Can Gaited Horses Gait in a Round Frame? (And How to Cue a Horse to Gait)

A couple of years ago, I began working with a gaited horse. She’s a Tennessee Walker/Mangalarga/Hanoverian cross. She does a running walk and she also is naturally inclined to trot. When observing her out on pasture, she is more likely to pick up the trot than she is the gait, but this could also be because we have worked on strengthening and conditioning the trot for so many years.

Given that she is only the second gaited horse I’ve ever coached in dressage, and the first I’ve had the pleasure of schooling under saddle routinely, I’ve been through quite the learning curve with her.

When she first showed up at our barn, my main two goals were to solidify her understanding of traveling in true roundness, and to maintain her fitness in an effort to keep weight off (she can be a pretty chunky little thing). Luckily, she had a really good foundation under her belt and had never been in the hands of anyone harsh or abusive, so the rest of her education has been pretty straightforward.

She now gladly goes around on the buckle in walk and trot and carries herself pretty nicely. Her canter leaves something to be desired, but she’ll do it if I insist, which I do sometimes just to mix things up.

Over the years I’ve spent on her back, I’ve had much time for observation. I started to pick up on the fact that as were going along in trot, the minute she loses her balance or becomes slightly inverted, she falls in to her gait. Then the minute I ask her to soften, stretch and deepen her posture, she falls back in to trot. For this reason, I started to observe when she is actively working over her back, she no longer gaits. Internally, I asked myself if this is the case with all gaited horses?

I continue to research this question, as I have been unable to find a solid answer. I have had a handful of well-known gaited trainers confirm that, yes, gaited horses can gait in roundness, but I have been unable to find video that shows a horse gaiting in roundness.

What I found through some reading, is that a horse in gait will always have a more upright posture than a trotting horse. It seems to be correct, then, that my observations are in line with the current knowledge on gaited dressage horses. It makes sense that when the mare I’m riding has a more upright posture, she will automatically fall back in to her gait.

So while traveling in roundness for a trotting horse may be quite long and low at times, the gaited horse traveling in roundness will most likely always be more upright and elevated.

Another question I always ask gaited horse trainers is how to specifically cue for the gait. It always seems to be a little elusive, with most people saying to encourage the horse forward, and if they naturally gait, they will go up in to it. But because the mare that I ride also trots, I want there to be a clear distinction between her running walk and her trot.

Be it that her running walk is a variation of walk, I decided to specifically cue her to increase her tempo in the walk until she moves forward and in to her running walk. In order to ask for a more energetic walk, I utilize alternating leg aids, with a slightly deeper, although lighter, seat. I also gently take my reins a little higher to stay quiet in the corners of her mouth and encourage her to continue flexing while we transition up. The minute she offers gait of any kind, I quietly lower my hands and encourage her to stay soft through her hindquarters, shoulders, neck and jaw. If she misinterprets and tries to trot, I gently bring her back down and start the whole process over again.

We deliberately mark the cue for the trot as gently squeezing with both lower legs. I maintain consistent contact and often utilize shoulder in or counter shoulder in to keep her soft and stretchy as she goes in to the trot transition.

When we are in the trot, if there is a moment she gets off balance and falls in to her gait, I utilize that as an opportunity to work on the quality of the gait, and to see if I can get her softer and more through in that moment. So far, like previously mentioned, I have found that the minute she softens and begins to deepen her stretch (even if only by one degree), she will usually go back up in to the trot.

I do not count myself as a gaited horse dressage trainer at this point, but am intrigued by the lessons the gaited horses are teaching me. I will continue to share what I learn.

Please feel free to share any experiences you have had ✨