| Walkaloosa horses are gaited horses with the same | | | | Appaloosa Horse Club (AHC) was formed in 1938. At |
| exotic coloring of the Appaloosa, but contrary to what | | | | that time, no distinction was made between the many |
| the breed's name implies, a Walkaloosa does not have | | | | gaited and non-gaited Appaloosas, so they were all |
| to have Walking Horse ancestry. Any combination of | | | | registered as Appaloosas. But now the AHC will no |
| naturally gaited horse with Appaloosa coloring qualifies | | | | longer register any Appaloosa colored foal that has a |
| as a Walkaloosa and the many accepted gaits include | | | | parent from a gaited breed. However, gaited |
| the Fox Trot, the Running Walk, the Rack, and the | | | | Appaloosas can still be registered as Appaloosas if |
| Stepping Pace or basically any smooth saddle gait | | | | they qualify under normal AHC rules (ApHC, AQHA, |
| somewhere between a trot and a pace. Even Gene | | | | AHR, JC parentage only) but that gene pool is so small |
| Autry owned a gaited Appaloosa and he delighted in | | | | that these horses are extremely rare. A related breed |
| showing off El Morroco's smooth gait by putting a | | | | is the Tiger Horse, a gaited Appaloosa with no added |
| glass of water on his saddle horn and riding swiftly | | | | gaited breeds, but rather an attempt to find and |
| without spilling a drop. | | | | register the original gaited Appaloosas to preserve |
| Even though the Walkaloosa breed registry itself is | | | | them before they are lost completely. |
| fairly new, the breed itself has been around for | | | | The earliest recorded registration of a Walkaloosa |
| centuries. Appaloosa breeders claim to have the | | | | was from 1965, but there is no other information |
| oldest recognizable breed known; a claim that can | | | | available regarding that comment, or just when the |
| backed up by the drawings of spotted horses in the | | | | Walkaloosa name was chosen, since the Walkaloosa |
| prehistoric ice caves of France. The Paso Fino | | | | Horse Association (WHA) wasn't formed until 1983. |
| breeders claim that their breed is the oldest breed in | | | | The WHA maintains the records of horses that have |
| the Western Hemisphere since their ancestors came | | | | both Appaloosa coloring or heritage and the smooth |
| to the New World with Columbus on his second | | | | saddle gait. In order to qualify as a Walkaloosa, a |
| voyage from Spain and some of the Conquistador's | | | | horse must meet one of three criteria: it must have |
| Paso Fino horses also carried the spotted coat | | | | both registered Walkaloosa parents; or show |
| patterns of what is known as the Appaloosa today. | | | | Appaloosa coloring and demonstrate an intermediate |
| These spotted horses made their way via various | | | | gait, other than a trot; or have both verifiable |
| means throughout the Americas and the Nez Pierce | | | | Appaloosa and gaited horse blood. |
| Indians eventually claimed them as their own when | | | | Because the registry is currently open to so many |
| they turned up in the north. They were one of the only | | | | different breeds of gaited horses, the Walkaloosa |
| tribes to practice selective breeding. They were very | | | | comes in many body types, but it is the combination of |
| proud of their spotted horses and extremely pleased | | | | the coloring and the smooth, natural gait that makes |
| with the smooth, rolling gait called the Indian Shuffle, | | | | them unique. Horses of Walkaloosa breeding that do |
| because they could move their belongings quickly | | | | not display either color or gait at registration time are |
| without jarring of either the rider, or their belongings. In | | | | registered with a Breeding Stock number since gait |
| an age when the average horse could be bought for | | | | often develops as the horse matures and may be |
| as little as $2, cowboys were willing to pay up to | | | | passed along to offspring even if not seen in the |
| $50.00 or more for a good Appaloosa Shuffler. Not | | | | parent. As for color, it is know that Appaloosa color |
| only was it a mark of prestige, but the comfortable gait | | | | just does its own thing, and if the horse does develop |
| was as easy on the cowboy and his belongings as it | | | | a gait and/or color, it will be acknowledged on the |
| had been for the Spaniards and the Indians before him. | | | | papers. The complete pedigree is not necessary to |
| But as wonderful as the Shuffling horses were, early | | | | register a horse, but it looks better on the certificate. |
| breeders did not try to keep the Shufflers in their | | | | But even with so many conformation types possible, |
| Appaloosa herds and with the large percentage of | | | | there is a breed standard that is designed to promote |
| non-gaited Quarter Horse, Arabian, and Thoroughbred | | | | the ideal look for the breed, with the goal being to |
| in today's Appaloosas, many breeders had never even | | | | create a horse that combines beauty with functionality |
| heard of a Shuffler. With so much Quarter Horse | | | | and a docile temperament along with smooth and |
| influence in the breed now, the current emphasis on | | | | brilliant gaits. Walkaloosa horses are to be bred for |
| stock horse performance has all but erased the gait | | | | balance of movement and harmony of form with the |
| that had been so carefully bred into the horses | | | | ideal Walkaloosa traveling in a smooth solid gait with |
| centuries ago. In fact, breeders shy way from including | | | | animation, rhythm, and style. They should have radiant |
| the naturally gaited horses in their breeding programs | | | | coloring, intelligent minds, good conformation and the |
| because any intermediate gait, other than a trot, is | | | | genetic ability to transmit all these traits to their |
| cause for disqualification in the Appaloosa show ring, | | | | offspring. Breeders of Walkaloosa horses should keep |
| yet that gait is exactly what the Walkaloosa show ring | | | | a special adherence to a breed standard that ensures |
| is looking for to put back into their horses. | | | | soundness and versatility, with conformation adhering |
| The Appaloosa horse had already been a distinct | | | | to standards that promote a sound, hardy horse with |
| breed for over a hundred years by the time the | | | | longevity. |