The Tennessee
Walking Horse is a handsome, intelligent animal that
is well suited and ideal as a riding horse. It is a
gentle horse that even inexperienced riders can handle.
It is used commonly in both Western and English shows.
The Tennessee Walking Horse is a relatively large horse
and found in just about any color. The most important
quality of the Tennessee Walking Horse is its gait.
It has three main gait, which include the flat foot
walk, the running walk and the canter. The flat foot
walk is fairly rhythmic so each foot of the horse should
hit the ground seperately. When the rear foot steps
over the track on the front foot, over stride occurs.
Often the horse will nod its head in time with its feet.
Both head nodding and over stride are qualities associated
and unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse. It is most
famous for it running walk. It is just like the flat
foot walk, except faster. It can travel 10 to 20 miles
per hour at this gait. The over stride is anywhere from
six to eighteen inches. The running walk is the most
natural gait for the Tennessee Walking Horse and said
to be very comfortable to the rider.
