how special your horse becomes as your education advances into upper level work. It is a bond unequaled and almost magical to ride. The medium walk or in western dressage the working walk, which are the same thing, are a balanced precise marching steps that are slower than you might guess. It is testing balance and control within the aids. When free walking, the horse is coaxed through soft messaging rein adjustments( half halts) to lower his head down and out to stretch his topline. The horse should follow the bits’ releases down staying in contact and lengthening his walking strides. It should feel as if he is stretching down and out to eat over a short wall. This takes a while to learn but it’ s a great way to rest your horse’ s back in any type of riding situation.
Transistions
Starting a test by riding down the middle on center line and halting square in the middle at X means that as you transition from a flat walk down to a medium walk and then down to a square halt, in which you walk those last couple steps trying to get you horse’ s front hooves to stop next to each other parallel. Hopefully his hind hooves also stopped parallel to each other but most likely you will have to work on this challenge. Just give little bumps with your leg to entice a last half step into place. You can gently rock your seat to coax a hind foot to half step into place also. You are granted a couple seconds in Intro tests to get that last step but don’ t go on more.
You begin a test with a line down center line to a halt or a transition working to be as straight as possible then you turn in front of the judge and ride diagonal lines, circles, transitions of gait and speed and return down center line to halt again at X. Your score is based on how well you do these movements while preserving roundness, tempo, rhythm and balance. It’ s just a challenge designed to make you a better and more aware rider and to educate your horse in a language of pressures found in the use of the riding aids of legs, seat and hands.
Rythm
There is a result of this type of education in that it also promotes correct rhythm or timing of strides such as our equally timed 1-2-3-4 gait or 1-2-3-- canter for horses in the next level and up. Relaxation and the elasticization of the horse’ s back through roundness which produces longer strides and more head nod in the Tennessee Walking Horse. Connection or the acceptance of the aids being used as a language so that you are exchanging responses with each other. Impulsion which is a direct response to rounding a Tennessee Walking Horse into powerful weight pushing strides. Straightness so that each stride pushes its power through the horse’ s elastic back into longer strides because his weight is balanced over his legs and Collection or better stated for our breed Engagement which is the sum total of all these improvements into balanced power. As these training benefits improve within this classic dressage training method your horse builds muscle, balance, power, education and develops into a beautiful moving horse. Because dressage has many levels of challenge you simply just keep going in both of your educations. I don’ t know what the best I can be is because I will always be a student building forward into new magical things. That’ s why it’ s still fun.
The only fault that can develop when using the classic training of dressage is compression into short striding movement. This is caused by not preserving throughness or the pushing froward into long striding movement. Compression is not dressage and if it occurs a mistake in understanding has been made. It is easy to resolve by taking your horse on a trail ride and letting him stretch out over a couple of hours of gaiting long and low. To prevent compression remember that dressage is always forward and relaxed. Stiffness is a sign that your horse doesn’ t understand so just slow the training down a little and let him relax. You are playing the long game so allow for days away from the sport out in nature.
We are working with a top ten animal of intelligence and the greatest puzzle solvers in the animal kingdom with fantastic memories so trust that they will always figure it out if you are consistent and calm in your requests. Always remember that it is just a game and reward profusely all correct actions when introducing something new. Horses love being told that they are good and they love being cherished. When they are finished for the day and have done good work, give them the cookie …
March 2026 | NWHA National News 23