does NOT mean their load bearing capacity (body weight plus tack) exceeds 20% of their horse’s ideal body weight.

Heavy riders can be under the 20% of their horse’s ideal body weight. Thin riders can exceed 20% of the horse’s ideal body weight. The point is, thin or heavy, are we being mindful of the horse’s well-being and comfort?

Myth #3: All round-shaped riders are unbalanced.

False. Just because a rider isn’t “thin” does NOT mean the rider is uneducated and unbalanced. Conversely, just because a rider is thin, does not make them an educated and balanced rider.

It’s a common misconception that a rider’s weight directly correlates to their education and balance. However, this is far from the truth. Have you ever ridden a horse that was used to teach children how to ride? Did you notice the hard mouth? Horses develop hard mouths when riders pull on the reins to maintain their balance. These children often weigh only 5-10% of the horse’s weight, yet they inadvertently cause harm to horses by using their mouth to steady themselves.

The key takeaway here is that an unbalanced rider, of any size, can cause harm to the horse. Instead, the goal needs be to becoming a conscientious, educated and balanced rider, making it easier for the horse to carry the load. So, let go of the misconception that a rider’s body shape defines their riding ability, and focus on developing riding skills for the benefit of the horse’s comfort and well-being.

Myth #4: All round-shaped riders are abusive towards horses.

False. Abuse towards horses is not exclusive to round-shaped riders. If your horse is struggling to carry you, whether you are thin, round-shaped, tall or muscle-bound, and you continue to ride without considering the horse’s well-being, this is abusive. Being a responsible rider means you prioritize your horse’s well-being and comfort above your riding pleasure.

As responsible riders, we need to ask ourselves important questions:

Is my horse comfortable being ridden? If not, am I exploring all possible solutions to increase their comfort, such as veterinary care, dental care, chiropractic care, hoof care? Am I checking saddle fit, making bridle adjustments, making bit changes, considering my horse’s fitness level, age, diet, and need for supplements?

Am I putting my horse’s needs ahead of my riding wants? Am I adjusting the length of my ride to the fitness, age and ability of my horse? Am I offering plenty of rest breaks through each ride and rewarding my horse for every good effort? Is my horse as refreshed at the end of the ride as my horse was at the beginning of the ride? Am I riding my horse hard on the weekends when my horse isn’t in shape? Am I riding my older horse with expectations that my horse should perform like it did as a five-year-old?

Am I taking my horse out for hours on the trail without considering whether my horse is fit enough? What about the next day? Am I doing it again without considering how sore my horse is from the day before? This has nothing to do with a rider’s body shape and everything to do with a lack of awareness and/or respect to the horse.

Does my horse come to me or walk away when I show up for a ride? This is a telling sign of how comfortable a horse feels.

Am I an efficient load for my horse to carry? Do I take regular lessons from a professional instructor to learn how to be a balanced rider, developing core strength, and use my thighs to distribute my body weight instead of sit on my horse’s spine?

Is my horse relaxed during my ride? If not, do I help my horse find relaxation before I continue riding?

Does my horse understand the language I speak through the use and timing of my rein, leg, seat and weight aids? Am I consistent in my communication with my horse so that my horse knows what I am saying? Am I willing to take regular lessons with a professional instructor to improve our communication?

Being round-shaped or thin doesn’t determine whether a rider is abusive towards their horse. It’s our actions, consideration for our horse’s well-being, and commitment to their comfort that truly define us as responsible riders.

Myth #5: All round-shaped riders are unfit.

False. This is far from the truth. Being thin does not automatically equate to being fit, just as being round-shaped does not automatically mean being unfit. Fit and thin are not interchangeable terms. A round-shaped rider can possess excellent balance, core strength, and distribute their weight effectively along their thighs, making them an efficient load for their horse to carry during a responsible and humane ride. A thin rider can be unbalanced and an inefficient load for the horse to carry.

Whether thin or not, all riders need education to become fit for riding and a balanced rider.

Me? I am fit to ride horses, yet I am not thin or tall. Would I like to be thin? Of course! Would a genetically thin person want to be round-shaped? Thin isn’t in my DNA, just as tall isn’t in my DNA. I come from a short and stocky Scandinavian heritage. Does this mean I shouldn’t responsibly ride horses while thin, tall, muscle-bound overweight riders do?! I think not.

Skinny genes just don’t run in my family’s DNA.

I have gone to great lengths to be thin. Fifty-plus years later, nothing has made me thin (or tall).

But I am diligent to change what I can: pursue education, become the best rider I can be, and be mindful of my horse’s welfare and our happy partnership.

Spanish Walk

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Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Dressage Improves Quality Smooth Gaits

balanced flat walk with contact
Balanced flat walk.

Through relaxation, balance, connection, forward rhythm without rushing, connection and symmetry, dressage develops full range of motion for quality smooth gaits.

How Dressage Improves Quality Smooth Gaits

By Jennifer Klitzke

2 year old Tennessee walking horse
My Tennessee walking horse, Makana as a two year old.

As an avid dressage rider of the trotting horse variety since 1988, I had competed with my hard-to-sit Trakehner/thoroughbred gelding successfully through Second level dressage.

Then in 2007, I learned about smooth gaited horses that don’t trot, and I began searching for a horse that would be easier on my aging body. That’s when I fell in love with my first naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. She was just turning three years old. Dressage was the only riding method I knew, so that’s how she was trained.

Trot or smooth gait, all horses need training

Beginning our training, I thought a Tennessee walking horse was born to be smooth! Well, smooth gaits like the flat walk and running walk are natural and inherent, BUT it was up to me to develop them.

I was familiar with walk, trot, and canter. My naturally gaited TWH had these gaits, too—plus a myriad of new gaits. Some were smooth, some not so smooth. I needed to identify the smooth gaits as the flat walk, running walk, fox trot, and saddle rack and began to develop each gait on cue. Then I helped my horse maintain more and more consecutive steps of each smooth gait without breaking. Over time we would work on refining the quality of each natural smooth gait.

My naturally gaited Walking horse also came with a few gaits that were not so smooth such as the pace, stepping pace, and lateral canter. These were gaits I wanted to discourage.

Communication tools

A dressage rider communicates with the horse through consistent use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids. The reins connect to a mild snaffle bit, and the rider teaches the horse how to accept and follow the snaffle bit contact. The rider learns to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse.

It takes an educated rider to train a horse. Regular lessons are a great place to start. I have been taking lessons for over 30 years. Dressage is never mastered. It is great for people who are life-long learners.
Learn More: Is Dressage Riding the Right Choice for You?

Smooth, natural gaits such as the flat walk, running walk, fox trot and saddle rack are fun to ride! Shown above is a naturally gaited and barefoot Tennessee walking horse performing an evenly timed, four beat flat walk with a head nod.

Connection and the head nodding horse

My biggest question, “How do you ride a head nodding horse using dressage?”

Dressage taught me to follow the natural head and neck motion of the horse’s walk with relaxed arms to maintain a light snaffle bit contact. Some naturally gaited horses, such as my Tennessee Walking Horse nods her head and neck at the walk, flat walk, running walk, and fox trot. Do I follow the natural head and neck motion in these gaits to maintain a light snaffle bit contact? yes.

It was a lot easier to maintain a light contact riding at a trot since the horse’s head and neck remained stationary. Now I would need to learn a following contact with my horse’s head and neck nod. This would prove important since maintaining low fixed hands leads to tension in the mouth, lower jaw and back which encourages pace and hard trot.

Following the natural motion of the head nod with relaxed shoulders, arms and hands would be my best way to earn trust and relaxation with my horse. This was new territory as we began our gaited dressage journey.

A good dressage program teaches the naturally gaited horse:

  • Relaxation of mind and body
  • Balance
  • Forward rhythm and tempo without rushing
  • Connection
  • Symmetry
  • Collection

Over time, these attributes develop the full range of motion of collected through extended smooth gaits and improve the quality of natural smooth gaits for long term soundness.

How dressage improves quality smooth gaits:

  • Dressage teaches a rider a balanced position and effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids that lead a horse into relaxation of mind and body, balance, forwardness without rushing, rhythm, connection, straightness and collection over time
  • By relaxing the horse’s mind, the horse is in a more trainable state of mind
  • By relaxing the horse’s mouth, jaw and back, pace and hard trot can be replaced with a smooth natural four beat gait
  • With lateral exercises, the naturally gaited horse can develop symmetry to be more ambidextrous and supple
  • A good dressage program improves confidence in the rider which leads the horse into more trust in the rider as the leader
  • Most of all, naturally gaited horses flourish when ridden using a good dressage program that builds partnership, trust, and respect as compared with domination training methods or the use of severe bits, heavy shoes, chains, pads, artificial enhancements, and mechanical devices
naturally gaited flat walk
A good dressage program develops your horse’s best quality, smooth, natural gaits on cue.

Over the years, it is clear that dressage has improved the smooth, four-beat quality and range of movement in my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse. Her collected walk, medium walk, free walk, extended walk, flat walk, running walk, fox trot, saddle rack, and canter are well established now—all smooth and on cue. We are even dabbling with counted walk and steps of piaffe! 

Watch: How dressage improves smooth gaits

Enjoy the journey! If you are on this gaited dressage journey, I’d love to hear from you. Contact us»

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French Dressage for Gaited Horses

Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?

Ask vs Make: What Kind of Rider am I?

“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.

Make vs Ask: What Kind of Rider am I?

By Jennifer Klitzke

“In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do,” says the French dressage clinician. These were humbling words when I took an honest look at my riding and its effect on my horse. Yet, it transformed how I ride today.

Riding with Lightness clinic
Riding with Lightness clinic

In 2013, I brought one of my non gaited horses, to a “Riding with Lightness” clinic with Susan Norman, a classical French dressage instructor. She had been a 15-year student of the late Jean Claude Racinet and a 3-year student of Philippe Karl—both classical French dressage masters and authors. Susan, among others, introduced me to the teachings of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness).

Among the highlights are:

  • Slowing the tempo WAY down to teach the horse balance
  • Lightness doesn’t mean a riding with a long floppy rein—the horse needs to learn balance and self-carriage before releasing to a light contact
  • The introduction of demi arret and descent de mains (lifting my hands up to touch the corners of the horse’s lips and release when my horse stops leaning). This teaches my horse not to lean on my hands for balance, rather to carry his own head and neck

Yet, the biggest transformation came from a simple statement: “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”

Experiencing the ‘Ask’ difference made me take an honest look at how I ride and its effect on my horse.

What kind of rider am I: ‘Make’ or ‘Ask’?

Seili in 2013 at 29 years old
My Trakehner/thoroughbred, Seili in 2013 at 29 years old

Thoughtful, gentle, kind. That’s who I thought I had been as a rider when I began dressage lessons in 1988. That’s how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride and train my Trakehner/Thoroughbred gelding, Seili. He was my best friend, and I thought I had always considered his needs.

In the German dressage system, I learned to confirm our training in the show ring. When we reached consistent scores of 60% or above, we were ready to move to the next level of training. Thirty years ago, achieving 60%-plus at recognized shows wasn’t easy to do. Over the years the scoring system has become more generous.

I unknowingly had become both an ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’ rider. I was an “Ask” rider at home (which is how my German dressage instructor taught me to ride) and a “Make” rider at shows: perfectionistic, demanding and controlling to meet the test requirements and appease the judge, my peers and the crowd of onlookers.

Adding to the pressure I took on, was how my horse reacted while being away from home: nervous, spooky, and tense—Seili became a monster.

I felt even more out of control. Fear overcame me. All I thought about was MY ambition to attain those 60s so that I could advance to the next level. (Or if I am really honest, be on the leader board, win, or at the very least, not be completely humiliated before my peers and a crowd of onlookers.)

I felt pressure because many of those watching knew Seili’s talent riding at home. Yet I could not understand why I couldn’t replicate this at a show. Seili was two horses: a calm and exceptionally talented horse at home and a monster at the show grounds.

Then Susan’s words repeated in my mind, “In the French philosophy, we don’t ‘make’ the horse do, we ‘ask’ the horse to do.”

My riding paradigm at home is ‘Ask.’ My riding paradigm at a show had become ‘Make’.

My horse needed my support as an ‘Ask’ rider at a show. Instead of helping him relax away from home, my self interests clouded my horse’s needs. As a ‘Make’ rider, I felt out of control and frustrated that Seili didn’t meet my expectations.

I didn’t recognize my horse at a show. My horse didn’t recognize me at a show. Susan’s words helped me realize I had two horses because I was two riders: ‘Ask’ and ‘Make’. My horse became a monster in my own ‘Making.’

‘Make’ isn’t fun for me or my horse. ‘Make’ doesn’t relax me or my horse. ‘Make’ produces perfectionism, control, tension, and dominance in me. ‘Make’ creates more tension, resistance, fear, shutting down, and wanting to run away in my horse. Seili became a monster of my own ‘Making.’

If I am the leader in our partnership, I realized the importance of becoming an ‘Ask’ rider wherever we are together: at home or away from home. ‘Ask’ invites relaxation in the rider and horse, leading to harmony, partnership, and trust.

Obstacles arise at home and away from home. Yet, the answer is still ‘Ask’ which leads to relaxation. When tension or fear creep in, I need to help my horse find relaxation before I ‘Ask’ again.

‘Ask’ paradigm put to the ultimate test

After processing Susan’s words, I wondered if it possible to show dressage with an ‘Ask’ paradigm? Could I let the perfectionism of the test requirements go? Could I look beyond the crowd of onlooks and my peers while facing the judge’s evaluation as we rode through the test requirements? Could I let go of the fear of failing? The fear of losing control if my horse become a monster? Instead, could I focus on being an ‘Ask’ rider and lead my horse into relaxation, balance, engagement, rhythm and connection? Could I let go of the outcome?

I put this new paradigm to the test with my non gaited horse, Indy. Not only were my peers watching, my first riding instructor was watching, who I hadn’t seen in 34 years!

2014 winning dressage ride and highest score of the day with 73 percent!
2014 winning dressage ride and highest score of the day with 73 percent!

Would you know that this dressage test became a test of a lifetime and a turning point. Not only was our ride the most joy-filled, harmonious, connected and relaxed dressage test I had ever ridden, it became proof that ‘Ask’ can produce wonderful results. It was our very best ride ever!

At the final halt salute, the judge popped out of the booth and applauded, “Bravo!”

My horse and I received the highest score of the SHOW (73 percent) and placed first among18 riders in the class.

This paradigm shift made all the difference. ‘Ask’ produced partnership and relaxation between me and my horse. I rode my horse like I would at home and this transformed my horse while at a show.

From that moment on, I became an ‘Ask’ rider with my non gaited and naturally gaited horses wherever we ride: at home, the trails, at shows, at cow sorting league, endurance rides, clinics and lessons.

Taking an honest look in the mirror has been humbling. Yet, it has been profoundly rewarding for my horses’ sake.

How to become an “Ask the Horse to Do” Rider

Showing dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse with 'Ask' in mind.
Showing dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse with ‘Ask’ in mind.

Susan, among others, introduced me to the work of Philippe Karl and his Ecole de Legerete (School of Lightness) that teaches this paradigm in great detail. I have been studying Karl’s book Twisted Truths of Modern Dressage and his DVDs: Classical Dressage (Vol 1-4), Classical versus Classique and Legerete 1 & 2. I do my best to translate and apply this philosophy with all of my horses.

Ecole de Legerete teaches a step-by-step progression in how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider. You learn how to train your horse without harsh bits, big spurs. weighted shoes, chains and pads or artificial aids. You’ll learn how to lead your horse into relaxation of mind and body, balance, and impulsion to be light to the hand and light to the leg.

Legerete instructor, Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones coaches me in organizing my aids to draw my naturally gaited horse's haunches into the circle.
Legerete instructor, Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones coaches me in organizing my aids to draw my naturally gaited horse’s haunches into the circle.

Then you’ll learn how to develop symmetry, flexibility, strength, and softness through lateral exercises that will help your horse become ambidextrous through its full range of motion and produce its best quality gaits. All the while, you’ll learn how to become an ‘ask the horse to do’ rider which will transform your partnership into joy and harmony whether at home or away at a show.

If you are interested, below are others posts I’ve written about how I have applied Legerete with my naturally gaited horses:

USA Legerete with Linda Kaye Hollingsworth-Jones
Resolving Resistance with Legerete
Ecole de Legerete comes to the Midwest
Beginning Lessons in Legerete: Following Hands
Educating the Mouth: Why Working In Hand Makes Training Easier

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Relaxation for Gaited Horses

Relaxation of Mind and Body Lead to Smooth Gaits

Relaxation of mind and body leads to smooth natural gaits

Did you buy a gaited horse and wonder why it isn’t always smooth? Helping your gaited horse relax in mind & body is a great place to start.

Here’s my story…

Relaxation of Mind & Body Lead to Smooth Gaits

By Jennifer Klitzke

If you bought your naturally gaited horse, such as a Tennessee walking horse, Missouri Fox Trotter, or Rocky Mountain for its smooth ride and wondered why it isn’t always smooth, I’m with you. The smooth natural gaits are genetic, yet they need to be developed. Some naturally gaited horses are easier than others to train.

I bought my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse as a three-year-old with 20 rides on her. In one lap of our arena, she demonstrated lots of smooth natural gaits and a few bumpy ones. I quickly discovered that it was up to me as the rider to identify and put cues to each gait so that I train my horse instead of my horse train me.

Dressage is the form of riding I apply with my naturally gaited horses. Why? Because dressage teaches the horse relaxation of mind and body, balance, forwardness without rushing, rhythm, connection, symmetry, and collection. Over time the horse develops its full range of motion and quality smooth gaits on cue for long-term soundness.

Why I begin with relaxation of mind and body

Each time I ride, relaxation of mind and body are essential ingredients to achieving smooth natural gaits. In fact, I cannot achieve quality smooth gaits without relaxation. Relaxation of mind is free from worry and anxiety. The horse is able to be in a dialogue of communication with me. Our conversation is more the focus than what is going on around us. Relaxation of body is free from tension and bracing so the horse is able to move comfortably forward without rushing.

I ride and train two uniquely different naturally gaited horses: my Tennessee walking horse, Makana and my foxtrotting mare, Lady. Makana can get anxious on a windy day when trees come alive. She is not in a trainable mind until she is relaxed. If I were to continue riding Makana while she is anxious, it only reinforces the anxiety and teaches her to rush into a poor-quality gait.

Relaxation of mind

On days where Makana is anxious, we work in hand and do lateral flexions in hand or in the saddle at a halt to help her relax her mouth, lower jaw and poll and stretch her muscles. This helps her partner up with me. Then we proceed with training in a state of relaxation to produce quality smooth gaits.

Watch: Flat Walk and Running Walk by a Naturally Gaited Tennessee Walking Horse

My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and I. When she is relaxed in her mind, it transfers through her entire body and brings about quality smooth gaits.

Lady is pretty unflappable on windy days. She rarely spooks or gets anxious, like Makana, but Lady came with bit resistance. She would tense her lower jaw and poll which transferred tension throughout her body and back. If Lady were to remain in a state of body tension, she would travel faster and faster until she blasted off into a hard trot.

Relaxation of body

For Lady, before we begin riding, I lead her into relaxation of her mouth, lower jaw, and poll. After she is soft and flexible, then Lady settles into her natural smooth gait.

2021 Lady's smooth gait with contact
Lady’s smooth gait today has more relaxation, balance and lightness.

Anytime either horse becomes tense or anxious, I slow down or halt, re-establish relaxation and resume the riding session. Without relaxation of mind and body, there is no quality smooth gaits.

With relaxation of mind and body, quality smooth gaits follow. That means relaxation transforms my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse’s step pace into quality smooth gaits, such as a four-beat flat walk and a lateral canter into a three-beat canter. For Lady, relaxation transforms her hard trot into a natural smooth gait.

Watch: How to Introduce the Gaited Horse to Accept and Follow Snaffle Bit Contact

Relaxation of mind and body are key to smooth gaits.

What are your thoughts? Please reach out and send me a message or stay connected by subscribing to the Naturally Gaited youtube channel and “like” us on facebook.com/naturallygaited.

Naturally Gaited Horse

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Walkin in Wonderland

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas (and a little time for some Walkin’ in Wonderland)!

Video: Walkin’ in Wonderland on a Naturally Gaited Horse

This video captures footage from the winter of 2013 showing multiple smooth natural gaits on cue, and one bumpy one. My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I had a perfect snow season and we took advantage of it. So far this year, we are off to a good start!

Stay safe out there while you enjoy some walkin’ in wonderland!

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Dressage is More than Trot

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