Thinking about buying a Tennessee Walking Horse for trail riding? Plain-shod Tennessee Walking Horses are sound, sane, and naturally smooth-gaited. This is the ultimate trail horse-both a comfortable mount and a willing, loving companion. But there are several key things you should know about the Tennessee Walking Horse before you seal the deal. Here, we give you expert answers to a few frequently asked questions. (For more, pick up the September-October '08 issue of The Trail Rider.)
Q. What are the Tennessee Walking Horse gaits like-how do they feel under saddle? Can you describe each gait precisely? How do they differ from, say, the Missouri Fox Trotter?
A. Walker gaits feel lovely--to me, anyway--but let me make it very clear that I'm talking about natural gaits, trail gaits, real gaits, not the man-made show gaits that are created with the help of heavy shoes, huge stacks of pads, or soring. When I say "Walker gaits," I mean the gaits they'll do as foals at their mother's sides or turned out in pasture or under saddle when they're comfortable and wearing ordinary tack.
Walkers are famous for their flatfoot walk, running walk, and canter, but they can and do offer other gaits--lots of them, in fact.
- The dog walk or trail walk (usually three to four miles per hour) is a slow, easy walk; there's not much action or speed so there's not much nodding, either. It's an even, level, four-beat gait, very soft and easy to sit--ideal if you'd like your horse to meander down the trail on a loose rein while you chat with your riding buddy.
The flatfoot walk is a faster, stronger, more energetic walk (usually four to seven miles per hour). It's still an even, level, four-beat gait, but it's more purposeful. You'll feel your horse's back move more, because the longer strides cause each hip to lift and drop with a little more emphasis. Because there's more effort and "reach" involved, you'll notice an increase in head-and-neck nodding.
- The running walk (usually eight to12 miles-per-hour) is a more powerful version of the flatfoot walk, featuring more push from behind and an increased overstride. (That is, at each stride, the hind foot oversteps the print of the forefoot on the same side). You'll feel your horse's hips dropping and lifting, and his back swinging; you'll see his head nodding.
The walks are all four-beat lateral gaits: The horse always has three feet on the ground and one in the air, so his body is always well-supported. (At a trot, the horse has two feet in the air and two on the ground; at a rack, he has three feet in the air and one on the ground, which is less stable and much more tiring for the horse.)
- The trot is a diagonal, two-beat gait with which you're already familiar: Tennesse Walking Horses that trot (not all of them do) generally have a strong, clear trot with a long, reaching stride.
- The pace is a gait that you wouldn't normally want to ride, but you should be able to recognize it. If you feel your horse's back rocking from side to side instead of from back to front, or if you feel yourself being tossed from side to side as the horse moves, your horse is probably pacing! It's a lateral gait (like the walk) but the front and hind leg on each side move together. Some riders find that pacing makes them feel seasick.
- The canter of a good Tennessee Walking Horse is a joy to ride. The term "rocking horse canter" describes it well: A smooth, rocking canter that feels as though the horse is cantering uphill. The canter should be ultracomfortable and easy to sit, even if you have bad knees or hips or a bad back. For the best natural canter, look for a strong, sound, horse with natural gaits. A good, natural canter will cover ground with ease; you shouldn't have any difficulty keeping up with other horses when you're cantering on the trail.
