The Tennessee Walking Horse is a breed that was developed by the plantation owners so that they could cover lots of ground comfortably. It was necessary to be able to check the plantations, by horse back, with ease, speed, and comfort. At that time, the Tennessee Walker was considered a working animal. His roots are in the Saddlebred, Narragansett Pacer, Morgan, Thoroughbred, and Standardbred. He is the only breed to be named after a state.
The movement of the Tennessee Walker can be described as a four beat gait. 1-2-3-4. These four beat gaits are called the flat walk (4 to 8 miles an hour)and the running walk (10 to 20 miles per hour ). Sometimes you will hear them referred to as the "four-cornered lick." Each foot hits the ground at separate intervals (right rear over right front, left rear over left front). The flat walk is loose, bold, and square with plenty of shoulder motion. The running walk is much the same but faster. You can see the pulling with the front feet, and the pushing or driving with the hind. Often there is a moment of suspension that is felt as you glide. The action of the back foot slipping over the front track is known as over stride. Over stride is unique to the walking horse breed. The hock should show only forward motion, with vertical hock action being highly undesirable. A Tennessee Walking Horse will nod its head in rhythm with the cadence of its feet. This nodding head motion, with the over stride, are two features that are unique to the Tennessee Walking Horse. Sometimes you can hear a clicking sound as the horse smacks his lips as he steps. This 4-beat gait is a natural gait that is passed on by genetically. The third gait is a canter which is especially smooth and collected. Sometimes it is referred to as a "rocking chair" canter.
The Tennessee Walking Horse generally ranges from 14.3 to 17 hands and weighs 900 to 1200 pounds. The modern Tennessee Walking Horse possesses a pretty head with small well placed ears. Originally the head was often large and plain. The eyes had characteristic wrinkles above which gave a sad look, and many had larger ears. The horse has a long sloping shoulder, a long sloping hip, a fairly short back and short, strong coupling. The bottom line is longer than the top line, allowing for a long stride. Tennessee Walking Horses come in all colors and a variety of patterns. The diverse color choices are sure to please any horse enthusiast. Different colors are not discriminated against.