Did you buy a gaited horse and wonder why it paces, has a hard trot or doesn’t stay in a smooth gait consistently? I did.
Here’s my story…
I bought a gaited horse, why doesn’t it have a smooth gait?
By Jennifer Klitzke
Does a gaited horse need special shoes or does a farrier need to trim a gaited horse at special hoof angles for a smooth gait? Do you need a certain bit or a gaited saddle? Does a gaited horse a professional trainer to make the horse smooth?
Smooth gaits are genetic to gaited horse breeds, such as the Tennessee walking horse, Foxtrotter, Paso Fino, Rocky Mountain, Icelandic, among others. Each gaited horse breed has a unique set of natural smooth gaits as the flat walk, running walk, fox walk, fox trot, largo, saddle rack, tolt, to name a few.
I watched people riding these smooth breeds. They aren’t bouncing. They are smiling at the end of a trail ride. Their bodies aren’t paying for it later. Ecstatic, I exclaim, “I gotta get myself one of those smooth gaited horses!” How about you?
Here’s my story to a smooth gait
Me, I had thirty years dressage riding and training the walk-trot-canter horses. Smooth gaits like flat walk, running walk, fox trot, tolt and saddle rack were just as foreign to me as head nodding, ear flopping, and teeth clicking.
All I knew is my youthful mind grew into a grandma body. I didn’t want to give up riding. I just I wanted a smoother horse to ride.
How to train a naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse
Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse filly.
In 2007 I acquired my first smooth gaited filly, a three-year-old, naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse with 20 rides on her when she became mine.
Dressage had been the only form of riding I knew. Yet, the competition world told me dressage is ONLY for horses that trot. Gaited horse owners said dressage would MAKE my gaited horse trot. Others said dressage would RUIN my horse’s natural smooth gaits.
Okay, so how do I train my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse?
I looked for books and scoured YouTube for videos about training Tennessee Walking Horses. Then I came across videos showing the horses moving in exaggerated and unnatural ways. Wondering why, I noticed the horses’ long toes strapped with thick pads and big shoes. Chains clanging around their ankles. The riders sat back on the horses’ loins and hunched forward. They wore long spurs and drove their horses forward into two-handed contact with long shank bits. The horses’ expressions looked tense and distressed.
This wasn’t how I learned to ride. If this is how Tennessee Walking Horses are trained, I would have NO part of it! Dressage is all my barefoot Tennessee Walking Horse would know.
That’s when I discovered for myself “dressage is more than trot.”
This wasn’t how I learned to ride. If this is how Tennessee Walking Horses are trained, I would have NO part of it! Dressage is all my barefoot Tennessee Walking Horse would know.
That’s when I discovered for myself “dressage is more than trot.”
The dressage I learned is humane. I developed a balanced position over my horse’s center of gravity to be an easier load to carry. I learned how to communicate with my horse through effective use and timing of rein, leg, seat and weight aids and to teach my horse how to accept and follow contact with a mild snaffle bit as I followed my horse’s natural head and neck motion.
Through decades of dressage lessons, study and application, I learned the benefits dressage brings the non-gaited horse. Plus, no unnatural hoof angles, long toes, big shoes, thick pads or ankle chains are ever worn. Riders never employ harsh bits or ride with curb bits two-handed with contact.
Dressage teaches the rider how to lead the horse into mental and physical relaxation, balance, rhythm (even tempo and strides), forward movement without rushing, connection, symmetry (even flexibility), and collection (engagement). Through kind and humane training over time, dressage develops the horse’s full range of motion for quality gaits, long-term soundness, and a partnership of harmony between the horse and rider.
Just because my Tennessee Walking Horse doesn’t trot, why couldn’t we glean the benefits of dressage to develop her natural smooth gaits?
We set out on a mission to find out.
How to train smooth gaits on cue
It didn’t take long to realize my young gaited horse had ALL of the gears: walk, trot, canter, flat walk, pace, step pace, saddle rack, and fox trot. If I would be training her, it was my job to discover what each gait felt and sounded like and put cues to the ones I desire.
Easy? No, but the journey has been rewarding!
Watch: How dressage improves smooth gait
This video captures our first few years of training.
Our process to quality smooth gaits
Since my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse was only three years old, we walked a lot for the first summer season. If she had been older than three, I may have introduced brief transitions to a smooth gait sooner.
We began at a free walk on a long rein (with a light contact). This began a good pattern of developing an even four-beat muscle memory. I was fortunate Makana had a natural four beat walk. Many Tennessee Walking Horses don’t. Instead, they pace instead of walk. If that had been the case, we would have introduced walking over rails and working in hand exercises at a shoulder in to diagonalize the step sequence.
At the free walk, I encouraged mental and physical relaxation and forward moving steps without rushing. This encouraged L-O-N-G, ground-covering steps. Rushing the tempo only shortens the steps and tends to create tension in the horse. I encouraged her to take the bit down and forward in a neutral position. This helped stretch her top line muscles which is especially important for long-term soundness.
2007: Here’s my three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse. We began our training with a relaxed and forward moving free walk on a long rein. This quality walk helps develop an even four-beat muscle memory and longer strides.
I rode Makana five-six days a week for 30 minutes each time. Three days of riding in a row followed by a day off helped her progress in her training and strength.
Video: Tips to Longer Strides and Smoother Gaits
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse at 19 years old.
The aids of communication
Dressage teaches the rider how to communicate with the horse through leg, seat, weight and rein aids. Coming from the dressage world, snaffle bits are all I know to develop a means of communicating with the horse’s mouth, lower jaw, and poll. It is important to develop a positive relationship with my hands and the horse’s mouth so the horse learns bit acceptance and a willingness to follow the contact with a relaxed mouth, jaw and poll.
If the horse becomes defensive in the mouth from a harsh bit or rough hands, the horse learns self-protective measures and bit avoidance. This leads to tension and stiff pacey movement for the naturally gaited horse.
Gaited horses are often ridden in curb bits with two-handed contact and a low, fixed hand position. Many look stiff and tense and are pacing or step pacing. Early on, we gave rail class a try, and that’s what we experienced riding two-handed with a curb (as pictured). I wonder if gaited horses develop a habit of pacing when trained this way.
I wonder if gaited horses develop a habit of pacing when ridden in curb bits with two-handed contact and a low fixed hand position.
If riding with two-handed curb bit contact creates tension, it makes it difficult to teach the horse bit acceptance and relaxation. When horses are not comfortable with the bit or low, fixed hands, they find ways to avoid the contact: drawing their nose behind or above the vertical, fighting the bit, running away, flipping their tongue over the bit, and locking their jaw. Any of these pain reactions create tension through the horse’s body leading to pacing (as seen in the photo above).
Video: Rider Position and Effect on Smooth Gait
Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits
Relaxation doesn’t mean sleepy and dull. Relaxation means the absence of body tension and pain and freedom of mental anxiety. Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits.
Mental and physical relaxation is key. Relaxation doesn’t mean boring our horses with monotony. Relaxation means the absence of body pain and tension and freedom of mental anxiety. Relaxation is key to developing smooth gaits.
Since we were not producing smooth gaits in a state of tension, I stopped riding in a curb bit with two-handed contact and returned to a mild snaffle bit.
I began teaching Makana how to accept a light, gentle contact with a mild snaffle bit. At the same time, I needed to follow her natural head and neck motion with relaxed arms, hands, and fingers. My hands are an important part of dressage communication and trust. If I hold tension in my shoulders, with locked elbows and fists, it will communicate tension to my horse.
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse became more teachable when her mind was free from anxiety. She paid more attention to me and less attention to the distractions around her. Then her body began to relax. When my gaited horse found mental and physical relaxation, smoother gaits started to form, and she became more comfortable to ride.
Cues to the free walk
A split second before I request my horse to move from a halt to a walk, I draw both hands forward slightly to allow space for my horse to move forward into without feeling boxed in by the bit
A split second later, say the word, “walk” and I make a “cluck” sound
If there is no response to a walk, I squeeze and release my lower calves at the girth while urging my seat forward
If still no response, I follow it up with a light tap of the whip behind the girth and a “cluck” sound
When my horse steps forward into the walk, then I reconnect my following contact with my reins
I also notice the side-to-side belly sway and follow (not drive) this motion with each hip joint and my lower back
Leg yield exercises
Leg yields are a great exercise to teach at a walk. This exercise helps the rider coordinate the use and timing of rein, seat and leg aids as the horse moves and it teaches the horse to move away from the rider’s leg pressure while remaining straight in the body by the reins.
Leg yields can be applied along the fence, from the quarter line or center line to the fence or zig zag from quarter line to quarter line.
Leg yields from the quarter line to the fence:
I positioned my horse straight at the quarter line of the arena
encouraged her forward with both calves and release
Then I applied my inside calf at the girth as my horse’s hind leg is about to leave the ground to urge her to step that hind leg under her belly and move forward and slightly at an angle toward the fence
Video: Leg Yield Exercise
Introducing steps of smooth gait
When I began to transition my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse from a relaxed free walk into a few consecutive steps of flat walk, sometimes we had a couple steps of a variety of gaits: flat walk, step pace, pace, saddle rack, fox trot, and a mystery gait with quick small smooth scampering steps.
We’d slow down to a relaxed walk, and I’d ask for a flat walk again. As soon as she took three or four consecutive steps, it was important to stop and reward her before she switched to another gait. Over time, she gained more strength and balance to maintain more consecutive steps of flat walk.
My filly broke into another gait because she lacked the strength or fell out of balance.
When I rode non-gaited horses, there was a clear difference between a walk, trot and canter. The hardest part was discerning the level of quality within each gait.
The hardest part about riding a young, green Tennessee Walking Horse is discerning one smooth gait from another. Smooth feels smooth. How do I decipher one smooth gait from another? This takes time to develop through what I feel, hear and notice. Some smooth gaits have an up and down head nod like the flat walk, running walk, and fox trot.
Some smooth gaits do not have a head nod like the saddle rack. Some smooth gaits like the rack, the head moves side to side instead of up and down.
Adding to this, the flat-footed walk has an up and down head and neck nod that appears much like a flat walk, but this gait is not smooth. There is a lot of motion for the rider to follow with their lower back and hip joints. The flat walk is smooth with no motion for the rider to follow with their lower back and hip joints.
Another smooth gait with an up and down head and neck nod is the canter. Faults to the canter are the four-beat canter which is smooth, the cross canter (hind legs on the opposite lead from the front legs) and pace (lateral) canter. Both the cross canter and pace canter are not smooth. Other jarring gaits I encountered during our training include the hard trot and hard pace. Neither have a head nod.
Rewarding every few steps of smooth gait
For those of us DIY riders, it takes patience, understanding, time, and consistency to train a young, green naturally gaited horse to develop smooth gaits. Discovering how many consecutive steps of smooth flat walk my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse was capable of before losing balance or strength became helpful. Then I would stop to reward her before she broke into another gait. Positive reinforcement goes a long way.
Over time, with patience, my smooth gaited Tennessee Walking Horse took more and more consecutive steps of flat walk as she grew stronger.
Once my Tennessee Walking Horse developed the strength and balance to maintain more consecutive steps in the flat walk, I asked for more ground covering strides and tempo to develop the running walk. Then I asked for transitions from flat walk into a few steps of running walk on a straight line.
Canter improves smooth gait
At the end of the second summer, Makana was four years old. By this time we had developed flat walk and running walk on cue. Now it was time to introduce canter on cue.
Canter became my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse’s most challenging gait to develop. I’ve learned this is common among gaited horses. We wrestled with a lateral pace canter, a four-beat canter, a cross canter, and the wrong lead altogether, before we finally achieved a three-beat canter. This took time and practice. Makana’s left lead canter was easier to than her right lead. Most horses are asymmetrical, so one lead is normally easier than the other.
Mental and physical relaxation are important for canter. Many times canter excites the horse which can rattle a nervous rider. Using ground rails are helpful for the horse to take the correct lead.
Once Makana understood the canter cues, I used transitions from halt, rein back, and walk to canter on a large circle. Anytime the canter felt four-beat, we would ride canter along the rail of the arena and increased the tempo to achieve a three-beat canter.
2010: Riding at our first dressage show on a horse that didn’t trot.
When Makana was reliably taking either canter lead on cue, I began our riding sessions with canter, because it improved the quality of her flat walk. Canter was a great stretching and warm up exercise for her.
Improving smooth gait quality on cue
When my Tennessee Walking Horse turned five years old, we began to develop quality smooth gaits on cue. Quality smooth gaits include relaxation of mind and body, a consistent rhythm in foot falls, a head nod in timing with the hind leg steps, evenness of strides traveling both directions, forward movement without rushing, and developing maximum depth of stride in flat walk and running walk.
Developing quality smooth gaits on cue is a journey of consistent training and progress over time.
2015: Showing dressage with my Tennessee walking horse, Makana.
2021: My naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana. We are riding bareback in her smooth gait, an even four-beat flat walk riding on a loose rein in balance and self-carriage.
In 2021, Makana turned 17. My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse is well established in each quality smooth gait on cue: flat walk, running walk, flat-footed walk, saddle rack, and canter. Natural Smooth Gaits
Six helpful resources to develop a consistent smooth gait
1. Study books and videos demonstrating and explaining a natural smooth gait
Today, there are more resources available in training naturally gaited horses. One of my favorite books in learning smooth gaits as flat walk, fox trot, running walk, and saddle rack is, “Easy-Gaited Horses” by the late Lee Ziegler. This book describes how the smooth gaits sound and feel.
Some gaited horses are born more on the lateral side and pace can be their go-to gait. The best way to help a pacey gaited horse find a smooth gait is to help them find relaxation in mind and body, teach them bit acceptance and exercises that diagonalize the foot falls.
Here are a few great articles to break pace and develop a smooth gait:
3. Get good coaching from gaited dressage and gaited horsemanship instructors to develop smooth gait
I’ve been fortunately to get great coaching from gaited dressage instructors Jennie Jackson, Jennifer Bauer, and Larry Whitesell who traveled to my region. Jennie Jackson’s gaited dressage coaching has helped me establish connection and forwardness to improve quality smooth gaits on cue. Lessons with Jennie have helped me develop the feeling of right to better discern the quality of each smooth gait.
Riding at a Jennie Jackson Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic.
Jennifer Bauer and Larry Whitesell have helped me learn a natural and humane training philosophy which is based on classical French dressage. This method has helped me become a trusted leader in my partnership with my Tennessee Walking Horse and lead Makana into relaxation and balance.
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in with me and Makana.
4. Professional training for the horse (and rider) for a smooth gait
Some people send their gaited horse to a professional trainer to develop a smooth gait. Then the horse comes home, and they wonder why the horse offers a smooth gait for the trainer and not for them.
Professional training is a great investment, as long as you learn how to ride your gaited horse in the same manner it was trained to achieve the same results. This way you and your smooth gaited horse will speak the same smooth gaiting language. Learning to ride well takes time to develop—especially if dressage is your language of choice.
It is the rider’s sense of feel, balanced riding position, and use and timing of aids (leg, weight, seat and rein aids) that communicate with the horse and indicate which smooth gait to perform. This is why it is important for the rider to develop the same skillset from the trainer who taught the horse to gait.
5. Record your riding to confirm your smooth gait
I like to capture video when I ride my gaited horse. Videos help me see what I felt from the saddle during my ride. There are a few affordable robotic cameras on the market, such as Pivo a that work with smart phones. Otherwise, you can set your Smart phone or video camera on a tripod to capture glimpses of your ride. (Unless you are fortunate to have a willing friend to record your rides.)
Throughout my ride, I like to comment about how moments feel on the video. This helps me confirm whether or not what I watch matches what I felt at that moment. I’ve uploaded hundreds of my videos on the Naturally Gaited You Tube channel. If you like what you see, please subscribing to the channel. Then you’ll be prompted for the next video when it is uploaded.
How dressage improves quality smooth gait over time. (Makana age 19.)
6. Enter your gaited horse in schooling dressage shows
Aside from lessons and clinics, my next favorite way to get feedback from a professional, is by entering my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse in schooling dressage shows. These friendly and casual shows are a great way to get written feedback on the qualities of our training: relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, forward movement without rushing, quality gaits, execution of the test requirements, my riding position, and the use and timing of my aids. The judge will provide comments on the score sheet. This helps me know what to work on when we get home. I find this feedback priceless.
When I learn of a schooling dressage show in my area, I contact the show manager and ask if I can enter my gaited horse using a National Walking Horse of America (NWHA) or Friends of Sound Horses (FOSH) gaited dressage test. Then I send my tests with the entry form.
Dressage is more than trot
Since 2007, I have learned from personal experience, trot is not required to gain the benefits of dressage. Dressage does not MAKE the smooth gaited horse trot. Dressage does not ruin the natural smooth gaits. In fact, dressage actually improves the quality of smooth gaits on cue. Indeed, dressage is more than trot!
My naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse at 20 years old at a piaffe.
If your gaited horse doesn’t have a smooth gait, now you have a few new ideas to try and reclaim your SMOOTH! None of them require a special bit or saddle, special shoes or hoof angles.
Questions?
Let me know your thoughts by completing the form below.
Research by Dr. Hilary Clayton proves the chest muscles are a key to balance and collection. What does this mean for the naturally gaited horse?
Research Proves the Importance of the Chest Muscles for Balance & Collection
By Jennifer Klitzke
The article: Equine Biomechanics Research the Significance of a Horses Chest Sling Muscles has opened my eyes of awareness! This research by highly credentialed veterinarian Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, DACVSMR, FRCVS spans over 40 years of collecting data on gait analysis for dressage horses, most recently in the McPhail Equine Performance Center at Michigan State University where she conducted studies to evaluate a horse’s body during collection.
Dr. Clayton is not only an accomplished research veterinarian. She knows the how’s and why’s of collection and balance from the inside out. Dr. Clayton is a United States Dressage Federation Bronze, Silver, and Gold medalist, which requires showing through the Grand Prix level.
“I’ve been studying equine biomechanics for over 40 years,” said Dr. Clayton. “And I am convinced that understanding the action of the horse’s sling muscles and the role of the forelimbs are crucial to understanding the mechanics of self-carriage in the dressage horse.”
Awakening to the Biomechanics of Balance
I dreamed of owning a horse from the time I was three. Then in 1988, when my career could support a horse, I became the proud owner of a five-year-old Trakehner/ thoroughbred gelding named Seili. Dressage became my passion and study. Seili’s lofty trot was far from smooth, yet I learned to ride and show him as an adult amateur dressage rider/trainer.
Dressage taught me to stretch my horse’ top line, engage the hindquarters, and encourage my horse to step deeper under the belly at a trot as the energy carried through the body to the bit.
Seili and I did lots and lots of long and low trotting on a 20-meter circle to strengthen his top line muscles. As an adult amateur dressage rider/trainer, it took us several years to move from Training Level to First Level and then Second Level.
Several years of long and low didn’t prepare us for Second Level
Second Level dressage is when the horse demonstrates collection and balance through movements as the shoulder-in, haunches-in, walk pirouettes, and transitions between collected and medium gaits.
Several years of long and low didn’t teach us collection and balance. Several years of long and low taught us to travel on the forehand. Second Level was like starting our training all over again.
It took a couple more years of schooling Second Level before Seili and I were ready to show Second Level. The exercises of shoulder-in, haunches-in, walk pirouette, and transitions between gaits did their job to develop balance and collection. All along I had thought my horse become lighter and more balanced because I had engaged the hindquarters to step deeper under the belly with the hind legs, activate the abdominal muscles to lift the back and raise the wither. Then capture the energy through his body to the bit.
Yet it never occurred to me these balancing exercises activated the shoulder and pectoral muscles.
The chest muscles were never talked about: Not in my lessons, not in the clinics I attended, not in the books I read, not in the videos I watched.
My Trakehner/Thoroughbred and I began schooling Third Level dressage before his age took over, and we dropped out of competition. When Seili reached his mid 20s, I began searching for another horse.
Bumpy to Smooth Gaits
Seili’s bumpy trot made me long for a smoother ride. That’s when I began my search for a naturally smooth gaited horse.
On a cold February day, a just turning three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse named Makana met me at the fence and warmed my heart. She became my first smooth gaited horse on Valentine’s Day 2007.
I applied the dressage principles I had learned with my new gaited horse. We did lots of long and low on a 20-meter circle at a walk and flat walk to develop her top line muscles. I encouraged her to step deeper under her body to increase her depth of stride.
As Makana matured, I began balancing exercises as the shoulder-in, haunches-in, rein back, and transitions between the smooth gaits.
Then I learned of a DVD by Lisa Maxwell: Getting Started with Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as taught by Jean Claude Racinet presented by one of his students Lisa Maxwell. This DVD introduced the counted walk—something I had never heard of before.
Jean Claude Racinet’s book Another Horsemanship and Lisa Maxwell’s DVD Getting Started In Lightness: The French Classical Dressage of Francois Baucher as taught by Jean Claude Racinet presented by one of his students Lisa Maxwell.
When I began teaching the counted walk to my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse is when I began to FEEL balance like I had never felt before. Balance feels like she is lowering behind, rounding her back beneath me, and lifting her wither, neck and head while lightening her forehand.
Lateral exercises at a slow collected walk help the naturally gaited horse develop balance.
Still, all along, I believed that lightening the forehand and raising the wither were due to the engaging the hindquarters. Yes, this is part of the equation, but Dr. Clayton’s research opened my eyes. The important role the shoulder and pectoral muscles play in collection and balance is as much of an epiphany to me as it must have been to people who learned that the world was round, not flat!
Over 30 years of dressage study never taught the importance of engaging the shoulder and pectoral muscles in order to raise the wither and lighten the forehand until Dr. Clayton’s research proves it.
Now I know WHY the shoulder-in, shoulder-out, rein back, and counted walk are so effective in developing balance and collection. Now I know why I FEEL balance and collection during these exercises, because they activate the very muscles that lift the wither and lighten the forehand.
What does Dr. Clayton’s research mean for the naturally gaited horse?
Thanks to Dr. Clayton I have new eyes of awareness as I ride and train my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana, and fox trotting horse, Lady.
Do you have a gaited horse that feels heavy on the forehand, like riding in a car with no suspension in front as your horse pounds the ground with their front feet? Does your horse lean heavy in your hands?
Well, I did. That’s my naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady.
Here is my naturally gaited fox trotting horse, Lady, in a long and low position. While she is relaxed, she is disengaged from behind (not stepping deep under the body), has a hollow back and collapsed pectoral muscles. She is not effectively developing the top line muscles in the position, she is traveling on the forehand, and behind the bit.
Bit problem or posture problem
I had been conditioned to think “back to front” in my dressage riding. Before learning about Dr. Clayton’s research, I had been trying to engage Lady from behind to lighten the forehand. Lady’s response: rush quicker and get heavier in my hands. Not the result I hoped for. So I tried all kinds of bits. Same result.
Dr. Clayton’s research helped me notice when Lady gets heavy in my hands, it is because she is heavy on the forehand. Why? Lady had slouching chest muscles. Lady didn’t have a bit problem. She had a posture problem. It’s like Lady had a flat tire in her chest. Once I began to inflate her flat tire with chest-engaging exercises, Lady became lighter in my hands and more balanced.
Dr. Clayton’s research proves to me the answer lies in chest-engaging exercises to help Lady find balance and collection. Anytime Lady feels heavy in my hands, I transition her to exercises like the shoulder-in on a small circle and shoulder-out, pivot the fore, counted walk, or rein back.
These exercises activate Lady’s shoulder and pectoral muscles while they also engage the hindquarters and abdominal muscles. The result of engaging Lady’s chest-engaging exercises: she becomes more balanced, lighter in my hand, and lighter on the forehand.
The rein back engages the hindquarters and abdominal muscles to lift the back and engaging the chest muscles raises the wither.
Whether you ride a naturally smooth gaited horse or a non-gaited trotting horse, Dr. Clayton’s research about chest muscles for developing balance can help you no matter what stage of dressage training your horse is at.
Lady’s smooth gait today has more balance and lightness.
Many thanks to Dr. Hilary Clayton, BVMS, PhD, DACVSMR, FRCVS for her equine research that can help us improve our horse’s quality of balanced movement.
Questions?
Let me know your thoughts by completing the form below.
Are naturally gaited horses supposed to be smooth? Why do gaited horse fall in and out of a smooth gait or not at all? How can a naturally gaited horse develop quality smooth gaits?
Developing Quality Smooth Gaits One Step at a Time
By Jennifer Klitzke
Lots of people buy a naturally gaited horse believing they automatically offer a smooth gait all the time. Some gaited horses are all born with this ability, but most need training to develop a consistent smooth gait.
Dressage is one form of training for the naturally gaited horse to develop quality smooth gaits. Through exercises that develop relaxation, balance, rhythm, connection, symmetry and engagement, a gaited horse can develop quality smooth gaits on cue.
How? With three important keys.
1. Know the difference between a quality smooth step and a step that is unbalanced, rushed, hollow, tense, or disengaged.
2. Practice quality smooth steps.
3. Stop and reward the horse before the steps get pacey, out of balance, tense or hurried.
In the beginning it might be one or two steps. Then it leads to a few quality steps. Over time the few steps become a few minutes of quality smooth steps.
Avoid practicing poor quality steps, because that’s the muscle memory you’ll create. Practice consistent quality smooth steps to deliver clear communication to your horse.
When my horse becomes unbalanced, loses rhythm and rushes, hollows or becomes disengaged, that’s a great clue to simply slow down to a relaxed and balanced walk and re-establish quality smooth steps.
When I’ve re-established a quality walk, then I transition to the smooth gait a quality step to quality steps.
Over time, a few quality steps turn into circles of quality steps. Seconds into minutes for longer durations of quality smooth gait over time.
How can you tell the difference between a quality smooth step from a smooth step that is unbalanced, rushed, hollow, tense, or disengaged?
I’ve been perusing my equestrian education since 1988 and there is always more to learn. Taking lessons, attending clinics, studying DVDs, reading books, and recording rides are great ways to learn. All of this helps me become a more effective rider and better communicator with my naturally gaited horses.
Good dressage lessons are important to gain timely feedback. This feedback helps the rider develop the feeling of right and the feeling of the horse falling out of balance, rushing, hollowing, tensing, or disengaging and knowing what to do to regain the feeling of right.
What if my naturally gaited horse paces instead of walks?
Again, a good dressage instructor can help you determine why your horse is pacing.
There are many reasons why a naturally gaited horse paces:
Sometimes the horse has developed the habit of pacing.
A dressage instructor can help you learn exercises like shoulder in, shoulder out, haunches in at a slow walk that help to break up the pace into a four-step walk.
Sometimes the horse paces because it is tense in the mouth and back.
Lateral exercises also break up tension and help to soften, supple and strengthen the naturally gaited horse.
Sometimes the horse paces because the equipment causes pain.
A good dressage instructor can help you find an english or western saddle that fits you and your horse without pinching or hollowing the back. An instructor can help you learn how to develop a balanced riding position (ear, hip, heal) over the horse’s center of balance. This helps to be an easier load to carry and not throw the horse out of balance.
A good dressage instructor can also teach you how to help the naturally gaited horse accept and follow a light snaffle bit contact. This relaxes the mouth, lower jaw, and poll and has an effect on the entire horse.
Sometimes a horse paces because the rider throws the rhythm off
The horse’s footfall rhythm can been disrupted when the rider cues at the wrong time. A good dressage instructor with teach you effective timing of aids.
Another reason the horse paces is when the rider doesn’t follow the natural movement of the horse’s head and neck, lower back, hip joints and leg with the belly sway. A good dressage instructor can teach you how to follow the horse’s natural movement without disrupting the timing of steps and without creating tension in the horse.
Sometimes a horse paces because it was born to pace
Is there hope for a naturally horse who was bred to pace? Yes, a good dressage instructor can help you learn all the above and your horse can learn a smoother gait.
Will it be easy? No, but with patience, joy, and perseverance, breaking free from a hard pace is possible.
Video: Quality Step to Quality Steps
In this video I share what I’ve learned from good dressage instructors about developing quality smooth gaits — one step at a time.
Questions?
Let me know your thoughts by completing the form below.
Have you heard people say, “Never trot a gaited horse, because trot will ruin the smooth gait?” I bought a gaited horse for a smooth ride. Yet I discovered how a quality trot on cue can improve the quality of the smooth gait.
Here’s my story.
Benefits of Teaching the Smooth Gaited Horse a Quality Trot on Cue
By Jennifer Klitzke
Walk-trot-canter are my roots. I began dressage with non-gaited horse breeds in 1988. Twenty-nine years later, my youthful mind grew into a grandma body. Dressage with smooth gaited horses launched my new destiny. I thought my posting days were behind me. Then I discovered a quality trot on cue offers great benefits for the naturally gaited horse.
Whoever panicked gaited horse riders by saying trot ruins smooth gait, missed two important facts.
First, the difference between letting a gaited horse trot versus the rider directing the horse into a quality trot on cue. The former lets the horse train the rider. The latter is the rider training the gaited horse.
Secondly, not all trot is the same. Just as not all gait is the same. There are quality smooth gaits that have relaxation, even strides, regular rhythm and tempo. Just as there are poor-quality gaits with short and uneven strides, a hollow frame, irregular rhythm, and a rushed tempo that fall in and out of pace and a smooth gait.
Trotting the naturally gaited horse isn’t for every rider and every horse. If you ask an educated dressage rider, teaching a gaited horse a quality trot on cue has many benefits.
Video: Benefits of Trotting the Gaited Horse on Cue
Benefits of a quality trot on cue for the smooth gaited horse:
Helps develop relaxation
Develops the top line muscles when ridden in a neutral position
Develops rhythm
Improves engagement and forward movement without rushing
Strengthens the hind quarters for deeper strides reaching under the body
The diagonalized motion of trot breaks up a lateral moving pace
Teaching the naturally gaited horse a quality trot on cue improves rhythm and engagement that can improve these qualities of the smooth natural gaits. Plus, the diagonalized foot fall of the trot can help break up a lateral pace.
Transforming a hard trotting gaited horse with dressage
Lady was purchased from a sale barn. My friend was told she was a six-year-old unregistered gaited horse. Yet the only gaits Lady had were a walk and a hard trot. After a couple years of trail riding on a long floppy rein with Lady, my friend brought her to my place. She wanted to know if Lady had a smooth gait after all.
Dressage rider meets a trail ridden gaited horse
Riding with a light snaffle bit contact was as new to Lady as riding on a long floppy rein to me. I did my best to keep arena riding interesting for Lady. I mixed up our rides with lots of transitions, circles, serpentines, changes of direction along the diagonal, and lateral exercises.
My strategy with Lady: We began with a relaxed state of mind and body beginning at a walk. Then I would increase the tempo before she began trotting. Over time, Lady developed three smooth gaits on cue: a dog walk, a fox walk, and fox trot.
Lady’s smooth gaits aren’t showy, but they are fun to ride, especially on the trail. We see a lot of the forest in a short amount of time and my grandma body doesn’t pay for it later! Plus, I took the dressage to the trail, and it made both Lady and I happy. Dressage made more sense to Lady on the trail than the arena.
I also learned that Lady enjoyed our time together best when I met her halfway. I asked for a smooth gait on cue with a light snaffle bit contact. Then I would release the contact to a long floppy rein as long as she maintained her smooth gait in self-carriage. This was Lady’s reward, and this dressage rider enjoyed another way of riding.
Who says dressage needs to be in an arena?
Lady’s first dressage show as a smooth gaited horse
In July 2016, I entered Lady in her first dressage show. It was a North American Western Dressage Virtual Show open to smooth gaited horses. Even unregistered grade horses, like Lady, were welcome to enter!
Lady and I rode a Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test. It included walk, free walk, and a smooth gait which replaced the jog trot. Also, the dressage test required a snaffle bit contact with no floppy reins during the test.
Turns out, Lady was the only smooth gaited horse competing at our level. In her first show, she placed 5th of 9 horses with a score of 60.357%. I was thrilled!
Lady in her smooth gait while showing her first Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test
The ah-hah moment: Feedback from the dressage judge
The dressage judge provided wonderful written feedback on our dressage test. While I was happy with Lady’s smooth gait, the judge noted where Lady seemed tense and lacked engagement. She also pointed out where Lady moved more relaxed and engaged to work towards that.
The feedback provided helpful insights in our training and what needed improvement. Since our dressage test was recorded, I could watch where the judge made these comments!
The ah-hah moment was realizing the difference between a smooth gait and a QUALITY smooth gait!
Up to this point, developing a smooth gait was my goal. Now I had a new goal: developing quality smooth gait. I began focusing on a relaxed state of mind and body, engagement from behind, and a softer connection with the bridle.
Lady’s response to engagement wasn’t rainbows and unicorns. She resisted by rushing off with tense, short steps until she blasted into a hard, hollow trot. Ooh, my grandma body felt those jolts! Then I had a flash back to my trotting horse days and had an epiphany.
Epiphany: Drawing insights from dressage with non-gaited horses…a quality trot on cue!
The jarring trot jolted my memory back to the days I posted 20-meter circles developing a quality trot on cue. A quality trot helps develop the horse’s top line muscles with a relaxed mind and body, as well as rhythm, connection, and engagement from behind.
Did you know that not all trot is the same?
When a trotting horse is tense and hollow, the trot is a rough ride. When the horse learns to relax its back, engage from behind, and step deeper under its belly, the trot becomes smoother. I learned this to develop a manageable sitting trot. Plus, a relaxed back is beneficial for the horse.
Recalling these benefits of a quality trot on cue became my strategy for Lady. Any time she resisted a quality smooth gait on cue by blasting into a hard trot, I redirected her into a QUALITY trot on cue.
While teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue, it is important to allow moments for the horse to stretch out and down to stretch the topline muscles and spine. The rider lightens their posting in a two-point position to allow the horse’s back to round. Avoid too many consecutive steps in this position as it drives the horse onto the forehand.
Huh!? Why would I teach trot to the hard trotting gaited horse I just taught a smooth gait?!
The difference between evading through hard trot and teaching a quality trot on cue
There is a big difference between an evasive hard trot the horse chooses and the rider teaching the horse a quality trot on cue.
Lady’s hard trot was an evasion to avoid a quality smooth gait on cue. The hard trot is not quality, nor was it on cue. She would grab the bit and run away in a tense, high headed hollow trot. Left unchecked, Lady was training me.
Instead, I need to teach Lady a new way to trot. I needed to guide her trot into relaxed state of mind and body, moving forward from behind into a light contact with the snaffle bit on a 20-meter circle, and develop an even rhythm and tempo without rushing.
Teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue has many benefits:
Breaks up lateral pacey movement since trot is a diagonal gait
Develops the abdominal muscles to lift the back to a neutral to round position instead of an unhealthy hollow positionStretches the top line muscles and spine, when trotting in a neutral position, which is beneficial to the gaited horse
Stretches the outside muscles when performed on a 20-meter circle and promotes symmetry when both directions are stretched
Develops the topline muscles of the neck and back instead of the underside neck muscles
Encourages engagement which teaches the gaited horse to step deeper under the body with each hind leg step and lift the back to a neutral to round position producing depth of stride to improve the quality of the smooth gait
Develops rhythm that improves quality in all gaits
Teaches the gaited horse gaits on cue, teaches rider and horse proper roles in the relationship
Teaching a smooth gaited horse a quality trot (or soft trot as shown) on cue has many benefits: engagement, rhythm, balance, strengthening the top line muscles, and breaking up pace. This type of trot produces depth of stride which improves the quality of the smooth gait.
After a few circles of quality trot, I cue for the smooth gait. I am amazed how much better the smooth gait has improved after a few circles of quality trot on cue.
Lady’s easy gait improves in engagement, rhythm, and balance after a few 20-meter circles of quality trot on cue.
My strategy has been to ask Lady for an engaged smooth gait on cue first. If her response is resistance or a lack of engagement, then I cue for a quality trot. It doesn’t take Lady long to prefer an engaged smooth gait over a quality trot on cue.
Second dressage show as a smooth gaited horse
In September 2016, we put our strategy to the test. I entered Lady as a smooth gaited horse in her second Western Gaited Dressage Intro Test with the NAWD Virtual Show.
Not only did Lady’s smooth gait improve with more relaxation and engagement, but she placed 2nd of 11 horses with a score of 64.821%. Lady was the only smooth gaited horse in the class!
Video: Western GaitedDressage Intro Test
Teaching the smooth gaited horse a quality trot on cue isn’t for every rider or every horse. It has helped my gaited horse, Lady establish more engagement in her smooth gait. Now that she is working in a quality smooth gait with connection, rhythm, relaxation and engagement, I haven’t had to ask for the quality trot on cue.
Will trotting a gaited horse on cue ruin the smooth gait?
Whoever began the myth, “Never trot a gaited horse, because trot will ruin the smooth gait,” maybe didn’t know the difference between letting the gaited horse hard trot versus training the gaited horse a quality trot on cue.
A quality trot on cue teaches the gaited horse rhythm, relaxation, balance, and forward movement without rushing to develop engagement, a softer connection, a deeper stride beneath the body with each hind leg, and it breaks up a lateral moving pace.
My naturally gaited fox trotting mare, Lady in a quality, balanced fox trot with contact.
That’s where years of dressage on trotting horses have paid off for me. I never imagined that I would be trotting a smooth gaited horse on purpose, since I got a gaited horse for a SMOOTH ride. Yet I discovered that teaching the gaited horse a quality trot on cue can improve the quality of the smooth gait.
In the end Lady prefers an engaged smooth gait over a quality trot on cue any day, and that makes us both happy!
Over the last thirty-five years, I have studied from many circles of thought that have shaped my riding paradigm with dressage as the basis of communication.
By Jennifer Klitzke
As an avid dressage rider and passionate equestrian of humane training methods for over three decades, I have studied from many circles of thought. Throughout this blog you will encounter the sources, experiences, and people who have shaped the foundation of how I ride, train, and relate with my naturally gaited horses using dressage as the basis of communication in everything we do.
Among the many circles of thought and experience that encompass my riding paradigm are German dressage, French dressage, natural horsemanship, naturally gaited horse training, biomechanics of riding, biomechanics of movement, natural hoof trimming, horse care, showing dressage, cross country, stadium jumping, rail class, endurance, competitive trail, trail obstacles, and cow sorting leagues.
The common denominator of the many circles of thought and experience I embrace is humane training with respect for the horse. No abusive methods. No gadgets or artificial enhancements. And consistent communication using dressage.
Lady free walk and fox trot.
Lifelong learning
Since learning is a lifelong study, how I relate with horses today has changed since I first began. I began with one circle of thought, mainly because when I began, one-on-one lessons from a local instructor and book learning were my only options. Today through digital media, we are blessed with instant access to dozens of humane training options from thousands of unique perspectives.
When I encounter a new circle, I give it critical thought, dabble in its tips and concepts, and take relevant parts into my riding and training. Sometimes I drop old ideas for new ideas, but I still hold onto the many circles. One circle doesn’t replace the rest.
Learning is an investment of time, money and commitment—especially the study and application of dressage. I have invested a college education’s worth of lessons over the years. Timely feedback through regular lessons taught me how to ride with feel; develop a partnership of trust and a consistent communication system with my horse using my reins, legs, seat, and weight aids; find a balanced riding position over the horse’s center of gravity; interpret the horse’s body language; and help my horse develop full range of motion and quality gaits for long-term soundness.
Lady’s collected fox trot.
How the many circles improve my dressage
I like to embrace effective humane training methods from more than one circle of thought to enhance my horse’s relaxation of mind and body, balance, forward rhythm and tempo without rushing, connection, quality movement, suppleness, and build a harmonious partnership. I believe these qualities make for a great dressage foundation no matter which circle of thought offers the insight.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying German dressage and French dressage. As a result, I blend precision and timing of aids with lightness of philosophy and joy in my heart.
From jambette to steps of Spanish Walk with a Tennessee Walking Horse.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider by learning from both local instructors and traveling clinicians. Local instructors help me persevere in my growth over time while traveling clinicians offer new insights from their breadth and depth of experience.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying the work of natural horsemanship cowboys. These horsemen and women have taught me the value of communicating with a horse in ways a horse understands, the importance of establishing trusted leadership in the relationship, and the benefits of groundwork and desensitization.
This trail obstacle is harder than it looks!
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider by breaking up arena work with trail riding, endurance riding, trail obstacles, and cow sorting leagues. The hills and uneven terrain improve our balance and stamina while the latter put my communication through the aids to the test in real time.
Marvel enjoys exploring.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after studying the anatomy of the hoof and understanding it’s impact on movement to promote soundness without shoes. While I’m not a professional farrier, I am an educated care giver.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider after spending time riding bareback. Through riding bareback, I’ve improved my balance and core and a better sense of feel.
Riding my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse barefoot and bareback at a flat walk.
I think I’ve become a better dressage rider through showing, even when I’m the only rider on a horse that doesn’t trot. And I think trotting horses have made me a better rider of naturally gaited horses. Practicing for a dressage show has forced me to face what I’d rather avoid. Shows challenge me to strengthen our weaknesses and become more ambidextrous as a rider and help my horse develop symmetry.
Showing Makana, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse at a traditional schooling dressage show at a flat walk instead of a trot.
Will we be in the Olympics someday? No, but I think I’m a better dressage rider than I’d be if I only stuck to one circle of thought.
Questions?
Let me know your thoughts by completing the form below.
Contains information related to marketing campaigns of the user. These are shared with Google AdWords / Google Ads when the Google Ads and Google Analytics accounts are linked together.
90 days
__utma
ID used to identify users and sessions
2 years after last activity
__utmt
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests
10 minutes
__utmb
Used to distinguish new sessions and visits. This cookie is set when the GA.js javascript library is loaded and there is no existing __utmb cookie. The cookie is updated every time data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
30 minutes after last activity
__utmc
Used only with old Urchin versions of Google Analytics and not with GA.js. Was used to distinguish between new sessions and visits at the end of a session.
End of session (browser)
__utmz
Contains information about the traffic source or campaign that directed user to the website. The cookie is set when the GA.js javascript is loaded and updated when data is sent to the Google Anaytics server
6 months after last activity
__utmv
Contains custom information set by the web developer via the _setCustomVar method in Google Analytics. This cookie is updated every time new data is sent to the Google Analytics server.
2 years after last activity
__utmx
Used to determine whether a user is included in an A / B or Multivariate test.
18 months
_ga
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gali
Used by Google Analytics to determine which links on a page are being clicked
30 seconds
_ga_
ID used to identify users
2 years
_gid
ID used to identify users for 24 hours after last activity
24 hours
_gat
Used to monitor number of Google Analytics server requests when using Google Tag Manager
1 minute
Marketing cookies are used to follow visitors to websites. The intention is to show ads that are relevant and engaging to the individual user.
A video-sharing platform for users to upload, view, and share videos across various genres and topics.
Registers a unique ID on mobile devices to enable tracking based on geographical GPS location.
1 day
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE
Tries to estimate the users' bandwidth on pages with integrated YouTube videos. Also used for marketing
179 days
PREF
This cookie stores your preferences and other information, in particular preferred language, how many search results you wish to be shown on your page, and whether or not you wish to have Google’s SafeSearch filter turned on.
10 years from set/ update
YSC
Registers a unique ID to keep statistics of what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
Session
DEVICE_INFO
Used to detect if the visitor has accepted the marketing category in the cookie banner. This cookie is necessary for GDPR-compliance of the website.
179 days
LOGIN_INFO
This cookie is used to play YouTube videos embedded on the website.
You must be logged in to post a comment.