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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos

Gaited Dressage at Wildfire

Gaited Dressage at Wildfire

By Jennifer Klitzke

Medium Walk
Medium Walk

I took my barefoot, naturally gaited Walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), to our first schooling dressage show of the 2015 season on May 2 at Wildfire Farms in Maple Lake, MN. You couldn’t ask for better weather and a more organized show. Makana and I rode the new 2015 NWHA Training Level 3 and First Level 1 Tests among the 40 tradition dressage tests ridden — Intro through Third levels.

Free walk
Free Walk

Getting to the show late with 30 minutes before our first ride was pushing it. Then my boot zipper broke. Rats! Now what?! Duct tape. Why, yes! So here I am dressed in my formal dressage outfit with duct tape wrapped around my left calf. I just had to laugh!

Cantering the gaited horse
Canter

Makana and I were given five minutes to school in the arena before our test to get acquainted with the judge’s stand, the letters, and the flower boxes. She wasn’t so sure of the flowers wiggling with the wind, and I wasn’t so sure how well our rides would be since flowers were placed at most of the letters.

Halt
Halt

Before a couple dozen onlookers (including my first riding instructor of 12 years) I man handled Makana past the flower boxes. It wasn’t exactly the introduction to gaited dressage I had hoped to present to those who had never seen it (which included my riding instructor).

Then whistle blew for our test.

Down the center line we rode—determined, straight, and square. Makana snapped into dressage mode and seemed to forget about the dancing plants. She and I pulled off a remarkable Training Level 3 Test with a score of 68.2%. Even the judge was surprised after watching the difficulty we had just moments before.

Flat Walk
Flat Walk

Twenty minutes later we re-entered the arena for our First Level 1 Test. Makana was a trooper. Her flat walk, lengthened flat walk, free walk, and canter work were terrific.  Judge Jody Ely commented on how seamless our transitions were with barely noticeable cues. With her dressage background Jody said she knew firsthand how challenging it is as she has trained several TWHs and Missouri Foxtrotters.

Areas the judge pointed out where we can improve are for me to be more precise in my delivery of aids at the letters and help Makana be more consistent in her rhythm at a flatwalk.

I was tickled that we completed our First Level 1 Test with a score of 70.4%.

Video: NWHA 2015 Training Level Test Three

Video: NWHA 2015 First Level Test One

Thank you to Wildfire Farms for hosting this schooling dressage show at your beautiful facility and for accommodating gaited dressage. I hope there will be another!

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Videos, Gaited Horse Stories, Overcoming Riding Fear, Rider Position for Gaited Horses

Video: Riding through Distractions

Riding through Distractions

By Jennifer Klitzke

It was our first 75-degree spring day after a long winter. I couldn’t wait to get Makana, my naturally gaited Walking horse mare, saddled for an afternoon ride.

I had thought that the gale-force winds would be our greatest riding challenge as I negotiated Makana past the disco tree dancing to and fro at the corner of the arena. I had no idea we’d be riding 100 yards from our new neighbor’s artillery range practice, plus enduring a steady stream of overzealous motorcyclists roaring by!

The frenzied sights and sounds gave us plenty of opportunity to practice riding bio-mechanic techniques I have learned from Mary Wanless that helped me maintain a secure riding position each time my explosive horse reacted to unexpected gun fire, thundering motors, and swaying bushes. Among Mary’s riding tactics include breathing deep into my stomach, bearing down of my internal anatomy to lower my center of gravity, holding my weight in my inner thighs to distribute my weight across my horse’s back instead of my weight resting on my horse’s spine, and pressing my fists forward toward the bit instead of pulling back.

The distractions challenged me to practice what I learned from Larry Whitesell about becoming a trusted leader. Whenever my horse got tense, nervous, and distracted it was my job to lead her back to balance and relaxation, and while doing she became a safer horse to ride. The best way to lead Makana back to balance and relaxation is through many transitions and lateral exercises.

So I practiced the suppling and lateral exercises I learned from Jennie Jackson and Outrageous, the gaited dressage school master I rode while I was at the March 2015 Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic in Tennessee. Lateral exercises, such as pivot the fore, shoulder in, and haunches in break up tension, lead to balance and relaxation, and improve the communication between me and my horse. As Makana realized that I was helping her find balance and relaxation through this harried situation, she learned to trust me more as a reliable leader.

In addition to riding bio-mechanics and leading my horse back to balance and relaxation with suppling exercises, we also practiced what I’ve been learning from the Philippe Karl Classical Dressage DVD series regarding the separation of the rein and leg aids, riding my horse into balance, and encouraging Makana to open and close her mouth, salivate and swallow by making my connection with the less sensitive bars of her mouth instead of from tongue pressure. These elements help to produce relaxation in the jaw and poll which help to produce a relaxed body which makes for a more trainable horse.

Although it wasn’t the joyous and relaxing spring ride I had hoped for, it was a successful milestone for me and my naturally gaited Walking horse Makana. I faced my riding fears, trusted the skills my mentors have imparted, remembered to breath, (prayed a bunch that I didn’t get shot by stray bullets), and managed to work Makana through the distractions in real time. We managed to end our ride with quality flat walk possessing good rhythm, balance, over stride, and impulsion.

Video: Riding through Distractions

Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows

Naturally Gaited Dressage

naturally gaited dressage by jennifer klitzke

By Jennifer Klitzke

To me naturally gaited dressage is a humane method of training and communicating with a horse that brings about beauty and harmony, balance, rhythm, relaxation, and suppleness, which results in gait quality. It develops a connection of trust and respect between horse and rider, and as the relationship grows in trust, understanding, skill and refinement, the horse and rider transform into a wonderful dance partnership without the use of heavy shoes, big bits and spurs, and mechanical devices.

I took my naturally gaited walking horse Makana to North Run Farm for our last schooling dressage show of the season. We were the only gaited entry among trotting horses. I bring her to schooling dressage shows because I like to get feedback from a professional eye as to where we are at in our training as it relates to balance, rhythm, gaits, impulsion, submission, harmony, rider position and effective use of aids, and accuracy of the required movements. It helps confirm areas of improvement and areas we still need to work on.

At the North Run show several spectators were given an introduction to dressage as it applies to the gaited horse. After every two test rides, the arena opened for ten minutes of schooling, so Makana’s expressive head shaking movement was quite the contrast as we warmed up with the trotting horses! Many onlookers had never seen a gaited horse ridden dressage style, barefoot and in a snaffle bit (without mechanical devices, big bits, and heavy shoes). Plus, the SMOOTH ride was evident in comparison to the bouncy sitting trot.

Thanks to the fine coaching I had received from Jennie Jackson this summer, the dressage judge remembered us from last year and commented on how we had made a noticeable improvement. We placed 5th of 9 in Training Level with a score of 67% and 4th of 6 in First Level with a score of 68.966%.

A huge thank you to my wonderful husband who volunteered to film my rides. (Wow, I love that man!)

Photos>

Video: Warming up with the Trotters

Video: 2011 NWHA Training Level Test Three

Dressage for the Gaited Horse

Gaited Dressage and Rail Class: Convergence of Two Worlds

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Gaited Dressage and Rail Class: Convergence of Two Worlds

There’s a convergence in the gaited horse world: the traditional dressage rider of non-gaited horses who later applies what they have learned with the naturally gaited horse and the rail class rider who later learns dressage.

The former describes me. While dressage has been helpful in developing relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, symmetry, engagement, and collection, I’ve learned so much from rail class riders in developing smooth gait like the flat walk and running walk.

Dressage and rail class equitation: A convergence of two worlds for the naturally gaited horse

By Jennifer Klitzke

I believe gaited dressage has an equation: dressage + gaited equitation = gaited dressage. While each paradigm offers unique perspectives about what is considered “correct,” converging these perspectives adds value to the equation of what is considered “correct.” One perspective without the other is only half the gaited dressage equation.

Riders like me who have spent decades studying dressage on non-gaited horses understand the importance of relaxation, rhythm, connection, balance, impulsion, straightness, collection, harmony, a balanced rider position, and effective use and timing of aids. These elements of dressage help to develop the horse’s full range of motion in each gait equally in both directions to produce an ambidextrous horse. Learning this can improve the quality of smooth gaits for the rail class.

Dressage was the only language I knew when I acquired Makana, my first naturally gaited horse. While the elements of dressage are the same, I quickly learned differences in how gaited horses and non-gaited horses move. What is “correct” with a non-gaited horse, is not the same as what is “correct” with a smooth-gaited, head-nodding Tennessee walking horse. Makana’s flat walk and running walk have a distinctly different “feel” than that of the trot and trot lengthening of my Trakehner/Thoroughbred.

Tennessee walking horse rail show. I'm riding in a curb bit using two hands with contact.
Rail class show riding my six-year-old Tennessee walking horse
in a curb bit with contact.

Riding a head-shaking horse in flat walk has a distinctly different “feel” as compared to the stationary headset of a trotting horse. To help me navigate this difference, I’ve needed the perspectives and knowledge from Tennessee walking horse rail class riders to help me develop “correct feel” with contact. And I’m still learning.

On the other hand, many rail class riders are new to dressage with their naturally gaited horses. They know how to ride a head-shaking horse in a shank bit yet need to learn how to teach the gaited horse how to accept and follow a light contact using a snaffle bit. They need to understand the benefits of helping the horse relax the mouth, lower jaw and poll to release braces that cause pace and step pace.

Rail class riders know how to keep their gaited horse in a consistent four-beat gait along a straight line along the rail. Yet they need to learn how to help their horses establish bend and balance in the gait through circles, lateral exercises, transitions within and between gaits. They need to learn how to develop the full range of walks, smooth gaits, and canters with symmetry to develop evenness traveling clockwise and counterclockwise. They need to learn the effective use and timing of aids to communicate consistently with the horse. This takes time and a knowledgeable dressage rider for the gaited horse to learn this.

Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse flat walk
How dressage improves quality smooth gait over time.
Pictured is the same horse at the age of 19.

Dressage is a journey, not a destination.  Dressage is challenging no matter how long you’ve been at it, and riding a smooth gaited horse consistently well is challenging. The goal is improvement, not perfection.

Whether you are a rail class rider beginning to learn dressage or a non-gaited dressage rider applying dressage with a naturally gaited horse, be part of the full equation: dressage + gaited equitation = gaited dressage. You have something to offer (and learn from) the other half!

I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.

Visit website: NaturallyGaitedHorse.com
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Dressage for the Gaited Horse, Gaited Dressage Shows, Gaited Dressage Videos

Gaited Dressage at St George

2014-gaited-dressage-at-st-george-jennifer-klitzke-gift-of-freedom

By Jennifer Klitzke

After the TWH Celebration Show, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse and I were back to being the solo gaited horse/rider entry at the St. George Dressage Academy schooling dressage show held Saturday, August 9, 2014. One of the spectators saw us gaiting and asked if I would be trotting my gaited horse during the test. Was I ever glad that I had contacted the show manager ahead of time and received permission to ride the NWHA gaited dressage tests en gait, otherwise that’s what I’d be expected to do—trot!

Our NWHA Training Level Test Three and NWHA First Level Test One were among the 46 dressage tests ridden—Intro level through First level. Our training level test felt like our best yet with a respectable score of 66.8%. I attribute our success to Jennie Jackson who traveled to Minnesota for the second year in a row to teach a “Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse” clinic. Jennie really set us on course in establishing rhythm, connection, and forwardness without rushing. My mare is no longer “flat walkin’ in a tight skirt.” Her hind steps are deeper, more even and consistent, combined with a deeper and straighter head nod. Makana’s canter has also improved. While we love to see a true “four-beat” flatwalk, Makana has achieved a solid “three-beat” canter which is rounder and more engaged.

After our first level dressage test Judge Jim Hatch remarked, “Thank you for bringing your gaited horse to the show. This was a first for me!” I thanked him for his willingness to provide feedback for where we are at in our training. Even though my gaited horse doesn’t trot, the elements of dressage still apply: rhythm, balance, forwardness, harmony between horse and rider, acceptance of the bridle, rider’s correct and effective use of aids, rider’s position and seat, and precision of the required movements.

Thank you to St. George Dressage Academy for opening their beautiful tree-lined facility up for this venue as a chorus a song birds kept us company while we rode our tests.

Video: NWHA Training Level Test Three
httpv://youtu.be/-Iv6XNCcQfY