Chapter 121Walking Horses James T. Blackford, James C. Sternberg Description of the Sport The Tennessee Walking Horse, commonly called the Walking Horse, is a light horse breed developed in middle Tennessee for use on southern plantations during the eighteenth century. The average Walking Horse is 15 to 16 hands tall and weighs 500 to 600 kg. The Tennessee Walking Horse is a composite breed, created by crossbreeding Canadian and Narragansett Pacers and Morgan, Standardbred, and Thoroughbred horses. The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association was formed in 1935. Because of the versatility of the Walking Horse, along with a characteristic racking gait within the breed, a second breed association was recognized in 1971, the Racking Horse Breeders’ Association. Members of this group of horses are commonly referred to as Racking Horses. A Walking Horse performs three gaits: the flat-foot walk, running walk, and canter. Both walks are four-beat gaits, with one foot up and three feet in various phases of striking the ground. The footfall sequence is left hind, left front, right hind, and right front. High-stepping forelimbs with an extended reach characterize the flat-foot walk. The hind foot overreaches the imprint of the front foot by 15 to 55 cm in a straight, smooth, gliding motion. This overstride is unique to the breed and is referred to as the big lick. The horse’s head and neck nod, and the ears flick forward and backward in rhythmical fashion with the rise and fall of the front feet. The appearance is that of pulling with the forelimbs and driving or pushing with the hindlimbs. The speed of the flat-foot walk is from 4 to 8 miles per hour (6.4 to 12.8 km per hour). At the running walk, the gait is basically the same but faster (10 to 20 mph [16 to 32 km/h]). The canter is a three-beat gait, with a left or right lead. In the canter the horse lifts the forehand, giving an easy rise and fall, in a rolling motion. The gait is referred to commonly as the rocking-chair canter because of the high, rolling movement of the horse’s body. The Racking Horse gait is a bilateral four-beat gait, with one foot striking the ground with the other three limbs in various phases of elevation. The gait often is referred to as the single-foot gait. When shown, a Racking Horse performs the show walk, slow rack, and fast rack. The show walk is a smooth, collected, slow and easy four-beat gait. At the slow rack the horse’s head is held with the neck arched and ears erect. The fast rack is similar in form to the slow rack, but the horse displays speed and leg action. The natural head nod must not be exaggerated at the slow or fast rack. In both breeds the collected gaits of a show horse (a gaited horse in performance shoes and tack) shift the center of gravity caudally, compared with most other light breeds, with increased loads on the hindlimbs resulting in a high incidence of hindlimb lameness. Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Lameness in Horses: Basic Facts Before Starting Thermography: Use in Equine Lameness Counterirritation The Carpal Canal and Carpal Synovial Sheath Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse Jun 4, 2016 | Posted by admin in EQUINE MEDICINE | Comments Off on Walking Horses Full access? Get Clinical Tree
Chapter 121Walking Horses James T. Blackford, James C. Sternberg Description of the Sport The Tennessee Walking Horse, commonly called the Walking Horse, is a light horse breed developed in middle Tennessee for use on southern plantations during the eighteenth century. The average Walking Horse is 15 to 16 hands tall and weighs 500 to 600 kg. The Tennessee Walking Horse is a composite breed, created by crossbreeding Canadian and Narragansett Pacers and Morgan, Standardbred, and Thoroughbred horses. The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association was formed in 1935. Because of the versatility of the Walking Horse, along with a characteristic racking gait within the breed, a second breed association was recognized in 1971, the Racking Horse Breeders’ Association. Members of this group of horses are commonly referred to as Racking Horses. A Walking Horse performs three gaits: the flat-foot walk, running walk, and canter. Both walks are four-beat gaits, with one foot up and three feet in various phases of striking the ground. The footfall sequence is left hind, left front, right hind, and right front. High-stepping forelimbs with an extended reach characterize the flat-foot walk. The hind foot overreaches the imprint of the front foot by 15 to 55 cm in a straight, smooth, gliding motion. This overstride is unique to the breed and is referred to as the big lick. The horse’s head and neck nod, and the ears flick forward and backward in rhythmical fashion with the rise and fall of the front feet. The appearance is that of pulling with the forelimbs and driving or pushing with the hindlimbs. The speed of the flat-foot walk is from 4 to 8 miles per hour (6.4 to 12.8 km per hour). At the running walk, the gait is basically the same but faster (10 to 20 mph [16 to 32 km/h]). The canter is a three-beat gait, with a left or right lead. In the canter the horse lifts the forehand, giving an easy rise and fall, in a rolling motion. The gait is referred to commonly as the rocking-chair canter because of the high, rolling movement of the horse’s body. The Racking Horse gait is a bilateral four-beat gait, with one foot striking the ground with the other three limbs in various phases of elevation. The gait often is referred to as the single-foot gait. When shown, a Racking Horse performs the show walk, slow rack, and fast rack. The show walk is a smooth, collected, slow and easy four-beat gait. At the slow rack the horse’s head is held with the neck arched and ears erect. The fast rack is similar in form to the slow rack, but the horse displays speed and leg action. The natural head nod must not be exaggerated at the slow or fast rack. In both breeds the collected gaits of a show horse (a gaited horse in performance shoes and tack) shift the center of gravity caudally, compared with most other light breeds, with increased loads on the hindlimbs resulting in a high incidence of hindlimb lameness. Only gold members can continue reading. Log In or Register to continue Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Related Related posts: Lameness in Horses: Basic Facts Before Starting Thermography: Use in Equine Lameness Counterirritation The Carpal Canal and Carpal Synovial Sheath Stay updated, free articles. Join our Telegram channel Join Tags: Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse Jun 4, 2016 | Posted by admin in EQUINE MEDICINE | Comments Off on Walking Horses Full access? Get Clinical Tree
