By Jennifer Klitzke

Why show gaited dressage? What motivates us to show? Is it all about blue ribbons and bragging rights? Read on and you’ll discover even better reasons for showing your naturally gaited horse in dressage.

Why Show Gaited Dressage?

Granted, showing gaited dressage is not a requirement for becoming a student of dressage with your naturally gaited horse (or for riders of the hard trotting variety for that matter).

I roll my eyes and gasp when I think back to my first years showing dressage with my Trakhner/Thoroughbred gelding SeilTanzer (Seili). Yes, he was one of those hard trotting varieties, and dang, was his trot hard to sit!

I had saved my money to buy the best trot I could afford, because back in the day, that’s what you looked for when considering a dressage prospect.

At first, my primary motivations were to take Seili to the top levels of dressage. Why? Because I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to be recognized. I wanted to be accepted among my peers.

It didn’t take long to realize that these were really bad reasons to show dressage.

If you were at my first recognized show in 1992, you’ll likely remember it to this day. I know I will never forget it.

Seili and I were practiced and prepared: I ate, breathed, and slept with dressage on my brain. I rode Seili six days a week at a deluxe dressage facility, took regular dressage lessons by a winning instructor, read books by the dressage masters, watched videos of how to become a better dressage rider, recorded and analyzed my rides, attended dressage clinics, and journaled my every ride.

So what happened?

Getting to the show grounds that day, my calm and relaxed gelding transformed into a creature I no longer recognized. Snorting and saucer-eyed, Seili darted around the bleachers, crowds, and announcer booth like a meth addict. He didn’t even know I was there for the ride. Nothing seemed to get his attention. Feeling out of control launched a full-blown panic attack.

I did my best to courageously negotiate Seili through the movements of Training Level Test One. After the final halt and salute, I released Seili to a free walk on a long rein. The judge stopped me on our way out of the arena (which is very uncharacteristic at a recognized show).

The judge said, “You have a wonderful horse who can go very far in dressage.”

Flattered, I proudly remarked, “Thank you.”

The judge replied, “But YOU, your riding will NEVER take him there. Can I buy your horse from you?”

My motivations for showing collided head on with the judge’s harsh and inappropriate words, and my disappointment that I couldn’t bring out Seili’s best. Stunned, I left the arena blinded by my tears.

Devastated, I faced a cross roads: Either change my motivation for showing dressage or give it up. If showing isn’t fun or educational, it isn’t worth the effort.

Changing my motivation for showing is what I did. Seili and I continued to show for the next few years. We even received a Central States Dressage and Eventing Association award for Second Level Amateur of the Year in 1995. Then our show career ended in 1996 when Seili developed chronic laminitis.

Fifteen years passed.

Yes, I admit, I rode those bumpy, trotting horses for decades until my body longed for smooth. That’s when I set out to find my first naturally gaited horse.

In 2007, my search for SMOOTH led me to a barefoot and sound, just turning three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse filly. Her name was Gift of Freedom, a.k.a. Makana, which is Hawaiian for “gift.”

Makana became my first naturally gaited horse. She had a lot of handling and 20 rides on her when she arrived, yet dressage was the only form of riding and training I knew.

Then I began to wonder, “Can I train a naturally gaited horse with dressage?” The competition dressage world I came from said dressage was only for horses that trot. Gaited horse owners said that dressage would make their horse trot. Others said that dressage would ruin their horse’s smooth natural gaits.

So I put that aside and set out on a mission to discover for myself that dressage is more than trot.

Gaited Dressage: Training Level — Our first gaited dressage show in 2010.

In 2010, I learned of a schooling dressage show only 10 miles away at Walker’s Triple R Ranch, so I entered my Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana). We were the only gaited horse on the show grounds and rode Training Level Tests One in the same class as the trotting horses.

I never imagined that I would return to dressage competition on a horse that didn’t trot!

Since 2010 Makana and I have shown gaited dressage at dozens of open schooling dressage shows (Intro through First Level). My motivation for showing is about getting feedback from a qualified judge on where we are at as it relates to rhythm, relaxation, connection, engagement, straightness, and collection; my riding position; and the use and timing of my rein, leg, seat and weight aids. The judge’s written feedback on my test sheet gives us something to practice until the next time we show. (And yes, it does feel good to get a blue ribbon, even if I am the only gaited dressage rider in my level! At least I put in the effort.)

Committing to a dressage test forces me and my naturally gaited horse to work on transitions more precisely in both directions, develop the full range of gaits and movements the dressage level requires, and face the test requirements I would otherwise avoid. Things like developing the counter canter, shoulder-in at a flatwalk, and showing a noticeable difference between a medium walk, flat walk, and running walk.

Plus, showing gaited dressage lets others see that naturally gaited horses can be trained using the humane training methods of dressage. After all, dressage is more than trot!

As long as I check my motivations at the gate, and as long as my barefoot naturally gaited walking horse enjoys traveling to gaited dressage competitions, then we will give this gaited dressage show thing a try.

P.S. Seili is lived to be 34 years old. His laminitis had been managed with natural barefoot trimming and a low carb diet. I enjoyed riding him until he was 29 years old. (Yes, he was still very bouncy!)
Naturally Gaited

Promote Your Page Too

The Versatile Gaited Horse

Naturally Gaited: Maps, Compasses, and Clues

October 27, 2013 Jennifer Klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

Among the many new experiences tried this year, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and I entered our first mounted orienteering event. Only I rode my Spanish Mustang, and I loaned Makana to a friend. The two of us joined another friend and her horse where we teamed together for the National Association of Competitive Mounted Orienteering (NACMO) event at Crow Hassan Park Preserve. The three of us were sent on our way with maps, compasses, and clues to find six hidden targets.

Our map led us to a general area where we had to decipher two clues with a Halloween theme. Each clue offered compass point readings that intersected with the hidden target. The six targets took us four-and-a-half hours of searching and cantering to our next clue. I got lots of exercise posting the trot between targets as my friend comfortably glided along the way. (Guess who did and didn’t wake up with sore muscles the next day?)

It was a perfect autumn day for an adventurous trail ride. Our team of three newbies returned to take seventh place. We may have been the last team to cross the finish line, but at least we found all of the hidden targets. The teams cheered for us as we rode in. (Likely because they could finally pack up and go home!)

Photo gallery>

For more about National Association of Competitive Mounted Orienteering, visit www.nacmo.org.

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Gaited Dressage Riding Recipe

October 25, 2013 Jennifer Klitzke

Gaited dressage: My riding recipe

By Jennifer Klitzke

Have you ever thought about how you ride your naturally gaited horse as a culinary chef experiments with flavors, colors, textures, temperatures, and techniques to enhance a recipe?

I do. I like to keep my mind open to ideas that improve relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, symmetry, and collection as I ride my naturally gaited horses, Makana and Lady.

Over the years I have learned a lot from a diverse mix of equestrian professionals such as my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson; riding biomechanics clinician and author Mary Wanless; gaited horsemanship clinicians Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer; and classical French dressage clinicians Nichole Walters, Susan Norman, Philippe Karl, and Lisa Maxwell.

Each clinician has taught me life-enhancing ingredients for my riding recipe.

Jennie Jackson has helped me best understand how to ride a head-shaking horse with contact to develop a quality four-beat gait.
Mary Wanless has helped me improve my riding position to become a more confident rider which has helped me overcome riding fear.
Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer have helped me discover how to become a trusted leader for my horse and to understand the bio-mechanics needed to help my horse improve the quality of her gaits by unlocking the braces in her jaw and back, and by engaging her abdominal muscles to lift her back and engage her hindquarters.
Nichole Walters, Susan Norman, and Linda Kaye Hollingworth Jones, all studied under Philippe Karl, have helped me develop the feeling of balance in relaxation (of body and mind) to produce lightness and self carriage.

I have also learned through the books and DVDs of French dressage masters Philippe Karl and the late Jean Claude Racinet. Their method taught me a different application of dressage which aligns with the late François Baucher’s second manner “balance before movement.”

Blending these essential ingredients has enhanced my riding recipe.

Sometimes one instructor’s philosophy or set of aids differs from another’s. This is when I experiment with the ingredients of my riding recipe to see what will work best for the horse, its level of training, and the situation.

While my goal to produce rhythm, relaxation, balance, impulsion, lightness, harmony, and trust does not change, the ingredients I use in my riding recipe are a work in progress.

In the end, I aim to bring about a riding recipe that delivers a harmonious partnership of trust with my horse, where we move together as one in rhythm, relaxation, and balance to produce my horse’s best movement in elegance and lightness of aids.

Bon Appétit!

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

Dressage Exercises for the Gaited Horse

Rein Back To Smooth Gait

October 18, 2013 Jennifer Klitzke 2 Comments

How to perform a quality rein back for smooth gait:

Develop awareness of feel while riding—the feeling of hollow, the feeling of round, and the impact each have on smooth gait. Here’s an exercise that can help..

Rein Back to Smooth Gait

By Jennifer Klitzke

My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana has a rather long back for her size, and she has been rather stiff. That’s one of the biggest reasons why I registered for another gaited horse clinic with Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer.

At last year’s gaited horse clinic, Larry and Jennifer showed me ways to unlock tension and set us on a course to balance and relaxation.

The importance of saddle fit

At this clinic, Larry and Jennifer helped me address my horse’s back bracing issues. We began with saddle fit.

Since 2007, I have tried nine different saddles to find one that fits Makana. I’ve ridden in round skirted western saddles, dressage saddles, gaited saddles, and treeless saddles. Most saddles have been too narrow which pinched her shoulders and restricted her movement. The saddle I have been riding in is an all-purpose saddle which seemed to fit.

At closer examination, the saddle fit my horse in the cross ties. It had plenty of clearance over her wither—until I sat in the saddle. Then the saddle sank and rested on her wither. This is likely a big reason Makana was bracing her back.

Larry switched to his saddle with a gaited tree. It fit perfectly (in and out of the cross ties), and we proceeded with the lesson.

The feeling of hollow, the feeling of round and its impact on movement

Larry and Jennifer helped open my riding awareness to the “feel” of my horse’s back. They challenged me to notice when my horse feels hollow and when it feels round and then pay attention to how each impact her movement.

When my horse hollows her back, she loses forwardness, impulsion, and the depth of stride. Cueing her forward while hollow only makes her take short, quick steps. She feels smooth, but she is not producing the smooth quality four-beat flat walk she is capable of.

Larry explained how I needed to improve the bio-mechanics of my horse’s way of going. Instead of driving her forward while hollow, I needed to help Makana engage her abdominal muscles to lift and round her back before encouraging her forward with relaxed deeper steps.

Rein Back and Forth to Smooth Gaits

Larry taught me a great exercise that helped my horse engage her abdominal muscles to lift her back.

Rein Back to Forward Steps

Beginning at a soft and round halt, I gently cue my horse three to five steps of slow and steady rein back
Then halt and gently cue my horse three to five steps forward and halt
Repeat the back and forth sequence three times
The exercise is not rushed or forced
It is important that the horse remains relaxed and round from nose to tail
Once the horse feels lifted in the back during the last sequence of back and forth, then continue to move forward and maintain the feeling of relaxation and engaged abdominal muscles to lift the back
When introducing this exercise, I only asked for a step or two of rein back

How to perform a quality rein back for smooth gait:

For the rein back, I close my fingers on the reins without pulling back. This tells the horse don’t go forward. Then I draw my heels slightly behind the girth, hold my weight in my thighs and move my pelvis upward to lighten my seat. If my horse feels hollow, then I hug my horse with my heels to encourage her to engage her abdominal muscles and lift her back.
The forward cues are opening my fingers without giving away the reins, move my pelvis forward and squeezing and release my calves if needed to move forward.
Repeat the back and forth three times until I feel my horse’s back lift the saddle beneath me. Then I proceed forward ending the exercise and maintain the roundness in her back, the connection back to front, and engagement for deeper steps.

So each time I feel my horse’s back begin to sag, I repeat the “Rein Back and Forth to Better Movement” exercise and then resume where we left off before the exercise. This exercise has made a big difference in my horse’s movement and willingness to go forward.

Makana is happy that I am now on saddle number ten that is wide enough for her shoulders and tall enough to clear her withers.

Does anyone want to buy a saddle?

Video: Back and Forth to Better Movements

More Exercises for the Gaited Horse to improve smooth gaits.

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

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Clinics

Naturally Gaited at Whitesell-Bauer Clinic

August 25, 2013 Jennifer Klitzke 1 Comment

naturallygaited-whitesell-bauer-clinic-engaging-the-back

If you’ve been to a Larry Whitesell Gaited Horsemanship Clinic, you know what I mean when I say, “It is a lot to take in.” I have audited four of Larry’s clinics and ridden in three, and the last two clinics included Jennifer Bauer, a beautiful rider and a wonderful horsewoman. At each clinic a few more dots are connected in my understanding of Larry’s training philosophy which focuses entirely on what the horse needs and teaches riders how to lead their horses into balance, relaxation and engagement.

For me, the August 2013 clinic held at RNR Ranch in St. Croix Falls, WI was all about unlocking the braces in my horse’s back and hindquarters for engagement and discovering what braces I have in my riding position that say “stop” to my horse.

Larry explained the “escalation of aids” in this metaphor. He said, “What if for the rest of the clinic, I speak in French and if you didn’t understand, I speak louder and louder, would you understand me then? How would you feel about my teaching method? Confused? Frustrated?”

I have struggled to get my mare to go forward and know the escalation of aids all too well: squeeze, cluck, tap, and repeat louder and louder until my horse goes forward. It had never occurred to me that perhaps I have been speaking French to my horse.

Larry and Jennifer helped me discover braces in my riding position that say “stop” to my horse, such as my inside rein was saying “go this way” but my outside rein was saying “no”; my legs were saying “go”, but my locked hip joints were saying “whoa”; and my saddle which fit my mare beautifully in the cross ties touched her wither as soon as I sat in the saddle which says “ouch.” Adding squeeze, cluck, tap and repeat louder and louder only sent my horse forward in tension with a hollow back.

naturallygaited-whitesell-bauer-unlocking-braces

Larry and Jennifer worked with my mare and discovered that she had braces in her hindquarter joints and her back was hollow. They showed me a few places to massage Makana each day to release the tension. Then they switched out my saddle with Larry’s Freedom endurance saddle, and Larry and Jennifer demonstrated riding exercises that will help strengthen Makana’s abdominal muscles to lift her back and flex her haunch joints for engagement. Among the exercises are turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, three repetitions of three steps forward followed by three steps reinback, and switching up a riding session with lots of transitions in gaits and between gaits every 5-10 steps and changes of direction. Most importantly, reward often.