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The Tennessee Walking Horse
Introduction:
Elegant, flashy and stylish, the Tennessee Walking Horse is one of the most popular gaited horse breeds. They are center stage stars in both the show ring and on the trails. Their distinct gaits are incredibly smooth to ride making them a popular choice for riders of all ages. Tennessee Walking Horses are beautiful horses with docile temperaments, resulting in allowing them to excel in whatever they do.
History
Several different breeds were used to develop Tennessee Walking Horses. This lovely breed owes their heritage to many different breeds. Originally bred to provide a smooth ride across the then uneven Tennessee terrain, the breed first got its start from Tennessee Pacers. Tennessee Pacers, also referred to as Southern Plantation Walking Horses, were a cross between a Narragansett Pacer and Canadian Pacers. The Narragansett was thought to be the first breed of horse developed in America, but sadly they are now extinct. Next, these Tennessee Pacers were crossed with Thoroughbreds, Morgans, Saddlebreds and Standardbreds, which led to refined, smooth-gaited horses that became the starting foundation of the Tennessee Walking horse breed. All of these breeds made a big contribution to the breed today, and in fact, one of the most influential foundation sires in the breed was an unsuccessful racehorse. Black Allan (also known as Allan F-1 or simply Allan) was the first founding sire of the Tennessee Walking horse breed. Born in 1886, Black Allan was out of Maggie Marshall, descendent of Figure and the Thoroughbred racing stallion Messenger, Morgan and Thoroughbred cross mare and he was sired by Allandorf, a Standardbred stallion descended from Hambletonian 10, also of the messenger line, as well as being descendant of Narragansett Pacer and Canadian Pacer blood. Allan was bred to be a trotting horse for the sport of harness racing, but he preferred to pace, and that career never worked out. He bounced from owner-to-owner until he went to knowledgeable horseman James R. Brantley, after he purchased him, seeing his true potential. He stood at stud and began producing good quality offspring, with natural walking gaits that were smooth to ride. Although Black Allan passed away in 1910, his offspring carried on his legacy. One of his most notable was Roan Allen (also known as Roan Allen F-38) who became one of the most notable sires within the breed, producing over 400 offspring compared to his sires 111. In addition, Roan Allen was also a stellar performer in the show ring.
Today, many people associate this flashy breed with the show ring, however Tennessee Walkers were originally bred to be an all-around, balanced, farmers utility horse.
In Current World
Today, Tennessee Walkers are the official state horse of Tennessee. The breed gained this honor in 2000. The city of Shelbyville, Tennessee is the official home of the breed and is also home to The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration. This annual show takes place for 10 days at the end of the summer, ending the Saturday night before Labor Day! Over 2,000 horses come to compete, an incredible number, showcasing the many talents of the breed.
Uses
Today, many people associate this flashy breed with the show ring, however Tennessee Walkers were originally bred to be an all-around, balanced, farmers utility horse. See, thanks to their naturally smooth gaits, they made extremely comfortable mounts for working on ranches and riding across vast and large plantations. Not only that, but due to their exceptionally strong, tall builds, they were also popular for pulling and racing. Currently, the Tennessee Walking horse excels in many equine activities, including but not limited to trail, sport/utility, pleasure and performance. Once again though they are most popular as trail and show horses, they can do so much more than that and are an incredibly versatile breed.
Movement
Tennessee Walking Horses have three distinct gaits: the flat foot walk, the running walk, and the canter. In addition to these, some horses may also perform the rack, stepping pace, fox-trot, and single foot along with other variations of the well-known running walk.
The Flat Walk: is a brisk, long-reaching walk with each of the horses' hooves hitting the ground separately at regular intervals. The back and head nod, and the rider will too a lot. This walk can range anywhere from four to eight miles per hour
The Running Walk: is the breeds more notable and famed gait. It is a smooth, gliding gait similar to the flat walk, but much faster. Horses will nod their heads in rhythm when performing this walk as well as the flat walk. You will see toes flicking, and the rider gliding in this gait. Horses can travel anywhere from 10 to 20 miles per hour with more stride the better.
Canter: Tennessee Walkers have a canter that is smooth and more relaxed than most breeds. Many people compare it to the movement of sitting in a rocking chair. When asking for the canter, bend to the wall, and push haunches away from wall to influence the correct lead.
Overstriding is desirable, although it is something that is not desirable in other breeds. These horses back feet will glide right behind their front in the same track. Horses may overstep the front track with the back by a distance of six to eighteen inches while performing the running walk, creating the unique and distinct-looking movement of this famous gait.
Media
Tennessee Walking horses have featured in movies! These horses have made it all the way to the big screen and their calm dispositions and beautiful looks make them great horses to work with, even in Hollywood. A great example is Roy Rogers’ famous horse Trigger! Roy Rogers was a legendary American actor, singer, tv host and owner of the iconic palomino stallion, Trigger. The duo graced the red carpet in the 1940s and 50s. Trigger was replaced by Trigger Jr, a Tennessee Walker by the name of Allen’s Gold Zephyr. This talented palomino knew many tricks and made several fan appearances with Rogers. Over the years, many Tennessee Walking horses portrayed the infamous Lone Ranger’s horse Silver including Silver King, Silver Chief and White Cloud. In addition, the mascot Traveler of the University of Southern California has been a Tennessee Walker on many occasions.
Breed Standards
The official Tennessee Walking Horse Stud Book closed in 1947. The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders Association (later changed and now known as Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association) began in 1935, but soon after in 1947, the studbook closed, meaning that every registered horse's both dam and sire must be a Tennessee Walker. By 1950, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) officially recognized the Tennessee Walker as its own and distinct breed.
To Conclude
They have grown to become one of the most popular breeds in America and are a favorite among gaited enthusiasts. They are even found internationally all around the world as people everywhere find their unique gaits and docile temperament highly desirable.
Credits:
The light horse breeds: their origin, characteristics, and principal uses / by John W. Patten
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