Every year I ask myself this question. Two feet of snow makes gaited dressage training difficult without an arena. I long for warm weather and dry ground to ride my naturally gaited walking horse, Makana.
However, aside from the darkness and below zero temperatures, riding in the snow is one of my favorite things to do! My rather sluggish TWH horse comes alive in the snow. When she gets the chance to escape the icy paddock, she loves to rip across the field at a hand gallop and dabble with some animated trot and gait on cue.
(I’d still rather it be 75-degrees and sunny, but I’m making the best of it!)
After bouncing on non-gaited horses for 20 years, my aging body longs for a smoother ride. Little did I know that my search for a smooth gait would lead me to a jolting discovery.
Natural meets UNnatural
By Jennifer Klitzke
Surfing online ads in the warm comfort of my Midwest home on a wintery February day in 2007, my eyes latch onto a black beautiful, registered Tennessee Walking Horse filly. Her name: Gift of Freedom (a.k.a., Makana, a Hawaiian word for “gift”). Just turning three years old, she has 20 rides on her. Raised on the family farm, she had been imprinted from birth and handled daily. Intrigued with her name, partial to her color, valuing her upbringing, and she is barefoot like my other horses.
My husband and I take the two-and-a-half-hour road trip through the snowscape for a visit. The black beauty meets me at the fence. I instantly know she is the one for me when she wedges her nose between my arm and body. She literally makes me hug her. “What horse does that?!” I exclaim, “She is the friendliest horse I have ever met!”
I love everything I learn about Makana and the family who raised her that day. Driving away, my husband senses my excitement and says, “You already have three horses.”
A few days pass. On Valentine’s Day, my husband surprises me with better than a box of chocolates and says, “Yes, you can get the horse.” Wow, my first naturally gaited horse!
I send in my registration papers and become a member of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA). A month later the Voice magazine arrives. I page through this thick, glossy, well-produced magazine and am perplexed. Page after page, I notice unnatural hoof angles, thick pads, chains, big shoes, thin shank bits, exaggerated poses and distressed expressions.
Is this how Tennessee Walking Horse are trained?!
I decided then and there, dressage is all I knew, and dressage is all Makana will know.
A couple months pass, and I attend a Midwest Horse Expo. That’s when I meet the Brenda Imus and watch her naturally gaited horse presentation. None of the gaited horses moved in the manner I saw pictured in the Voice magazine. One of the riders was even dressed in dressage attire and rode her horse at a flat walk, not trot. Inspired, I follow Brenda back to her booth for a chat and buy her DVD set.
Looking through information about TWH associations, a television catches my eye. It brings the Voice magazine photos to life. A TWH wearing the big shoes is moving next to a TWH with regular shoes. What a staggering contrast: mechanical and exaggerated movement vs. natural and flowing movement.
I later learn I had been watching Jennie Jackson riding her flat shod stallion Champagne Watchout at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration World Grand Championship class. She was the only flat shod entry riding among performance horses wearing the big shoes. And Jennie had been an advocate against TWH abuse for 30 years.
Soring? What is THAT?
In 2009 I took Makana to her first recognized TWH show, the Minnesota Celebration. Each horse was officially inspected for soundness and palpitated for evidence of soring before entering the show ring. Soring? What is THAT?
I was mortified to learn it was more than big shoes that made the horses move with exaggerated motion. Some people put corrosive agents on the horse’s front feet and add chains around the horse’s fetlocks. When the chains hit the raw skin the horse flicks its sore foot up with each step to produce the extreme motion. That’s what soring is. Horse abuse for a blue ribbon.
How jolting! However, I was thankful learn that soring has been made illegal according to the Horse Protection Act.
Then in 2012 my husband urgently called me into the living room to watch Nightline.I was shocked to hear reporter Brian Ross uncover an investigation about the ongoing soring abusive and inhumane training practices predominant in the TWH performance division.
“This is ILLEGAL! How can this be!?” I exclaimed.
Soring is hard to enforce. The infrastructure needed to police soring is expensive. Those who sore their horses have devised ways around the system, and those who get caught receive light sentences.
In November 2013, House Bill 1518 called the Prevent All Soring Tactics Act (PAST Act) was presented to Congress. It proposes to ban all use of pads and chains from the show world.
According to veterinarian Dr. Haffner, “The fact is the big lick can only be accomplished by soring,” he wrote in a letter to Congress urging them to put an end to this abuse. “When one soring technique becomes detectable, another one is developed. The big lick is a learned response to pain and if horses have not been sored, they do not learn it.
“It takes skill to be able to teach a horse the big lick and then determine the proper amount of soring and the proper timing to have a horse ready on a Friday or Saturday night. The horses must have the memory of the pain, but they must also be able to pass inspection.
“It takes a combination of the built up pads for the weight and the chain to strike against the pastern that has been sored to produce the big lick. Other methods have been developed, but the traditional method is oil of mustard placed on the pastern and a chain put around the pastern to strike against it.
“The hair must be protected and this is generally done by applying grease on the pastern with a stocking over it. Calluses develop as a result of the chain rubbing against the skin. Later, the calluses are removed with a paste made by mixing salicylic acid with alcohol and applying it over the calluses and putting a leg bandage over it for a few days,” he wrote, adding, “This practice is also very painful to the horse. I have seen many horses lying in pain in their stalls on Monday morning from an acid treatment on Saturday.”
To think that all I wanted was a comfortable, smooth horse to ride would lead me to such a jolting discovery about the exaggerated movements seen on the cover of the Voice. My naturally gaited and barefoot Tennessee walking horse might be boring to watch, but at least she’s happy and sound.
For more information about soring, the PAST Act, and ways you can help put an end to abusive and inhumane training methods, visit the links below.
From scenic trail rides to new gaited dressage venues to gaited dressage clinics and many firsts, here are my top 10 most memorable moments of 2013:
10. Riding in the snow
The winter of 2013 didn’t want to end! A snow covered landscape through May gave me many memorable moments of walkin’ in wonderland! Story:Walkin’ in Wonderland
9. Rocking R Farm Schooling Dressage Show I’ve ridden at several Rocking R schooling dressage shows since 2010. They’ve been offering gaited dressage classes at all three of their annual schooling shows (Western dressage, too). I hope 2014 is the year that I won’t be the only one riding a gaited horse! Story: Gaited Dressage at Rocking R
8. Larry Whitesell/Jennifer Bauer Gaited Dressage Clinic
In August I returned to my third Whitesell/Bauer Gaited Dressage Clinic. Among the many memorable moments were connecting a few more dots in grasping Larry’s riding philosophy which is patterned after French classical dressage (see clinic recap); solo rides through the beautifully groomed trail system on my Spanish Mustang while Makana rested up for another full clinic day; and gaining important answers to the reason I returned to Larry’s clinic a third time. Story: Back and Forth to Better Movement
7. Orienteering 2013 held many firsts for me and my gaited horse Makana which included learning how to follow a map, read a compass, and decipher clues to find six hidden targets on our first mounted orienteering event. Story:Maps, Compasses, and Clues
6. Autumn Trail Ride
I experienced many memorable trail rides this year. Among them was the autumn trail ride through Crow-Hassan Park Reserve on my birthday with my saintly husband. Riding through the canopies of gold was like a sunrise in the forest. Photos>
5. North Run Schooling Dressage Shows Ranking five among my most memorable moments of 2013 was showing at North Run Farm Schooling Dressage Shows. North Run became another traditional dressage venue which welcomed gaited dressage entries. Both North Run shows I took my gaited horse to were extremely well organized, drew a friendly crowd, and the judge provided encouragement to each rider after each test. If you’re thinking about giving gaited dressage schooling shows a try in 2014, North Run is a wonderful venue to start with. Story:Gaited Dressage at North Run
4. St. George Schooling Dressage Shows
Like North Run, St. George Equestrian Center also graciously accommodated gaited dressage entries at their schooling shows this year. St. George is a posh, brand new, state-of-the-art facility with perfect footing, a competition sized outdoor arena surrounded with scenic woodland, an enormous indoor arena lined with mirrors and giant fans that circulate the air. The shows are well organized and the atmosphere is beginner friendly, helpful, and relaxed. In addition to the scoring sheet, the judge gave each rider significant suggestions after each ride to help them improve. Story: Gaited Dressage at St. George
3. Endurance
My third most memorable moment of 2013 was taking my gaited horse to a 10-mile novice endurance ride. I was pleasantly surprised when my naturally gaited mare was naturally forward the entire ride! This had been the first time I actually felt what “ahead of my leg” on this horse is suppose to feel like. (Now if I can harness this forward desire in an arena, we might just break into second level this year!) Story:Naturally Gaited at Mosquito Run
2. Working with Cows
My second most memorable moment of 2013 was discovering how much fun Makana and I had working with cows. If it weren’t for my cow-chasing friend, I would have never given it a serious thought, but she got us signed up for the “Introducing Your Horse to Cows Clinic.” After the clinic we joined a cow sorting league and a couple team penning practices. Chasing cows is another activity that inspires my mare to be naturally forward. Story:Gaited Dressage and Cows?
1. Jennie Jackson Clinic: Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse
Hands down, my most memorable moment in 2013 was spending a few days being coached by Jennie Jackson. Jennie is the only person I know of in history who has trained and shown a Tennessee walking horse to the highest levels of dressage: piaffe en gait, passage en gait, canter pirouettes, tempi changes, and developing the full range of motion–collected through extended walks, gaits, and canters.
During the last seven years of pursuing dressage with my gaited horse I’ve wrestled with a few questions: How do I ride a head-shaking horse on-the-bit? How do I develop an elegant, balanced dressage form in my gaited horse? How high up the dressage levels can a gaited horse go while maintaining gait? Is it possible to collect a gaited horse?
In January I purchased Jennie Jackson’s Dressage en Gaite training DVDs in hopes of finding answers to these questions. After watching the DVDs I knew that Jennie would be able to help me and my horse. That’s when I asked Jennie to teach a Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic in my state. The clinic was a huge success. Story:Dressage as Applied to the Gaited Horse Clinic with Jennie Jackson.
As an added bonus, Jennie’s husband Nate also came to the clinic. The Jackson’s traveled half way across the country in an RV and camped at my place during the clinic. Words do not describe the honor and respect I have for the Jacksons’ tenacity, perseverance, and integrity as they have taken a stand against TWH soring and abuse for 30 years. While they camped in their RV parked in my backyard, it was a privilege to call them neighbor and leave as friends!
Here’s hoping for another clinic with Jennie Jackson in 2014!
Why show gaited dressage? What motivates us to show? Is it all about blue ribbons and bragging rights? Read on and you’ll discover even better reasons for showing your naturally gaited horse in dressage.
Why Show Gaited Dressage?
Granted, showing gaited dressage is not a requirement for becoming a student of dressage with your naturally gaited horse (or for riders of the hard trotting variety for that matter).
I roll my eyes and gasp when I think back to my first years showing dressage with my Trakhner/Thoroughbred gelding SeilTanzer (Seili). Yes, he was one of those hard trotting varieties, and dang, was his trot hard to sit!
I had saved my money to buy the best trot I could afford, because back in the day, that’s what you looked for when considering a dressage prospect.
At first, my primary motivations were to take Seili to the top levels of dressage. Why? Because I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to be recognized. I wanted to be accepted among my peers.
It didn’t take long to realize that these were really bad reasons to show dressage.
If you were at my first recognized show in 1992, you’ll likely remember it to this day. I know I will never forget it.
Seili and I were practiced and prepared: I ate, breathed, and slept with dressage on my brain. I rode Seili six days a week at a deluxe dressage facility, took regular dressage lessons by a winning instructor, read books by the dressage masters, watched videos of how to become a better dressage rider, recorded and analyzed my rides, attended dressage clinics, and journaled my every ride.
So what happened?
Getting to the show grounds that day, my calm and relaxed gelding transformed into a creature I no longer recognized. Snorting and saucer-eyed, Seili darted around the bleachers, crowds, and announcer booth like a meth addict. He didn’t even know I was there for the ride. Nothing seemed to get his attention. Feeling out of control launched a full-blown panic attack.
I did my best to courageously negotiate Seili through the movements of Training Level Test One. After the final halt and salute, I released Seili to a free walk on a long rein. The judge stopped me on our way out of the arena (which is very uncharacteristic at a recognized show).
The judge said, “You have a wonderful horse who can go very far in dressage.”
Flattered, I proudly remarked, “Thank you.”
The judge replied, “But YOU, your riding will NEVER take him there. Can I buy your horse from you?”
My motivations for showing collided head on with the judge’s harsh and inappropriate words, and my disappointment that I couldn’t bring out Seili’s best. Stunned, I left the arena blinded by my tears.
Devastated, I faced a cross roads: Either change my motivation for showing dressage or give it up. If showing isn’t fun or educational, it isn’t worth the effort.
Changing my motivation for showing is what I did. Seili and I continued to show for the next few years. We even received a Central States Dressage and Eventing Association award for Second Level Amateur of the Year in 1995. Then our show career ended in 1996 when Seili developed chronic laminitis.
Fifteen years passed.
Yes, I admit, I rode those bumpy, trotting horses for decades until my body longed for smooth. That’s when I set out to find my first naturally gaited horse.
In 2007, my search for SMOOTH led me to a barefoot and sound, just turning three-year-old naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse filly. Her name was Gift of Freedom, a.k.a. Makana, which is Hawaiian for “gift.”
Makana became my first naturally gaited horse. She had a lot of handling and 20 rides on her when she arrived, yet dressage was the only form of riding and training I knew.
Then I began to wonder, “Can I train a naturally gaited horse with dressage?” The competition dressage world I came from said dressage was only for horses that trot. Gaited horse owners said that dressage would make their horse trot. Others said that dressage would ruin their horse’s smooth natural gaits.
So I put that aside and set out on a mission to discover for myself that dressage is more than trot.
Our first gaited dressage show in 2010.
In 2010, I learned of a schooling dressage show only 10 miles away at Walker’s Triple R Ranch, so I entered my Tennessee walking horse, Gift of Freedom (Makana). We were the only gaited horse on the show grounds and rode Training Level Tests One in the same class as the trotting horses.
I never imagined that I would return to dressage competition on a horse that didn’t trot!
Since 2010 Makana and I have shown gaited dressage at dozens of open schooling dressage shows (Intro through First Level). My motivation for showing is about getting feedback from a qualified judge on where we are at as it relates to rhythm, relaxation, connection, engagement, straightness, and collection; my riding position; and the use and timing of my rein, leg, seat and weight aids. The judge’s written feedback on my test sheet gives us something to practice until the next time we show. (And yes, it does feel good to get a blue ribbon, even if I am the only gaited dressage rider in my level! At least I put in the effort.)
Committing to a dressage test forces me and my naturally gaited horse to work on transitions more precisely in both directions, develop the full range of gaits and movements the dressage level requires, and face the test requirements I would otherwise avoid. Things like developing the counter canter, shoulder-in at a flatwalk, and showing a noticeable difference between a medium walk, flat walk, and running walk.
Plus, showing gaited dressage lets others see that naturally gaited horses can be trained using the humane training methods of dressage. After all, dressage is more than trot!
As long as I check my motivations at the gate, and as long as my barefoot naturally gaited walking horse enjoys traveling to gaited dressage competitions, then we will give this gaited dressage show thing a try.
P.S. Seili is lived to be 34 years old. His laminitis had been managed with natural barefoot trimming and a low carb diet. I enjoyed riding him until he was 29 years old. (Yes, he was still very bouncy!) Naturally Gaited
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Among the many new experiences tried this year, my naturally gaited Tennessee walking horse, Makana and I entered our first mounted orienteering event. Only I rode my Spanish Mustang, and I loaned Makana to a friend. The two of us joined another friend and her horse where we teamed together for the National Association of Competitive Mounted Orienteering (NACMO) event at Crow Hassan Park Preserve. The three of us were sent on our way with maps, compasses, and clues to find six hidden targets.
Our map led us to a general area where we had to decipher two clues with a Halloween theme. Each clue offered compass point readings that intersected with the hidden target. The six targets took us four-and-a-half hours of searching and cantering to our next clue. I got lots of exercise posting the trot between targets as my friend comfortably glided along the way. (Guess who did and didn’t wake up with sore muscles the next day?)
It was a perfect autumn day for an adventurous trail ride. Our team of three newbies returned to take seventh place. We may have been the last team to cross the finish line, but at least we found all of the hidden targets. The teams cheered for us as we rode in. (Likely because they could finally pack up and go home!)
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