Relaxation, Softness & Engagement in the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
Wowzers, was she ever a hot tamale! After five months of Minnesota winter off, this was Lady’s second ride of the Spring.
Lady is my friend’s naturally gaited fox trotting horse. She is ridden barefoot and in a snaffle bridle. In this riding session, we focused on relaxation (of mind and body), softness in the jaw, and engagement (stepping deeper under the body).
With a little persistence, gentleness, and encouragement, Lady settled into some rather nice fox trotting that was relaxed, soft, and balanced, with good rhythm and engagement.
Video: Relaxation, Softness & Engagement in the Naturally Gaited Horse
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Do you refine pace or cross canter? Likely not. Instead learn ways to break pace and help your gaited horse develop quality smooth gaits and a true canter.
Here’s my story…
Breaking Pace and Cross Canter Using Trot and Ground Rails to Develop Quality Smooth Gaits
By Jennifer Klitzke
Do you have a gaited horse that paces or cross canters? If you’re like most gaited horse owners, you don’t practice improving the quality of the pace and cross canter, right? We work on breaking pace for a smooth gait and replace cross canter with a true three beat canter.
My gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson taught me many valuable tips over the years. Among these tips are breaking pace and cross canter by disrupting lateral movement using diagonal gaits like the trot and true canter.
Introducing ground rails to teach trot and canter
A great way to start diagonalizing movement to breaking pace and cross canter is introducing the gaited horse to ground rails to teach trot and correct the canter.
In the video below, I show the progression of how I introduce my naturally gaited horse to a ground rail using trot and use the ground rail to break up her cross canter as she learns true canter. Above all we focused on relaxation, balance, rhythm and forward movement without rushing starting at the walk, then the trot, and then the canter. I teach all of the gaits on cue.
Watch: Breaking Pace & Cross Canter Using Trot & Ground Rails
Steps to introduce ground rails to help break up pace:
Introduce the horse to the equipment to encourage relaxation: Introduce the rail(s) and lunge whip gently and gradually so the horse isn’t afraid of them and finds relaxation.
Begin at a relaxed walk and increase tempo gradually: Encourage the naturally gaited horse to find relaxation, balance, rhythm and forward movement without rushing. Begin at a relaxed walk. Then cluck and say, “trot” to increase tempo to a trot. If the horse doesn’t trot, say, “trot” cluck and motion the lunge whip. Only escalate the aids if the horse isn’t responding. After a few steps of trot. Stop and praise. Do this a few times until the horse understands trot.
Then help the gaited horse settle into a relaxed, balanced, trot with even rhythm and forward movement without rushing. This might take some starts and stops if the horse is explosive. Encourage relaxation, as this is the first element to establishing rhythm.
For canter, start with one ground rail and then add a second a canter length apart (6-9 feet). One ground rail can help correct cross canter any time the hind legs are traveling on the wrong lead. When the horse hops over the ground rail they often correct the hind legs to the true canter lead. If the horse gets tense or loses its balance, gently transition the horse back to a walk or trot to re-establish relaxation, balance, rhythm and forwardness before transitioning back up. If you have a round pen, you can set up a rail or two or a rail to a small fence or cross rail.
Free lunging over a jump in a round pen is another way to help the gaited horse develop a quality 3-beat canter.
Teach quality gaits on cue: Teach a quality walk, trot and canter on cue over ground rails to build the correct muscles. Don’t let the horse decide its gait, blast off into tension, or travel continually in a hollow ewe neck frame. Teach gaits that build the top line muscles, encourage a deeper step under the body, and gaits that develop relaxation, balance, forwardness without rushing, and even rhythm and tempo.
If you struggle with a lazy four beat canter, uncoordinated cross canter or a tense pacey canter, pace or step pace with your gaited horse, you’re not alone. I have experienced all of these in the training of naturally gaited horses.
Breaking Pace Canter or 4-beat Canter for Quality Canter
In the video below, me and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana show exercises to breaking pace canter and a four-beat canter to improve canter quality. The goal is a relaxed three beat canter with more airtime.
The first exercise uses rein back to bend the hindquarter joints and engage the abdominal muscles to lift her back before transitioning to canter. This positions my horse in the best posture for a depart to a quality canter.
The canter second exercise is SUPER FUN over ground rails. It elevates the canter and breaks up a four-beat canter.
Watch: Exercises to Break a Pacey Lateral Canter or 4-Beat Canter
This year my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom and I gave Gaited Western Dressage a try through North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD) Virtual Shows.
2016 was a year of firsts for all three gaited dressage winners
Friends of Sound Horse (FOSH) announced the award winners for the 2016 FOSH Gaited Dressage Program, a division of FOSH Gaited Sport Horse. This unique program recognizes and rewards gaited horses competing in the discipline of Dressage.
2016 entries included the Spotted Saddle Horse, Tennessee Walking Horse, Missouri Fox Trotting Horse, and Rocky Mountain Horse. Eligible scores ranged from 62.8% to 74.50%. Eligible tests may be Live, Virtual, English or Western. Recognition was given in Two Gait, Introductory, Training, First, and Second Levels.
Jennifer Klitzke riding her naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom at one of three North American Western Dressage Association Shows.
For my naturally barefoot and naturally gaited Tennesee walking horse, Gift of Freedom, this was the first we submitted entries for Western Dressage. While we have been award gaited dressage award winners in the FOSH gaited dressage category, this is the first time we have won in the Gaited Western Dressage division.
Loren Hilgenhurst Stevens riding Sosa’s Playboy at Sonset, a Tennessee Walking Horse.
I am thrilled to see gaited dressage grow! Congratulations to Sosa’s Playboy at Sonset, a Tennessee Walking Horse, owned by Nicole Mauser-Storer of Bartonville, IL who are a new entrant to the FOSH gaited dressage program. Not only did this duo submit seven test scores, they won the award for Training Level and achieved the highest score of 74.50%,.
Congratulations also to Cash-N-Out owned by Loren Hilgenhurst Stevens of Atkinson, NH who was a new entry in 2016. This Tennessee Walking Horse was the award recipient in the Two-Gait category, submitting six test scores.
To be eligible for awards in the FOSH Gaited Dressage Program, three scores of 60% and over must have been recorded in any level of Dressage competitions with a recognized judge. Tests must have been specifically developed and written for gaited horses. Recognized tests include IJA, NWHA, WDAA and Cowboy Dressage.
Did you know that there are different forms of dressage, producing different result? Here’s my story.
Not All Dressage is the Same
By Jennifer Klitzke
In the realm of dressage, there are various approaches and methods that can shape the way we train and communicate with our equine partners. From the competition dressage pyramid to an artistic French dressage style, each path offers unique outcomes.
After seven years studying competition dressage, French dressage master Dominic Barbier traveled to my region. I experienced the lightness and joy he brought to his work with horses. This sparked a shift in my training methods, moving towards a more creative and right-brain approach that focused on a two-way dialogue with my horse.
As I delved deeper into my dressage journey, I encountered the teachings of classical French dressage master Philippe Karl and the late Jean Claude Racinet. Their emphasis on balance, relaxation, and the separation of hand and leg aids opened up a new way of communicating with my horses.
Contrasting the back-to-front approach of competition dressage, where we drove our horses forward with our seat and legs into our hands to form contact, the French dressage method lightness to the hand and leg by separating the leg and seat aids for “go” from the hand aids for “stop.” I found an improved responsiveness from my horses through this distinction in my communication.
The focus on relaxation and balance from the beginning of training in French dressage has transformed the way I work with my horses. By prioritizing the horse’s comfort and well-being, I have seen improvements in their mental and physical relaxation, leading to smoother gaits and a deeper partnership.
Transitioning from a one-way to a two-way communication approach has been transformative as well. Instead of viewing resistance as disobedience, I now see it as a signal of misunderstanding or difficulty, prompting me to refine my communication and level of difficulty to ensure understanding and harmony with my horse.
In dressage, there are more than one path to explore, each offering its own applications and outcomes. French dressage has reshaped my approach and instilled a deep appreciation for the artistry and partnership that define this paradigm. As I continue to navigate the nuances of different dressage methods, I am reminded of the words of Philippe Karl: “If the dressage is good, it will work on any horse.”
Dressage is a journey of discovery, communication, and partnership with my horses. I am grateful for the diverse approaches that have enriched our experience.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Many of you know me as an avid gaited dressage equestrian and the author of Naturally Gaited, but I am also a daughter of a gentle, kind and generous man with unwavering integrity and a brilliant mind who lost his battle to Alzheimer’s disease on January 25, 2017, at the age of 77. The day my dad passed away, we had an angel encounter without even knowing it.
Angels Unaware
By Jennifer Klitzke
As a child, Dad grew up around work horses, Dolly and Sally. His Grandfather was a blacksmith for the logging mill where horses earned their keep.
Unfortunately, the love for horses didn’t gravitate to Dad, so he didn’t raise me up with them. Mom and Dad prayed I’d outgrow this insanity for horses.
Nope. Horses were in my blood, and it wasn’t until I moved out, acquired my first real job, saved up my money, and bought my first horse in 1988. She was an off-the-track-thoroughbred named Seasons. I bought her for trail riding, jumping and dressage. Dad kept asking me when I’d be racing at Canterbury. He was sure we’d be a winner.
Me and Seasons 1988
Dad had great faith in me. His support was always with me whether or not I had a winning [race] horse.
In January 2017 I lost Dad to a long and grueling battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Most people knew him as Jerry. I knew him as Dad.
He was a complex character of eclectic interests: an outdoorsman, a country western singer, a rose grower, a videographer, a polka dancer, and an artist.
Dad was a man of few words, a deep thinker, an off-the-chart introvert, and proud to be 100% Finnish.
He was a man of principle; quiet and reserved. Not an easy guy to strike a conversation with, unless you like to do all the talking. He wasn’t much for idle chit-chat at the water cooler. In fact, as Chief Design Engineer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, he was known for conducting staff meeting right before lunch in a room without chairs!
I knew my Dad as a kind, gentle, genuine, and generous man with unwavering integrity. I knew this, not by what my Dad said, but by how my Dad lived.
Me and Dad 1964
My dad was a wonderful provider for our family, a loyal husband to my mom for 54 years, and he was a supportive father of two daughters, me and my sister, Julie. I saw his generosity throughout his life of serving others, notably his family, as well as decades of volunteer work with the Minnesota Horticultural Society, City of Cottage Grove, and the Lutheran church.
Whenever I had car trouble, my dad would drop everything to help me. (My first car was a Ford Pinto, which explains just how often I needed his help!) That was every winter when my car wouldn’t start, every spring when my car got stuck in the mud, and every summer when my car would overheat. Not to forget the times I accidentally locked my keys in my car or got a flat tire. Dad would be there, greeting me with his delightful grin.
As a child my dad taught me how to ride a bike. He ran alongside me to keep me steady until I found my balance and began pedaling on my own.
Dad taught me how to build the best paper airplanes, and he showed me how to construct and fly a kite.
Dad brought me fishing in Northern Minnesota to places he fished as a boy—places where the lunkers live. One summer, Dad took my family to the Boundary Waters where we canoed, portaged, and camped on our very own island.
Me, Mom and Sis at the Boundary Waters 1970 (Dad took the photo)
As a family we always ate dinner together, and on the weekend we’d do things like go bowling, go on picnics, or play catch with the softball. Dad even became our softball coach. One of my favorite memories was when we played the undefeated team. Whenever a fly ball came to right field, our fielder would hide behind her glove. On this particular day, the ball landed right in her glove. My Dad ran into the field and shook her hand!
Dad coached my softball team, 1979
Over the years, my dad had volunteered countless hours caring for the roses at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. In 2002, my husband and I were married there. Dad walked me down the grassy aisle at the rose garden and then he captured the ceremony on video. It was a special day, a special place, and a special memory.
Dan and I married in the MN Landscape Arboretum Rose Garden 2002
When my husband and I moved to our farmhouse, Dad gave me several rose plants he had started from seed. These are treasured keepsakes of my dad every summer when they bloom.
Dad’s Roses
In 2010, Dad came to my college graduation and recorded the ceremony. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree and now both of his daughters had reached this milestone.
During this time Alzheimer’s began to steal my Dad away.
It didn’t seem fair. His parent lived sober-mindedly into their 90s. Dad thought he had longevity on his side. Mind over matter, Dad put up a good fight, but Alzheimer’s continued to erode away his mind.
In 2012, our family took a last-minute road trip to New Orleans and celebrate my mom and dad’s 50th Anniversary. I continued to take Mom and Dad on short road trips to Galina, IL, Munsinger Gardens, and the Apostle Islands before Alzheimer’s overcame Dad’s life.
Mom and Dad, Munsinger Gardens 2014
The last three years have been agonizing for my family, but Alzheimer’s doesn’t define who my Dad was, and Alzheimer’s doesn’t have a hold on him anymore.
I will always remember my dad as a kind, gentle, genuine, and generous man with unwavering integrity. I miss you, Dad. I miss you.
The day after my Dad had passed away, my Mom, Sister and I met with the funeral Chaplain. She showed us the funeral program options. Among them was a cardinal. All three of us gravitated to this program because of my Dad’s great love for birds.
“Do you know the significance of the cardinal?” asked the Chaplain.
We shook our heads, no.
She said the cardinal is symbolic of those who have departed and come back to escort a loved one on to eternal life.
Mom, Julie and I burst into tears because just hours before Dad had passed away, a male and female cardinal had perched in the snowy tree outside of his room. It seemed odd as there were no bird feeders around. The pair perched in the tree for 15 minutes—long enough for their presence to be noticed. Dad was close to his parents who had both passed away just a few years before.
My Grandma had faith in Jesus, and I shared my faith in Jesus with Grandpa and Dad for the hope of eternal life.
There was no doubt in my mind God had sent the male and female cardinal as angels to give us hope that Grandma, Grandpa, and Dad are with Jesus until one day we join them for eternity.
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