So why would I want to ride a Tennessee Walking Horse and what is a "gaited" horse anyway?

Tennessee Walking and Racking Horses are naturally calm and kind, smooth to ride (no trotting so no posting!) and easy to handle. Best of all, they are incredibly versatile: they are shown in both English and Western tack in events such as reining, barrels, trail obstacle, jumping over fences, and speed. They are primarily valued as a gentle, unflappable trail horse that can go for hours that anyone in the family can ride. 

A Walking Horse has the ability to perform a smooth, 4-beat lateral gait from birth. With training, you can improve the gait (or not) but you can't train a horse to be gaited unless they are naturally. The gaits are the dog walk or trail walk, the flat walk, the running walk and the rocking chair or carousel canter. The horse glides over the track left by the front foot with the hind foot, which is called overstride.  Many Tennessee Walkers nod their heads in rhythm with their footfalls, and sometimes flop their ears or click their teeth with each nod. Some Walkers also perform other gaits such as the pace, the rack, the foxtrot, and the singlefoot.

Click here to listen to the sound of a horse performing the 4-beat running walk:


Click here to see videos of each of the gaits:
 

The Tennessee Walker was bred to work on large plantations (once called turn row horses for their careful footing that wouldn't damage crops) be a smooth ride on the weekends for pleasure, and gentle enough to get the kids to church or school. Walkers come in almost any color, including roans and spotted. Here are the vital statistics:

Height: 15 to 17 hands (one hand equals four inches)

Weight: 900 to 1200 pounds

Life Span: 20 to 30-plus years

Numbers: 300,00-plus registred in the U.S. with about 7500 added each year; the nation's fastest-growing breed

Breeding: A mixture of Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, Morgans, American Saddlebreds, and Naragansett Pacers

Conformation: Broad chest, long neck, short back, muscular hindquarters, refined head, and long, flowing manes and tails

FUN FACT: Many horses used in the movies are Tennessee Walkers, including Roy Rogers's famous horse, Trigger, whose actual name was Alen's Gold Zephyr.