Tennessee Walking Horse: Breed History and Characteristics

The Tennessee Walking Horse is one of the most useful all-around horse breeds created in North America primarily for it's forgiving temperament. No other breed would put up with the abuse that many Tennessee Walker "Big Lick" show horses have to endure. However, the majority of Tennessee Walkers are used for other purposes rather than the excruciating "Big Lick" show circuit, where they perform the artifically exaggerated natural gaits known as the flat walk and running walk.

Although Tennessee Walking Horses are now focused for purposes such as breeding and for the show ring, that's not what they were originally bred for. They were bred to be a dependable, comfortable and fashionable ride for people who spend all day in the saddle. Even today, many Tennessee Walkers never set foot (or hoof) in a show ring and do a wide variety of jobs.

Brief History

Tennessee Walking Horses were originally called Plantation Horses or Plantation Walkers. They were to be nimble enough to be able to walk between crop rows and not damage a single plant. The foundation sire of the breed is thought to be a Standardbred/Morgan cross named Black Allen (sometimes known simply as Allen or Allen F-1). He was not only known for being a fast pacer (although he never raced), but he was able to put his stamp on the foals that he sired before he passed away at the age of 24.

A union between Black Allen and Gertrude, a mixed breed or grade mare, produced Roan Allen in 1904. He managed to pace, trot, and shuffle in a type of gait later known as the running walk. He also had a spectacular show career. Hs offspring often nodded in time to his amble, sometimes earning them the name Nodding Horses. Surprisingly, this name didn't stick.

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' Association started in 1935 and was open to horses of any breed that fit the physical requirements. The studbook was closed in 1945. In 1974, the name was changed to Tennessee Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association. They claim that around 14,000 new foals are registered annually.

General Appearance

Walkers come in all colors of the equine rainbow, including albino, pinto patterns and rare diluted colours such as bay silver and black silver. Eye colors can be various shades or brown or blue, depending how much white appears on the face. Black tends to be the most fashinable color for horses destined for the show ring.

The ideal TWH gives off the appearance of strength and grace. Althoigh individuals vary, TWHs tend to have big heads with ideally a straight profile, but convex and concave profiles sometimes appear. TWHs have a short neck, short back, deep chest and strong hindquarters. Despite how this may read, the TWH's body parts are all in proportion with each other.

They often have a full mane and tail. They average 14 - 17 hands high and an average weight from 900 to 1200 pounds. Their hooves are normal horse hoofs, but are often overgrown in show horses in order to make the horse pick his hooves up higher.

TWHs are friendly, curious, gentle creatures that love companionship and do their very best to try and please. They are almost dog-like in that way. This temperament can make them excellent trail, parade, family and school horses as well as horses to be used in therapeutic riding programs.

Additional References

"The Official Horse Breeds Standards Guide." Fran Lynhaug. Voyageur Press; 2009.

"Storey's Illustrated Guide to 96 Breeds of North America." Judith Dutson. Storey Publishing; 2005.

"International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds." Bonnie Hendricks. University of Oklahoma Press, 1995.

"The Ultimate Horse Book." Elwyn Hartley Edwards. Dorling Kindersley; 1991.

"Simon & Schuster's Guide to Horses and Ponies of the World." Maurizio Bonginanni. Simon & Schuster, 1988.