I finally found a young gaited horse. Just where do I start with training? How fast do I bring the horse along? What age is best for starting a gaited horse under saddle?

Here’s my story…

Starting a Gaited Horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

It has been a thrill getting to know my three-year-old Tennessee Walking Horse/Spotted Saddle Horse gelding, Marvel. He’s been at my place for a few weeks. In this time, I’ve come to know Marvel as an observant, curious, bold, friendly, intelligent, sensitive, responsive, expressive, humorous, and game for anything (so far anyway) youngster.

Trailering Home

Back to the day we picked Marvel up. He had never been in a trailer. Opportunity #1: starting an unbroke gaited horse. We planned to take our time. Relaxation was the key. No pulling or forcing. Just asking and rewarding.

We tried many approaches to trailer loading:

• Loading his dam into the trailer since Marvel had a great relationship with her
• Leading Marvel into the trailer by walking ahead of him to give him confidence
• Walking next to him and letting him walk himself
• Encouraging Marvel to lower his head and neck and sniff the ramp, and placing one foot on the ramp and rewarding him; then placing his other front foot on the ramp and rewarding him; we got stalled there
• Taking a big loop and walking forward into the trailer
• Using a crop to encourage forwardness into the trailer; the crop was new to him, so I clucked first; if no response, I clucked and tapped on his hindquarter and as soon as he stepped forward I ceased the cluck and tap
• Using a lunge line behind and around him to encourage him into the trailer
• Bringing down the energy, using grain as a motivator, and step by step, slowly and surely that did the trick. It seemed that Marvel had to choose for himself to load into the trailer. He wasn’t going to BE loaded. So trailer loading will be something to work on at home.
• Once loaded, Marvel trailered quietly for his journey to his new home

Breaking a Horse or Starting a Horse

Okay, so after a few weeks. Is Marvel broke yet? In what way? For me as a passionate dressage rider/trainer, there are many steps along the way to being broke. I am fortunate in that Marvel was family raised from birth, just like Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse mare. To me, being handled since birth makes training easier.

At three, Marvel has a short attention span. Knowing his personality, his age, and stage of training, I like starting a gaited horse by breaking it down into simple 10-minute sessions of learning until we are both ready for the time my seat meets the saddle.

Starting an unbroke gaited horse begins with many introductions.

Introducing Marvel to:

• His new home and new friends over the fence
• Where the water is
• Coming into the barn at feeding time and into a stall
• Getting acclimated to the herd and establishing the pecking order
• Coming when called
• Being free lunged
• Being haltered and led
• Being cross tied
• Letting me trim his feet
• Being bridled
• Learning to accept snaffle bit contact and follow the hands

Introducing the Bridle

I introduced the bridle to Marvel in the same way I have with every horse I have worked with. Watch this short video about bridling a horse the easy way.

Once bridled, I began teaching balance, relaxation, flexions side to side, and neck extension. These exercises teach him to accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact and to stretch his outside neck muscles and top line. All of these exercises will be transferred to the saddle one day.

Relationship of Relaxation

For me, building a relationship of relaxation with Marvel is the number one most important priority right now. I want to help Marvel look to me as a trusted leader. I learned early on with Makana at gaited horsemanship clinics with Larry Whitesell, that a horse will look to the rider for leadership, and if the horse doesn’t trust that leadership, it will take matters unto its own and fight or flight.

In addition to introductions to the cross ties and bridle, I began free lunging Marvel in the round pen both directions; yielding the haunches, encouraging him to turn towards me and halt.

Examples of building relationship through communication:

• Creating a relationship that encourages relaxation (mind and body) no matter the distractions around us
• Being aware of where his attention is while we are together and using create ways to draw his attention back to me
• Establishing consistent body language and verbal cues are important while I work with him
• Becoming aware of Marvel’s response to my request and body language; do I need to increase or decrease the ask with my levels of excitement or sense of calm to either motivate or relax and reward him

Marvel is so keen, aware, and sensitive to my body language. This is telling to how he will be under saddle. I have been training horses using dressage for over thirty years and have started a couple youngsters Marvel’s age.

How long will it take before my seat reaches the saddle? Not soon enough if you ask me, but I am only half the relationship. Some people start young horses at the end of their second year, give them the winter off and begin saddle training at three. Others wait until the horse is physically more mature and start them at four. Marvel turned three in June. Since I just brought him home, I want Marvel to be physically ready, for us to have a solid relationship of communication, and both of us to be mentally prepared.

Lunging a Gaited Horse: Our next progression of training including our first seven video sessions from halter to saddle and bridle.

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.