It has been a rainy summer. I was lucky to have one dry day to film our rides for the Harvest Virtual Western Dressage Show before another storm swamped the arena.
Since the last virtual Western dressage show, I’ve been working on improving engagement with my friend’s naturally gaited horse Lady and it paid off. Lady was the only gaited horse shown in NAWD Intro 2 and placed second out of 11 horses with a score of 64.821%.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Intro 2
Lady ridden in her easy gait.
This show was the first time my Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend (Indy) and my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) competed against each other in the same show, riding the same test.
Indy placed first in NAWD Basic 3 with a score of 66% and Makana placed third with a score of 58.857%. She was the only gaited horse among the three horses riding NAWD Basic 3.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 TWH-style
Makana demonstrating a flat walk.
Video: NAWD Western Dressage Basic 3 Spanish Mustang-style
Indy being ridden on a 20 meter circle allowing the horse to stretch.
The show had a good turnout with 127 entries ranging from Intro through Basic, Freestyle, Therapeutic, Working in Hand and Versatility for Youth, Adult Amateur, and Open.
Finally a way to ride gaited dressage at recognized shows, and I don’t even have to leave home!
North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD) offers several Virtual shows each year. This year they have included gaited dressage in their recognized Virtual shows.
My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom (Makana) and I gave it a try in May. Since then, I have been practicing the feedback I received from the judge’s remarks and from coaching I received from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson. I couldn’t wait for the next Virtual show to check our progress.
There have been several schooling dressage shows this spring and summer, but my Father has been terminally ill and in hospice care. I decided to put traveling shows on hold so that I can spend more time with my Dad. Virtual shows have made it possible for me to squeeze in a few showing opportunities without ever leaving home! All I need is for my adoring husband to widget some time between is golf games to record our rides.
In July NAWD offered the Midsummer Celebration Virtual Show (which doubled as a successful fundraiser for autism) and was their biggest show to date with over 150 entries! I entered my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend (Indy), and my friend’s naturally gaited grade horse, Lady. It was Indy’s first Western Dressage show and Lady’s very first show. All three horses competed in the same Recognized Dressage Show without leaving home!
Video: Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom in IJA Western Training Level 2
I am very happy in how the medium walk and canter felt over the last test—more fluid and forward. Her canter was noticeably more impulsive and clearly three beat instead of a sluggish rather four beat canter. I was especially pleased with our improvement in connection from back to front and its effect on the head nod. Makana moved forward in her medium walk with deep steps from behind and a clear head nod instead of a nose flicking head peck. The judge noticed it too, and remarked, “It was a pleasure to watch the degree of reach with the hind legs and steadiness of the nod.”
Areas the judge encouraged us to work on are more distinction between regular walk, medium walk and intermediate gait; more roundness in canter right; straightness; and squareness and balance at the halt.
Score: 64.091% (1st of 1)
Video: My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend in NAWD Basic 3 in his first Western Dressage Test
This was Indy’s first Western Dressage Test. Although I feel like I’m dressed for a Halloween costume party, I am very pleased with how Indy looks in his Western get up. I could be hooked on this Western dressage after all!
Riding the test, I liked how balanced Indy felt overall and how he reached down and out in the freewalk. The judge remarked. “Yeah, baby!!!” Although Indy was busy in his mouth, he wasn’t heavy on the bridle or forehand; I think it was the bit. I usually ride him in a full-cheek snaffle and it isn’t legal for Western Dressage, so I switched to a bit he wasn’t used to.
The judge felt we rode the test well and with accuracy, balance and bend. Areas of improvement are for us to work on improving softness in the bridle. She felt Indy was impulsive and balanced in the jog and needs to work on more impulsion in the canter and softness in the transitions to halt.
I had to giggle when the judge remarked how much she loved my “Fjordie.” We get this all of the time! Don’t get me wrong. I love Fjords, it is just that my Indy is a Spanish Mustang.
Score: 69.844% ( 1st of 3)
Video: Naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, showing for the first time in NAWD Intro 2
This is Lady’s very first show and I am tickled with how well she did considering that riding with contact is something rather new to her and arena riding is something she’s not fond of. Trail riding is her gig.
The judge remarked that she can see how this horse can be a bit difficult—like she might be all ‘go’ and very little ‘whoa.’ The judge said, “I think you are doing a very nice job bringing her along. Movement #4 (KXM change rein at easy gait) showed the real horse: relaxed, engaged and brilliant.” Which really helps me move towards more of that in our training.
Score: 60.357% (5th of 9)
This feedback is so helpful, and the reason I show dressage. I need unbiased feedback from an educated professional as to where I’m at in my training.
From the judges’ comments in all three rides, I feel like we are heading in the right direction in this Western Dressage ‘thang.’ The feedback has given us something to work on until we check our status next time.
Naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Gift of Freedom performing IJA Western Training 2.
By Jennifer Klitzke
This year I’ve pretty much put showing on hold, because its been so touch and go with my Dad who is in hospice care. But, I thought I could sneak in a few local events: a Virtual Western Dressage Show (that I can do without leaving home), a Cow Sorting League (only minutes from my house) and the Mosquito Run Endurance Ride (held once a year at a local park).
Only I didn’t seem to notice that all three events were held in the same week until the week of. Working full time with an ailing father in hospice, what was I thinking?!
Virtual Western Dressage
North American Western Dressage Association (NAWD) offers several Virtual shows each year. Makana and I gave it a try a couple months ago and we couldn’t wait for the next one. We have been practicing the feedback I had received from the judge’s remarks and from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson.
When I saw that NAWD was having another Virtual Show, my over zealous enthusiasm overtook my sense of available time. I registered three horses for the show. Most challenging was finding time to squeeze in the rides between working full time, visits with my Dad, the cow sorting league, endurance rides, filming the tests around my husband’s schedule, the week’s inclement weather, and forcing my grandma brain to memorize three new Western dressage tests!
For this Western Dressage Virtual Show I entered my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana), my friend’s naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, and my Spanish Mustang, Indian’s Legend (Indy). It was Lady’s very first show and Indy’s first Western Dressage show.
Naturally gaited grade horse, Lady, in her easy gait while showing for the first time in NAWD Intro 2.My Spanish Mustang Indian’s Legend showing a required movement in NAWD Basic 3, a jog allowing the horse to stretch its head and neck out and down.
Our window for recording our rides just happened to be at the same time our neighbor took down his trees next to our arena with the brush hog. This stirred up an arsenal of repellent-resistant biting flies that came in for the attack!
Despite the distractions, we made the best of it. I rode Makana in IJA Western Training Level 2, Lady in NAWD Intro 2, and Indy in NAWD Basic 3.
Cow Time!
A couple weeks back I saw a last minute opening for the July Cow Sorting League. I knew Makana was due for some cow time, because it’s her favorite thing to do. (My theory: since she’s lowest on the pecking order, cows give her something to push around!)
We finished our first week getting all ten cows sorted in order within 70 seconds! Not the fastest by far (which was an amazing 46 seconds) but it felt good to officially achieve this milestone.
Endurance Ride
On Sunday, I entered Makana in a ten-mile Mosquito Run novice endurance ride at Crow Hassan Park Reserve. That morning we were hit with ANOTHER thunderstorm. Many riders had packed up and headed for home just before Makana and I arrived. So many riders had left that I thought the event had cancelled. (At least it made it easy to find a parking spot!)
The novice ride headed out with two large groups of seven. The footing was slick in spots with lots of puddles, but the storms cooled down the temperature for a comfortable ride.
The week’s thunderstorms had taken a toll on the park. We passed hundreds of mature trees that had fallen during the storms. Many thanks to the Park Reserve staff who worked hard to clear the trails so that the endurance ride could go on.
Our group was composed of three Tennessee walking horses, a Rockie, and three Arabians. It was wonderful to ride with other gaited horses. While our gaited horses outpassed the nongaited horses at a walk, the speed required of the ride in order to make time forced our gaited horses to trot, speed rack (or canter) the majority of the ride. I asked Makana for a speed rack. She held it for a while, but waffled between the rack, the trot, and canter.
Three miles before the finish line we all cooled off in the lake. Makana and I took our first swim! We walked in the water until her entire body submerged and all that surfaced the water was her ears, nostrils, and eyeballs. Thank God horses are intuitively good swimmers!
Makana and I made the optimum time and took sixth place out of 12 entries. (We even surpassed the Arabians!)
I’ll see you soon Dad. Hang in there! I love you! (Next time I’ll double check my calendar before committing to these events.)
What does riding with lightness mean? Is it riding with looped reins? What about contact and its role in developing balance?
May 2016: I took one of my horses to a classical French dressage “Riding with Lightness” clinic taught by Susan Norman. Susan had been a 15-year student of the late Jean Claude Racinet and a three-year student of Philippe Karl. Both Racinet and Karl are highly acclaimed French classical dressage thinkers of our modern era and have studied the work of Baucher.
Well-meaning riders release their horses to lightness before their horses have learned balance and self carriage.
Susan holds dear the principle of riding with lightness, and when she said that she sees people riding their horses on loose reins when they shouldn’t, all of us at the clinic were braced for her next words. She continued to say that well-meaning riders release their horses to lightness before their horses have learned balance and self carriage.
What about the Tennessee Walking Horse Head Nod
Susan’s words really resonate with me as it relates to recent feedback I received from my gaited dressage mentor Jennie Jackson. A month ago, I had asked Jennie for feedback on ways to improve my Western gaited dressage with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse Makana. Jennie said that I need to ride my mare with MORE contact to establish forward balance into the correct mechanics of the head nod.
Jennie explained that Makana wasn’t traveling through from behind to the bit, and it showed in the presence of a “head peck” instead of a “head nod.” A head peck is an upward nose flicking evasion which is disconnected from the hind leg steps. Whereas the head nod is when the head and neck bob downward in sequence with each hind leg as it steps deep under the body.
Watch: Is this a Tennessee Walking Horse Head Nod or a Head Peck?
After studying French classical dressage for the last year, my initial reaction to Jennie’s comment was, “What? Ride with MORE contact?!” But blending Jennie’s feedback with what Susan Norman said in her clinic put it into perspective.
Yes, ride with more contact UNTIL my horse learns to travel in a relaxed, balanced, forward rhythm with the correct mechanics of a head nod. THEN I can offer a release to a lighter contact and reward her AS LONG AS she remains in balance with the same quality of head nod. That’s what training for self carriage and lightness are all about.
Riding with floppy reins wasn’t training my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse to move in balance or in self carriage. Training my horse to lightness offers her a release to looped reins when she travels forward in relaxed balance and rhythm with the correct mechanics of a head nod.
If my horse leans on the bit, that’s when I briefly lift both reins upward with equal contact on the corners of my horse’s mouth and meet the heaviness. Then lower my hands to a neutral position as soon as my horse lightens.
The meaning and benefits of short reins
“There is no intimacy in long reins.” —Susan Norman
During the clinic Susan said, “There is no intimacy in long reins.” This was another profound statement coming from a dressage clinician who teaches lightness. Susan explained what riding with short reins is all about. Short reins don’t mean pulling back on the contact nor is it maintaining a heavy contact with the horse’s mouth. Short reins allow my fingers to have an even light feeling with the corners of the horse’s mouth. Short reins offer a dialogue with the horse. A soft move of a finger prepares my horse for what’s coming next. When my horse responds, my hands are quiet and in a neutral position.
Another benefit to riding with short reins is that they anchor my center of gravity over my horse’s center of gravity. When my elbows are at my sides, they align with my ears, shoulders, hips and heels over the horse’s center of balance. As soon as my reins grow too long, my elbows extend forward, and I begin to lean forward and lose my balanced alignment. Then my horse loses her balance, and she falls onto the forehand in response.
How do you know when your horse is in balance or not?
That’s the tricky part. Balance is something that takes time to develop a feel for. How balance feels on a Tennessee walking horse is different from that of a non-gaited horse and even from one horse to another within the same breed.
The best way to learn the feeling of balance is through regular lessons with an educated dressage instructor who can coach you as you ride your horse. Over time, you’ll develop a feeling of balance more instinctively as you ride on your own.
The naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse has many walks. Some are smoother than others. How can you tell the difference between the medium walk and the flat walk? Both walks are natural even four beat gaits with a head nod. How can you improve the quality of tempo, rhythm and stride length?
Here are my thoughts…
How the medium walk and flat walk feel from the saddle
For me, telling the difference between the medium walk and flat-footed walk versus the flat walk and running walk is in how the gaits feel from the saddle. The medium walk and flat-footed walk have a lot of motion to follow with my lower back and the alternating movement of my hip joints with the belly sway of the horse. While riding the flat walk or running walk there is very little motion to follow. The flat walk and running walk are smooth as glass to ride and enjoy!
While watching a rider on a Tennessee Walking Horse, notice the rider’s pelvis. If there is a lot of motion, the rider may be riding the medium walk or the flat-footed walk. If the rider is still and the horse’s head nods with each hind leg step, the rider is likely riding the flat walk or running walk.
Naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse flat-footed walk looks like a flat walk, right?
Many TWH riders don’t differentiate between the flat-footed walk and flat walk, but I do. I have noticed a Tennessee Walking Horse can appear to be in a flat walk with wonderful stride length, even four beat foot falls, and a head and neck nod in timing with the hind leg steps. Only the gait is hard on my back because there is a lot of motion to follow with the lower back.
The flat walk and running walk have very little motion to follow so it is smooth and comfortable to ride. I don’t get a sore back from the flat walk or running walk, but I do when I ride the medium walk or flat-footed walk. While these gaits appear to look the same, they don’t feel the same to the rider. Therefore, this is why I make a distinction between the medium walk and flat-footed walk versus the flat walk and running walk.
Naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse flat walk looks like a flat-footed walk, right?
What is over stride and how to increase it
The medium walk, flat-footed walk, flat walk, and running walk have over stride. This means the hind leg hoof print steps over the forefoot hoof print after it leaves the ground. For the Tennessee Walking Horse, over stride ranges and if you show your horse, more over stride is prized. As a rider, I can encourage my Tennessee Walking Horse to increase this over stride by following the horse’s motion.
While riding the medium walk or flat-footed walk, I become aware of the rise and fall of the horse’s belly sway with each step. The belly sway is much more noticeable at the medium walk and flat-footed walk than it is at the flat walk or running walk. When the belly sways down, that’s when the hind leg is stepping under the body. If I want to encourage a deeper step under the body to increase length of stride, I apply and release my calf aid at the girth the moment the belly is about to sway down. I don’t apply both calves at the same time since this encourages the horse to go faster, and it shorten the stride length.
If there is no response from the horse, I will apply and release the calf and make a “cluck” sound at the same time. If I still don’t get a response, I will apply and release the calf, make a “cluck” sound, and a tap with the dressage whip on the same side. The goal is to achieve a response with the lightest aid and then help the horse maintain long and even strides with both hind leg steps. I praise my horse for every effort with a “good girl” or “good boy” and a pat.
I think there is great value in developing a solid, even four-beat medium walk or flat-footed walk with over stride before moving to the flat walk. This helps develop length of stride, relaxation, rhythm, and tempo.
In my early years of training my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse, Makana, I made the mistake of rushing her into the flat walk. This produced a flat walk with a short stride and rushed tempo. The flat walk was smooth, but not the quality gait she is capable of. Thanks to my gaited dressage mentor, Jennie Jackson who coached us.
Jennie said, “Don’t let your Tennessee Walking Horse flat walk in a tight skirt!”
Lessons with Jennie helped us develop a solid medium walk leading to a bigger striding and smooth as butter flat walk one quality step at a time.
Taking lessons from Jennie Jackson really helped improve the quality of our gaits using dressage.
Rider balance and its effect on the horse
Whether I am riding the medium walk, flat-footed walk, flat walk or running walk, a balanced horse will perform their best gaits. If I want my horse to be in balance, I need to be in balance.
One way that helps me maintain my balance is riding with shorter reins. Short reins don’t mean pulling back on the contact or a firm contact. Riding with short reins means maintaining a light feeling of the horse’s mouth with both reins while keeping my elbows at my sides. This helps me stay in a balanced ear, shoulder, elbows, hip and heel position over my horse’s center of gravity. If my elbows creep forward, soon my upper body begins to lean forward, and then I am out of balance. This causes my horse to fall on the forehand, onto the shoulders, and out of balance.
Maintaining my balance helps my horse stay in balance for quality gaits.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
Areas the judge encouraged us to work on are more distinction between regular walk, medium walk and intermediate gait; more roundness in canter right; straightness; and squareness and balance at the halt.
The judge remarked that she can see how this horse can be a bit difficult—like she might be all ‘go’ and very little ‘whoa.’ The judge said, “I think you are doing a very nice job bringing her along. Movement #4 (KXM change rein at easy gait) showed the real horse: relaxed, engaged and brilliant.” Which really helps me move towards more of that in our training.
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