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.
There’s more to riding than a horse than being a passenger or learning a set of cues. Here’s my journey to developing trust and a safer ride.
A Trusted Leader
By Jennifer Klitzke
Let the horse know you’re the boss. Did you grow up with this paradigm? I did. This understanding accompanied crude cues as “kick to go” and “pull to stop.”
My riding experiences early on had been the long-awaited annual birthday trail rides at a local horse rental establishment. Mom believed I’d outgrow this horse madness someday. It only grew stronger as the candles grew brighter on my cake.
Upon graduating and getting my first career job, I saved enough money to purchase my first horse in 1988, an off-the-track thoroughbred, named Seasons. Not long thereafter a fellow boarder gently asked me, “Who are you going to take lessons from?”
My first horse, an off-the-track-thoroughbred mare named Seasons.
“Lessons?” I replied, “Why take lessons now that I own a horse!?”
Ignorantly I thought lessons were for horseless people looking for an opportunity to ride—not for horse owners desiring a more effective way to communicate with their horse. Adding to this, I thought there were two kinds of riding, English or western, defined by the saddle style you chose. (Wowzers, did I have a lot to learn!)
This kindhearted boarder invited me to watch a nearby dressage show. “Dressage? What is that?” Curious, I had to find out.
An Introduction to Dressage
We arrived at Brightonwood Farm just as Kathy Theisen entered the arena on a majestic Morgan named Bullwinkle. The music began and the duo danced as one to the rhythm of a waltz, skipping along the diagonal in flying tempe changes and floating across the arena at an extended trot. Kathy rode with an effortless finesse. No “kick to go” or “pull to stop.” In fact, I didn’t even see her cues. It was as if Bullwinkle read her mind! Adding to this was Kathy’s genuine smile emanating an unspeakable joy as she rode through this dynamic dance. This was my introduction to dressage.
Kathy Theisen and Bullwinkle.
No wonder my boarder friend asked me about lessons—no joke, I needed them!
Even more than learning a set of communication tools, I wanted to learn how to have a relationship with my horse like Kathy had with her Bullwinkle.
Back in 1988, the German form of dressage predominated my region, so I learned how to become a more technically correct dressage rider for the show ring.
Fear Meets French Dressage
After a few unexpected falls, I became a nervous and reactive rider, always on guard for the “what if.” Unknowingly, my fear transmitted insecurity to my horse and a lack of trust. My horse’s response further triggered more fear in me. So, I controlled my environment by riding in an indoor arena with few distractions for self-preservations sake. Technically correct but far from the pure joy and dance duo of Kathy and Bullwinkle.
A few years later Dominique Barbier, a French classical dressage clinician began traveling to my region. He demonstrated a similar oneness with the horses he rode. His joyful, harmonious human-horse partnership re-inspired me. This had been lacking from my technically correct and controlled regimen.
I took my horse to a few of Dominique’s clinics. He called out my reactive riding and explained the importance of riding for the horse’s sake by visualizing a plan. Providing a direction. Being the leader of our dance partnership instead of letting fear drive our dance. It was a turning point to becoming a trusted leader.
Cowboys are Skilled Riders, too
While becoming a more technically correct dressage rider, I held an arrogant belief that only dressage riders practiced the skill of riding. Cowboys did not. That was until my friend Judy invited me to watch Pat Parelli. He introduced the philosophy of natural horsemanship. During his symposium, Pat rode his horse alongside a black stallion who was at liberty and mimicked each movement Pat’s his mount performed as he rode. I left his natural horsemanship event deeply inspired and awestruck with what is possible in partnership with a horse! Kathy and Bullwinkle, Dominique and now Pat.
No matter how many 20-meter circles I perfect or how technically correct my riding position may become, it has not brought about the dance partnership and harmonious joy I sought. Something needed to change and that begins with me.
Gaited Horses meet French Dressage
In 2008 I became acquainted with the work of Larry Whitesell who combines French classical dressage with natural horsemanship for gaited horses. In fact, I was interested to learn that his turning point came about when he studied under Dominique Barbier.
I’ve participated at several of Larry’s 3-day clinics and a 5-day clinic, have studied his DVDs, and audited many more of his clinics when he came to my region. His unique riding philosophy is based upon French dressage, years of showing and training gaited horses, and understanding how the horse thinks and relates with its rider. He teaches riders the horse’s need for safety and to lead the horse into relaxation and balance.
Larry says, “Don’t teach the horse what NOT to do. Teach the horse what TO do.”
Instead of punishing the horse for making a mistake, he redirects the horse to find balance and relaxation. This way the horse’s need for security will be satisfied, and the horse will better trust the rider as a reliable leader. This translates into less spooks, bolts, bucks, buddy sourness, and rears. The more a horse can depend upon a rider for security, the more the rider can trust the horse on the trail. It’s a win-win partnership.
Jennifer and her 6-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse at a clinic with Larry Whitesell teaching us lateral exercises.
Larry propelled me into becoming a trusted leader. He also pointed me into further study of classical French dressage masters as the late Jean Claude Racinet and Philippe Karl.
A Journey of Thanks
I am thankful for the years of study in how to become a more technically correct rider. It was an excellent place to start and certainly better than “kick to go” and “pull to stop.” Yet my zeal for more pressed on. I wanted the relationship Kathy had with Bullwinkle waltzing along the diagonal; the harmonious human-horse partnership Dominique has with horses; the inspiring connection Pat Parelli has with a horse at liberty while riding another; and becoming a trusted leader like Larry is with his horses.
I am thankful to the kindhearted boarder who showed me that lessons are for horse owners, too. I am thankful to Kathy and Bullwinkle who awakened me to dressage as a dance partnership of harmony and joy. I am thankful to Dominique who confronted my reactionary riding fears and taught me to visualize a plan for my horse’s sake. I am thankful to Pat who inspired me with natural horsemanship and humbled my arrogance that there is more than one way to ride with skill. Indeed, cowboys can gifted riders, too. I am thankful to Larry who taught me how to lead my horse into balance and relaxation and point me toward the study of French dressage with my naturally gaited horses.
And thanks to God for giving me the courage to face my fears, new perspectives, and for providing these people and many others who have shown me the way to becoming a trusted leader.
I am still a work in progress, but far from the reactionary rider of my past, and closer to my aspiration of a Kathy and Bullwinkle dance duo.
I hope this is helpful. Let me know your thoughts by sending a message.
High scoring dressage tests award the horse and rider who demonstrate a culmination of rhythm (with energy and tempo), relaxation (elasticity and suppleness), connection (acceptance of the aids and bit), impulsion (energy and thrust, straightness with alignment and balance), and collection (engagement, self carriage, and lightness of the forehand) as they move through a series of gaits, transitions, and movements precisely on the letter. Gait quality, harmony, and submission are factors in scoring, as well as rider’s position and use of aids as they are applied to ride the horse through the required movements of the test.
From time to time I’ve seen “needs more balance” written on gaited dressage tests I’ve ridden. While I know that balance is a dressage essential, I began to explore the “feeling of balance” as I ride my naturally gaited Walking horse. What does it feel like when my horse is in balance? What does it feel like when my horse is out of balance? As the rider, how can I identify, restore and maintain my horse’s balance?
Recently two of my favorite traveling clinicians came to town: international bio-mechanics riding coach Mary Wanless and successful Grand Prix dressage rider Heather Blitz (who is also a long-time student of Mary’s). While Mary’s clinic helped each rider discover the feeling of a balanced riding position, Heather’s clinic offered metaphors to help rider’s get in touch with the feeling of their horse’s balance and offered terrific training tips whenever their horses lost balance. Both clinics featured trotting horses, yet the teachings of rider bio-mechanics and the feeling of balance certainly translate to the riding of gaited horses.
In regards to the feeling of balance, Heather encouraged riders to imagine a medicine ball inside the horse’s body while they rode and to notice where the weight of it tends to rest. If it feels like it rests in the horse’s chest then the horse tends to be more on the forehand, and if the medicine ball feels as if it is right beneath the rider’s seat, that indicates that the horse is more in balance with the rider.
Heather’s “medicine ball” metaphor has helped me gain rider awareness with the feeling of balance. My awareness of balance is an essential first step in me being able to guide my naturally gaited Walking horse into reposition her body as she learns better balance. Whenever my mare feels like her balance is in her chest instead of beneath my seat, or whenever she leans on the bit or rushes with short, quick strides, I calmly and quietly half half, halt or halt and softly rein back a couple steps until I feel her balance shift from in front of the saddle to under my seat. Then I calmly and gently cue her forward.
The more we practice this at a flatwalk, the more balanced steps we have in succession. It feels like my seat and my horse’s core snap together like a Lego, and we travel together as one unit with power from her hindquarters through her body, an engaged abdomen which lifts her back and withers, and the forward energy flows through my fists and pushes forward towards the bit with each head nod.
I’m so excited with how this feels and the difference it is making in our gaited dressage. Please share your thoughts as you experiment with the medicine ball metaphor and the feeling of balance.
Fear is a struggle many riders can relate to, like me. Yet there is hope. Today, I ride with much more confidence, and my horses have more faith in me, too.
Here’s my story…
Spooky Horse or Nervous Rider?
By Jennifer Klitzke
A traumatic fall in 1990 gripped me with paralyzing riding fear. I became a precautionary rider and only felt safe riding in a highly controlled environment. I only rode in an indoor arena, no distractions, on a calm day, in a small circle at a slow walk.
Control only lasted so long.
Famished, fear awaits another opportunity. My horse moves unexpectedly. Fear whispers, “Just what MIGHT happen next?”
Replaying falling flashbacks across my mind I must have fallen a hundred times by know. I halt frozen. I can’t breathe. My horse tenses. “Uh, oh, here we go again!” says fear.
I snatch up the reins. My horse begins the “I gotta get outta here” dance. “You’re going to fall off again!” warns fear. I quickly dismount in self-protection and return home wet with tears. Again.
Am I reacting to a spooky horse? Or am I leading my horse into a spookiness with my nervousness?
I faced a crossroads: Do I give up my passion for riding horses or courageously face this fear.
My passion wins out, and I courageously face my fear. Just how do I break this cycle?
Facing fear hasn’t been easy, nor was it an overnight fix. There were many who have helped me―including my faith. I couldn’t have overcome fear on my own.
Since 1990, I have developed a theory based upon my plight: Some horses are more reactive than others, and a fearful rider heightens a horse’s reactivity.
My husband proves it to me each time my horse spooks at the swaying bird-filled bush on a windy day. My darling husband hops on and in minutes he’s riding my horse by the disco bush without a care. I’ve had hundreds of riding lessons, and he’s had a handful. How does he do it?
For starters, I believe God brought horses into my life to mirror my soul and help me get in touch with what’s really going on. After a rough day at the office, I used to think going to the barn to ride my horses will make me feel better, only to have had a horrible ride and leave feeling even worse than when I arrived.
Two lessons can be gleaned from this. First of all, I believe God has used horses to teach me about myself and lean on him as my source of life, not wrongfully place the burden on my horses. From time to time, I lose sight of this, and horses continue to humble me and keep my priorities in order. God has given me life purpose, meaning, and an identity. He has also given me the courage to persevere through facing my riding fear and not give up.
Secondly, horses are sensitive creatures and react to what’s going on in me. When I have a rough day at the office, my horses mirror the junk in my soul. Now I’ve learned. If I desire a quality time with my horses, I need to leave work at work.
Larry Whitesell demonstrating and explaining shoulder-in as I get a feel for it from the saddle.
In addition, I learned the importance of leadership from Larry Whitesell and Jennifer Bauer. If my horse reacts to noise or sudden movement, how I react to my horse makes all the difference. When I maintain a sense of calm and redirect her attention back to balance and relaxation, that’s when we are successful. BUT when I react to what she MIGHT do, irrational fear springs up in me, my body tenses, I snatch up the reins, and this only reinforces my horse’s nervousness.
Larry and Jennifer taught me how to become a trusted leader with my horses and riding with the mindset of meeting the horse’s needs. Horses look to the rider for leadership. If the rider doesn’t lead the horse to a place of wellbeing, the horse will take matters into their own hands. Horses generally don’t make good decisions, so it is in our best interest that I learn how to lead well. I will stay safer, my horse will remain calmer, and the voice of fear will not whisper in either of our ears.
Jennie Jackson teaching dressage as applied to the gaited horse.
Another mentor who has been instrumental in building my riding confidence is Jennie Jackson. She is the only person in history who has trained and shown a Tennessee Walking Horse to the highest levels of dressage with her naturally gaited stallion Champaign Watchout. Jennie has taught me how to ride my naturally gaited Tennessee Walking Horse using dressage to develop quality smooth gaits. She has challenged me to confidently ride through the storms, and not react to them. These tips have increased my riding confidence and consequently, my mare spooks less.
Finally, developing a secure and balanced riding position builds rider confidence like none other. Right after facing my crossroads in 1990, I began studying riding bio-mechanics from Mary Wanless when she published her first book, The Natural Rider. This book addresses riding fear and how to overcome it.
Jennifer Klitzke riding her Spanish Mustang getting established in the ABCs of riding bio-mechanics with Mary Wanless.
Since then I have purchased Mary’s Ride With Your Mind DVD series, several of her other books, and have audited her clinics whenever she comes to my region. I was fortunate enough to have ridden at one of her clinics in 2012. Mary brought my book and DVD studies to real-time application. She taught me the importance of aligning my external anatomy, breathing deep into my stomach, and the isokinetic effort of bearing down my internal anatomy and sealing my seat and thighs alongside the saddle for a more secure position while distributing my body weight more comfortably along the horse’s back. Instead of fixing the horse, she challenged me to fix my riding position which naturally restores my horse’s way of going.
Mary’s riding bio-mechanics have taught me a more secure and balanced riding position. Because of this I am better able to confidently ride through spooks. As a result, there is less fear in me and I produce less reactive fear in my horse. This translates into less overall spooks and a more harmonious riding relationship with my horse.
So, what is my darling husband’s secret to calmly riding my horse by the disco bush? I think he is deeply grounded in his faith, he presents a trusted leadership with the horse, and a naturally balanced riding position. He doesn’t think about what the horse MIGHT do. In fact, his mind doesn’t even go there. If the horse were to spook, his secure position would keep him in the saddle, he wouldn’t react to the horse’s nervousness, he would bring the horse back to balance and relaxation, and the horse would look to him as the trusted leader.
Some horses are more reactive than others, and a fearful rider heightens a horse’s reactivity. The example of me and my husband riding the same horse within minutes of each other with the same conditions and completely different outcomes reinforces my theory.
If you struggle with riding fear, hang in there and persevere. Find others who can help you through this and don’t let fear win out. I’m sure glad that I did. My struggle with debilitating fear didn’t disappear overnight. But today I enjoy showing my naturally gaited Walking horse at open schooling dressage shows, trail riding, team penning, sorting cows, endurance races, jumping courses, and trail obstacles.
Fear no longer controls my life—thank God—I am FREE!
Does rider position impact the quality of movement with the naturally gaited horse? In what ways can a rider help the horse through riding position?
Rider Biomechanics and the Naturally Gaited Horse
By Jennifer Klitzke
In 1989, a series of falls led me to paralyzing fear and panic attacks at the thought of riding. I faced a cross-roads: Do I give up my passion for riding horses or face my fear?
Thankfully, the latter won out.
Facing my riding fear introduced me to The Natural Rider, a book written by riding biomechanic expert Mary Wanless. In her book, she outlines ways to become an empowered and effective rider through breathing and relaxation; right-brain visualization that engages multiple body parts at the same time; and developing an engaged core for a more secure balanced riding position.
Over time, these concepts helped me overcome my riding fear. I became a more relaxed, confident, and effective rider, both mentally and physically.
Twenty years later, I learned that the England-native author/clinician was traveling to my state to teach a three-day riding biomechanic clinic. I cleared my schedule to attend as an auditor and re-acclimate myself to the concepts that saved my riding career.
Instead of fixating on the horse’s errors, Mary challenges riders to fix their position first. Often a horse will rush or lose their balance because the rider has lost their balance. If a rider is relaxed and balanced over the horse’s center of gravity, the horse is more likely to mirror balance and relaxation.
For the rider, this means:
Developing an awareness of body balance over the horse’s center of gravity
Aligning ear, hip, and heel
Breathing deep into the belly to produce relaxation
Maintaining symmetry between the front side and back side, right side and left side
Riding with a lowered center of gravity by isokinetic engagement of core muscles that bring balance, power, and impact
Developing stillness from core tone reducing noise (the extraneous body movements sent to my horse) so aids are more clear and the horse becomes more responsive
Wrapping these steps into right-brain visualizations that can impact multiple body parts
I couldn’t get home fast enough to apply these clinic insights with my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and naturally gaited fox trotting horse, Lady.
Each time my naturally gaited horse loses balance or rushes, this reminds me to fix my position first. Each time I do, I find my horse naturally aligns with my balanced riding position quicker than if just fix my horse with my rein and leg aids alone. My horse feels more balanced, more through from the hindquarters, relaxed through the back and neck to the bit, and she takes deeper, steadier steps under her belly in her natural smooth gaits.
While Mary’s clinic featured non-gaited horses, I find that her rider biomechanic paradigm applies equally well with riders of naturally gaited horses.
Two decades after reading The Natural Rider I am grateful to have met Mary Wanless in person whose rider biomechanic concepts have pushed me through fear instead of giving up and onto becoming a better rider.
Today Mary has rekindled my passion for riding like I had in the beginning. She’s given me a rider biomechanic paradigm that impacts the quality of my riding with my naturally gaited horses.
Mary Wanless has written many books since The Natural Rider, including Ride With Your Mind, Ride With Your Mind Essentials, Ride With Your Mind Masterclass, For the Good of the Rider, For the Good of the Horse, Ride With Your Mind Clinic: Rider Biomechanics from Basics to Brilliance.
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