| In the early 1800s, Narragansett Pacers and Canadian | | | | Tennessee Walker seems to do it in a more relaxed |
| Pacers were crossbred by breeders in the U.S. state | | | | way. This gait gives the rider a feeling of ease with |
| of Tennessee while looking for a horse that could | | | | lots of spring and rhythm. In fact, the canter lifts the |
| handle the hilly terrain of the area. Confederate Pacers | | | | front of the body, giving an easy rise and fall motion |
| and Union Trotters were added to the gene pool | | | | that gives it the "rocking-chair" name. |
| during the Civil War, creating the sturdy Southern | | | | The TWH easily adapts to both English and Western |
| Plantation Horse, which was also known as the | | | | tack and attire and there are two main categories of |
| Tennessee Pacer. Thoroughbred, Standardbred, | | | | competition under both disciplines: Performance and |
| Morgan, and American Saddlebreds were later added | | | | Flat Shod. |
| to refine and add stamina to this gaited horse. In 1885, | | | | The Flat Shod variety has grown tremendously |
| a colt named Black Allen out of the Hambletonian | | | | popular due to the easy training of the breed without |
| family of Standardbreds and a Morgan mare was | | | | the need of a professional trainer, and the naturally |
| born. He became the foundation sire of the | | | | inherited gaits with no foot enhancements, although the |
| Tennessee Walking Horse, also known as the | | | | plantation class may wear a heavier shoe. If used for |
| Tennessee Walker, or TWH. | | | | pleasure riding, no special shoes are required, although |
| The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and | | | | when they are shod, it will be at a slightly lower angle |
| Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) is the official | | | | with more natural toe than some of the other western |
| registry and was founded in 1935. Headquartered in | | | | type horses. A record of these angles and foot |
| Tennessee, it is the oldest organization devoted to the | | | | lengths should be kept handy for when the farrier |
| Tennessee Walking Horse. In order to maintain breed | | | | comes by. |
| purity, the stud book was closed in 1947 and now | | | | The Performance Horse (sometimes referred to as |
| every TWH born after that date must have both | | | | padded or built up) is shown in English attire and tack. It |
| parents registered with TWHBEA in order to be | | | | executes the basic gaits with flashier and more |
| registered themselves. There are more than 430,000 | | | | animated movements, particularly the "big lick." They |
| registered Tennessee Walkers throughout the world | | | | appear to sit on their hind quarters, lifting their front feet |
| and the breed has become the second-fastest | | | | high off the ground. They may also use tail braces. |
| growing breed in the nation. | | | | Additionally, Performance horses are shod in double |
| Every year, a ten-day exhibition in the town of | | | | and triple-nailed tall pads to add dimension to the hoof |
| Shelbyville, Tennessee called the "Tennessee Walking | | | | to provide a sounder base and to change certain |
| Horse National Celebration" draws over 30,000 | | | | angles and paths in the motion of the front hooves. |
| breeders, exhibitors, and spectators. The show is so | | | | Additionally, lightweight chains, or "action devices" are |
| large that Shelbyville bills itself as the "Walking Horse | | | | worn around the fetlocks of the front legs to |
| Capital of the World," and now the Tennessee Walker | | | | accentuate the gaits to make them showier. Pads are |
| is the official state horse of Tennessee. | | | | training devices and an integral part of the training |
| The Tennessee Walker is a tall horse ranging from | | | | because when utilized properly, they can aid greatly in |
| 13.2 to 18 hands with an average of 15-17 hands high | | | | accentuating the gaits of the show horse. However, |
| and a weight of 900 to 1200 pounds. It has a long | | | | their effectiveness will vary with the individual horse. |
| neck, a long sloping shoulder, a long sloping hip, a fairly | | | | However, there is a dark side to the Tennessee |
| short back and an elongated stride. The head is | | | | Walking Horse's showy gaits. The use of pads and the |
| traditionally large but refined and has small well-placed | | | | accompanying chains that go with them is highly |
| ears. At least 20 color choices are available. Black, | | | | controversial, since some people put irritating chemicals |
| roan, chestnut sorrel, bay, champagne and pinto are | | | | on the pasterns to make them sensitive and sore |
| the most common. The TWHBEA now recognizes | | | | when the chains touch. The practice has become so |
| the sabino pattern since many past registered roans | | | | widespread that USDA inspectors are now attending |
| were actually sabinos. | | | | shows to look for evidence of "soring" which is the |
| A TWH foal is never gray at birth but may begin to | | | | illegal practice of deliberately injuring a horse's front |
| turn gray when the foal coat is shed or maybe not until | | | | feet to get it to step higher." Some owners even use |
| several years later. When they start to turn gray, it is | | | | eye drops to temporarily blind their horses which |
| progressive and they continue to lighten until they are | | | | makes them lift their hooves higher to try to feel their |
| nearly white. If they are white with specks of color, | | | | way around. For more information on soring, what the |
| they are referred to as a flea bitten gray. The birth | | | | pads and chains look like, and to see the big lick in |
| color remains on the registration if the foal turns gray, | | | | action, watch the CNN Special Assignment video on |
| but gray is then added to the base color, i.e., black | | | | the walkinonranch website. |
| gray, palomino/gray, etc. | | | | These horses also tend to have joint problems |
| The Tennessee Walker has three distinct gaits: the flat | | | | because we tend ask them to do things they weren't |
| foot walk, the running walk or "big lick", and the rocking | | | | designed to do. Show horses tend to shift their center |
| horse canter, all of which the breed is famous for, with | | | | of gravity to the rear, thus placing more stress on the |
| the running walk being an inherited, natural gait unique | | | | hind limbs (especially the hock and pastern joints). The |
| to this breed. Many are also able to perform the rack, | | | | goal is to move with a lot of high front-end action and |
| stepping pace, fox-trot, single-foot and other variations | | | | this is particularly true of the Tennessee Walker in |
| of the famous running walk. | | | | competition. Horses that have more of a weight load |
| The Flat Walk is a brisk, 4 to 8 mile an hour, | | | | on the rear legs are going to be prone to hock, rear |
| long-reaching four-cornered gait where each foot hits | | | | fetlock, and stifle injuries and disease. |
| the ground separately at regular intervals. The action | | | | There are also a couple of genetic concerns with the |
| of the back foot slipping over the front foot's track is | | | | Tennessee Walking Horse. Equine Polysaccharide |
| known as overstride and is unique to this breed. A | | | | Storage Myopathy (EPSSM) which appears in the |
| Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head and swing | | | | form of muscular atrophy, abnormal gait, back pain, |
| its ears in rhythm with the cadence of its feet. This | | | | and post anesthetic myopathy have been described |
| distinctive nodding head motion, along with overstride, | | | | and are thought to be inherited. |
| are two features that are unique to the Tennessee | | | | Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) or "moon blindness" |
| Walking Horse. | | | | can lead to blindness if not treated. The University of |
| The Running Walk is the extra-smooth, gliding gait for | | | | Minnesota is currently conducting research to |
| which the walking horse is most noted and is referred | | | | determine if there is a genetic factor involved and a |
| to as "big lick". It is the same as the flat walk only at | | | | potential gene region that may be linked to the |
| 10-20 miles per hour. As the speed increases, the | | | | condition may have been identified. |
| horse overstrides the front track with the back by | | | | While these horses are famous for flashy movement, |
| between 6 to 18 inches. The running walk has a motion | | | | they are quite popular for simply pleasure riding. |
| that gives the rider a feeling of gliding through the air | | | | Combined with having an easygoing, docile |
| and the Tennessee Walker will continue to nod and | | | | temperament and being easy to train, their naturally |
| swing its ears during this gait. Some horses even click | | | | smooth and easy gaits insure the popularity of the |
| their teeth during the big lick. | | | | Tennessee Walker as the "world's greatest show, trail, |
| The Canter is much the same as other breeds, but the | | | | and pleasure horse". |