Tennessee Walking Horse
Over one hundred years ago, in the Middle Basin of Tennessee, a unique breed was created - the Tennessee Walking Horse. The early settlers of this region who came from Typical Walkers are affectionate, gentle and intelligent animals. The breed is seen in a variety of colors including brown, black, bay, chestnut, roan, palomino, white or gray. Their face, legs and body may also be marked with white. Averaging 15.2 hands, they have a long graceful neck, short back, well-built hindquarters, sloping shoulders, slender but strong legs, and sound feet. Walkers are generally 15 to 17 hands tall, but can range from 13.2hh to 18hh. Weight is generally between 900 and 1200 pounds. The Tennessee Walker's head is handsome and refined with bright eyes, prominent nostrils, and pointed well-shaped ears. Their manes and tails are usually left long and flowing. Each year, on the Saturday night before Labor Day, the best walking horses are matched for the title "The Grand Champion Walking Horse of the World." This ten-day show, The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, is held in
The most prominent characteristic of Tennessee Walkers is their swift and smooth "running walk." This gait is inherited and cannot be taught to a horse who does not possess it naturally. It is a square four-beat gait with a gliding motion, and a bobbing of the head and swinging of the ears accompany each step. Some Walkers are even known to snap their teeth in time. When performing the running walk, these horses will overstride, placing the back hoof ahead of their forehoof print. Traveling at speeds from 6 to 12 miles per hour, Walkers can sustain this gait for long distances without fatigue to themselves or their passengers.
Tennessee Walkers are also known for two other gaits. They are the "flat-foot walk" which is a slow, bold, and even gait; and the “canter" which is a refined gallop with a slow and high rolling motion. The canter is full of spring, rhythm and grace, and is often referred to as the "rocking chair gait.” All three gaits of the Tennessee Walker are extremely easy on the rider.
Tennessee Walking Horses were developed for the purposes of riding, driving, and light farm work. They also became very popular with Southern plantation owners who called them Plantation Walkers. These men needed horses with comfortable gaits that could carry them the many miles necessary for inspecting immense fields. The Tennessee Walker's gaits were favored by country doctors who spent many hours on horseback. The traveling preachers, who rode from church to church practicing their sermons on the way, preferred these fast and steady walking horses.
The stallion who was chosen as the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse, when the registry was formed in 1935, was Allan. This black stallion's ancestry was a mixture of Morgan and Hambletonian, who was the founding sire of the Standardbred. Allan was considered the greatest contributor to the Walking Horse breed.
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Reference:
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors' Association, PO Box 286,
Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Pike,
Photographs: Stuart Vesty Photography, Solon,
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors' Association,
Video: Ride With Pride, Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors' Association,
Saddlebred
History It has been written that Paul Revere's mount for his famous ride was a Narraganset Pacer, a breed which was important in the development of the Saddlebred.
The America Horse was first mentioned in official government correspondence in 1776.
Also, in the Revolutionary War, American cavalry decisively defeated British regulars at King's Mountain,
American Horses accompanied pioneers following Daniel Boone through the Cumberland Gap into
In the War of 1812, similarly mounted Kentuckians ranged from Horse shows became a popular form of public entertainment, often held at fairs. The first recorded show as at
The American Saddle Horse gained fame as a breed during the Civil War, 1861-1865. Saddlebreds served as the mounts of many famous generals; Lee on Traveller, Grant on The Confederate commands of Generals John Hunt Morgan and Nathan Bedford Forrest were mounted almost exclusively on American Saddlebreds, and these horses performed legendary feats of endurance during the war. After the war, the St. Louis Fair was revived. All breeds had their day in competition at
After that war, the production of good Saddle Horses became a priority in
Denmark, the stallion who would be designated Foundation Sire of the breed, was foaled in 1839.
By the time of the Mexican War in 1846, the American Saddlebred was a well established breed. Entire companies of American volunteers from
In 1856,
Because most Confederate horses were privately owned, General Grant's order at Lee's surrender which allowed the men to keep their horses perhaps saved the breed.
Despite the fact that during this period of time the American Saddle Horse was still very much a using animal, the rivalry between breeders at horse shows and especially state pride between
A coal black stallion who was to make a great contribution in giving even greater status to shows and the breed, burst onto the show scene at St. Louis in 1893. Rex McDonald was beaten on but three occasions, was idolized by the public, and visited by Presidents of the
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While most admirers of the Saddlebred love the beautiful show horses, they are now needing to reestablish his worth as a pleasure and using animal. After all, that is how the breed was developed.
Country Classic was winner of the Challenge of the Breeds at the St. Louis National in 1984. This contest between selected representatives of the major breeds features the horses in various disciplines including jumping, barrel racing, driving, etc.
On the other hand, American Saddlebreds have been successful in most equine disciplines from cow horses to jumpers, dressage to carriage horses. If conditioned and trained properly, Saddlebreds are capable of almost any task they are asked to perform.....and they do it with style.
This breed has a long and proud history, from the battlefield at
The photographs and information contained on this page are provided courtesy of The American Saddlebred Horse, 4093 Iron Works Pike,
Additional Information from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Walking_Horse
Missouri Fox Trotting Horse
The Easy Riding Versatile Breed Developed in the Ozarks Missouri achieved statehood in 1821 and the pioneers who poured across the Mississippi River and settled in the Ozarks came largely from Easy gaited stock imported to our nation's shores during the Colonial era left their genetic imprint on the Fox Trotting Horses of the Ozarks, the American Saddle Horses of Kentucky, and the Walking Horses of Tennessee. Some 19th century standouts such as the Canadian born stallion, Tom Hal, made sizable contributions to the easy gaited horses of all three regions.
The distinguished characteristic of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is the Fox Trot gait; the horse walks with the front feet and trots with the hind feet. This extremely sure footed gait gives the rider little jar since the hind feet slide into place. The Fox Trot is a rhythm gait and the horse can maintain it for long periods of time with little fatigue. The Missouri Fox Trotter also performs a rapid flat foot walk and a delightful canter.
Fox Trotters became the using horse of the Ozarks. They were the favorite mounts of cattlemen, country doctors, sheriffs, and tax assessors before improved roads and cars appeared on the scene. Missouri ranks number two in the nation in cow-calf operations and Missouri Fox Trotting Horses are historically tied to the grazing cattle industry of the Ozarks. When automobiles made horses almost obsolete in the everyday lives of most
Missouri Fox Trotters make excellent mounts for children and beginning riders because of their quiet dispositions and willingness to please. Their smooth gaits eliminate the "bouncing" that inexperienced riders suffer when riding hard trotting breeds.
The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association was founded in 1948 at
Increasing interest in Missouri Fox Trotters as show and pleasure horses brought about a reorganization of the breed association in 1958. Today there are more an 42,283 registered Missouri Fox Trotters located in the Trail riders across the nation who participated in treks through mountain ranges are rapidly discovering what U.S. Forest Rangers have known for years; Missouri Fox Trotters have no equal when it comes to delivering an easy, sure-footed, willing ride on hazardous terrain.
The breed's national headquarters and Hall of Fame are located on a beautiful 67 acres showground nestled in the hills just outside of
The information contained on this page are provided courtesy of Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association, P.O. Box 1027, 
The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse was developed in the rugged Ozark hills during the 19th century by settlers who needed easy riding, durable mounts that could travel long distances at a sure-footed, ground consuming gait.
Stamina, soundness, and gentle disposition were serious consideration
s in the breeding of Fox Trotting Horses by pioneer families in the Ozarks.
Photographs provided by Missouri Fox Trotting Promoters Inc., C.E. Moeller, Republic, MO
Rocky Mountain Horse
In
It is obvious that a haphazard and unorganized maintenance of this breed would eventually
Tradition has it that around the turn of the century a young horse appeared in eastern Kentucky that gave rise to a line of horses that has been prized and treasured in this part of the country ever since. The basic characteristics are of a medium-sized horse of gentle temperament with an easy ambling four beat gait. This gait made it the horse of choice on the farms and the rugged foothills of the
result in its dissipation and loss. For this reason, in the summer of 1986, those who were interested in the breed got together to form the Rocky Mountain Horse Association. The purpose of this association is to maintain the bred to increase the number of horses in the breed, and expand the area which has knowledge of this fine horse. To that end, the association has established a registry which has shown steady and well regulated growth in the number of horses registered. It is critical that standards be maintained and a panel of examiners has been set up by the association to provide vigorous supervision to the growth and development of the breed. To achieve this ALL horses must be examined for breed characteristics and approved prior to breeding.
The established characteristics for the breed are:
(1) The horse must be of medium height from 14.2 to 16 hands, a wide chest sloping 45 degrees on the shoulder with bold eyes and well shaped ears. (2) The horse must have a natural ambling four beat gait (single foot or rack), with no evidence of pacing. When the horse moves you can count four distinct hoof beats which produce a cadence of equal rhythm just like a walk, left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore. Each individual horse has its own speed and natural way of going, traveling at 7-20 miles per hour. This is a naturally occurring gait present from birth that does not require training aids or action devices. (3) It must be of good temperament and easy to manage. (4) All Rocky Mountain Horses® have a solid body color. Facial markings are acceptable so long as they are not excessive. There may not be any white above the knee or hock.
Additional information available from the Rocky Mountain Horse Association
Reference: Kentucky
History of the Racking Horse 
Racking Horse
What's the most versatile breed of horse from the show ring to the work fields?
Legendary for its beauty, stamina, and calm disposition, the popularity of this noble animal grew strong on the great southern plantations before the Civil War. It was learned that the horse could be ridden comfortably for hours because of his smooth, natural gait.
The phenomenal growth of this breed can be directly attributed to its intelligence and versatility. Beginning riders cherish the smooth, easy gait and the calm temperament of the Racking Horse. Veteran horsemen admire his beauty and ability to perform anywhere from the work field to the show ring.
There was a horse being shown in great numbers, a horse of a distinct type and characteristics, for which there was no specific judge, no showring category, no organization and ultimately no incentive for expansion and growth. The Racking Horse became a dream and a new and most significant chapter in equine history of this country was begun.
Knowing that this single foot horse called the racking horse had its origins rooted deeply in Walking Horse bloodlines, it was then realized the possibility of promoting this animal with no action device, no set tail and without the canter while spot lighting the docile nature and easily ridden lateral gait exemplified by the rack.
A group of
The Racking Horse opportunity was presented to horses everywhere, and for many years the growth of the Racking Horse Breeders' Association was astounding. The selection of the name "Racking" was not to tie this horse to any specific state or region. The term "rack" was then the country nomenclature for the single foot.
The main objective and the philosophy of the Racking Horse Breeders was to create an organization that was within the economic reach of the marketplace that would serve the amateur horseman, the person doing his own training at home, to being a member, a breeder, and a showring participant.
An organization was needed for the people, to promote the people, the horses and give the people an opportunity for participating where they could feel secure and protected. The general membership should always have a voice in the association, so as not to drive them to another breed or out of the horse business altogether.
Eligibility for registration was determined upon the performance of the gaits natural to the breed, and in the beginning horses of all ages could be registered by gait performances.
The Racking Horse Breeders' Association actually laid the foundation and the incentive for the great trend towards the pleasure horse movement in the show ring today. When we began the Racking Horse Breeders' Association this type horse was oftentimes the largest group at the smaller shows. Even without a group or organization for promotion the interest and participation was great. This was a horse for the middle income people to enjoy at home, on trails, and at shows. The majority of the horses were shown on flat shoes or with very little pad. Once we promoted the idea of a separate and named breed and established the registry it grew faster than anyone ever dreamed.
The Racking Horse originated and was developed from within the ranks of the pleasure Walking Horse. At this time, in 1971, there was no promotion for the Walking pleasure horses and no efforts were being made to satisfy the demands of the pleasure world. Subsequently, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association grew at an astounding rate.
Reference: Kentucky
Photographs: Racking Horse Breeders Association of America
