The Tennessee Walking Horse

Hello, dear people! It’s been long since the last time I presented an equine breed, hasn’t it? So, I thought I should write about the famous Tennessee Walking Horse!

The Tennessee Walking Horse is an American breed, founded in Middle Tennessee. Its genetics is a mixture of the Narragansett, the Canadian Pacer, the Standardbred, the Thoroughbred, the Morgan and the American Saddlebred. Weighing between 900 and 1200 pounds, the Tennessee Walking Horse is considered to be a light equine breed. It was initially bred as a working horse, but in the modern times it is considered a recreational mount, because, except for its gentle disposition and calm, manageable temperament, it also offers a smooth and easy ride.

It has a beautiful appearance, which includes a pretty head with small well-placed ears. It has long, sloping hips and shoulders, a quite short back as well as short, long coupling. In addition, the bottom line of this horse is longer than the top line; this is a shape that permits a long stride. The Tennessee Walking horse comes in all colours and patterns, making it easy for the equestrian buyer to find a horse whose appearance satisfies his own personal taste.

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This breed has mainly three distinct gaits: the flat walk, the running walk (which is inherited and naturally unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse breed) and the canter. Yet many Tennessee Walking Horses can perform naturally other gaits too, including the rack, the stepping pace, the fox-trot, the single foot and other variations of the famous running walk.

Despite its unique walk, the Tennessee Walking Horse is affordable, with relatively low maintenance costs, which can match with anyone’s budget.

The breed is administered by The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder’s and Exhibitor’s Association, which maintains a registry and has published an extensive guideline book about the characteristics of the breed.

So, have you had any experiences with this unique breed?