Tennessee Walker Horse |
|
Breed
characteristics
The Walker is exemplary in its disposition. It is a remarkably
calm and easy-going breed, and is typically easy to train. Although
many Tennessee Walking Horses are black, other colours and patterns
such as roans, sorrels, bays, champagnes and pintos are common.
Recently, the breed registry began to recognize the sabino pattern,
a type of pinto, and many horses registered in the past as roans
were actually sabinos. Walkers are generally 15-16 hh, but can
be as small as 13.2hh or as tall as 18hh. In conformation,
the Walker has a straight profile, with a long neck and sloping
shoulders. The head is traditionally large and refined. In
the show arena, they are known for their gliding running walk
and are usually shown with long manes and tails. The breed,
despite being a flashy mover, are quite hardy horses.
They usally range from 14.3 to 17 hands and can weigh between
900-1200 pounds. To meet breed classification, the horse must
have small well placed ears, a perfect head that is classified
as the breed, long slanting shoulders and hips, a fairly short
back, short strong couplings, and an elongated stride.
|
A Tennessee Walker mare and her colt. |
Showing
Tennessee Walking Horses are known for their
gaits: the running walk, the flat walk, and their "rocking
horse" canter. Although many members of the breed can perform
other gaits, including the trot, fox trot, rack, stepping pace,
and single foot, these gaits are typically penalized in breed
shows since they are not considered "correct" gaits
for a Walking Horse. The running walk is the most famous gait,
with speeds from 10-20 km/h (6-12 mph). As the speed increases,
the horse's rear foot overstrides the front print 15-45 cm (6-18
in). The greater the overstride, the better a "walker"
the horse is said to be. The horse nods its head in both the
running and the flat walk, the ears swinging with the gait.
Some Walkers even snap their teeth with the gait. There
are two main classes: performance horses and flat shod.
The flat shod horses are further divided
into trail pleasure, light shod, and plantation, and are judged
on way of going and animation. The trail pleasure classes
have the least animation, the plantation horses the most,
with the plantation horses often wearing a heavier shoe. They
are not allowed to use pads, action devices, or tail braces.
Performance horses exhibit a very flashy and animated running
walk, often referred to as "big lick." They appear
to sit on their hind ends, lifting their front end high off
the ground. Riders wear saddleseat attire, and tack. Horses
are shod in double and triple-nailed pads. These pads, along
with lightweight chains around the fetlock, accentuate the
gaits, making them more showy.
|
| |
History of the "Big Lick"
It is generally thought that the stallion
Midnight Sun, who competed flat-shod in 1945 and 1946, began
the rage for the "big lick" movement. The horse
had extraordinary natural knee action in his flat walk, and
was incredibly successful in the show ring. Trainers, wishing
to produce similar movement in their own horses, borrowed
practices used by trainers of other breeds. This included
action devices such as stacks, and the use of chains.
Soring first became widespread in the 1950s.
The use of chemical agents made it possible to produce a big
lick horse in less time than usual, which could sometimes
require years of training. |
| |
Action
Devices
There are two common action devices that are permitted on
the show grounds, and are used for training and show to enhance
the horse's gait.
Chains: bracelet-like chains are attached around the front
pasterns of the horse, and may be no more than 6 ounces in
weight. They are used with a lubricant to allow them to slide
easily along the pastern.
"Stacks": Added under the "big lick" horse's
natural hoof, stacks can vary in height. They are usually
made of plastic, although some may be made of leather. Stacks
have a metal band that runs across the hoof to help keep them
on the horse's foot. Stacks may be up to 4" thick in
the heel and no more than 2" in the toe.
Users of chains do not believe they cause the horse pain,
stating that it creates a similar feeling as a loose bracelet
would around the wrist of a person. However, some trainers
and veterinarians believe that they may be harmful. The well-known
"Auburn Study," conducted from September 1978 to
December of 1982 at Auburn University, examined the "Thermography
in diagnosis of inflammatory processes in horses in response
to various chemical and physical factors." Using thermography,
the researchers found that chains "altered thermal patterns
as early as day 2 of exercise with chains. These altered thermal
patterns persisted as long as chains were used," with
normal thermal patterns seen after 20 days recovery. A stallion
in the study also developed lesions from his 8 ounce chains,
after wearing them in nine 15-minute exercise periods (scattered
from September 22 to October 3).
Stacks are also controversial. Thrush is a common problem
in horses wearing stacks, and it is possible that there is
an increased occurrence of laminitis and cracks in the hoof.
Some are also critical of the band that holds the stack on,
which they believe cuts into the hoof and may wear a slot
into it. It is also dangerous if a horse wearing stacks tears
off a shoe, as the stack will come off and the band may rip
into the hoof and tear off a good part of the hoof wall. Therefore,
horses wearing stacks should not be turned out.
More
on the Auburn Study |
| |
Soring
Soring is an abusive practice that is associated in part with
the production of a "big lick" Walker. It involves
using chemical agents such as mustard oil, diesel fuel, kerosene,
salicylic acid, and others, on the pasterns, bulbs of heel,
or coronary band of the horses, burning or blistering the
horse's legs so that it will accentuate its gait. These chemicals
are harmful, usually quite toxic and sometimes carcinogenic,
and trainers must use a brush and wear gloves when applying
them. The area may then be wrapped in plastic wrap while the
chemicals are absorbed. The chemical agents cause extreme
pain, and usually lead to scarring. Scars are tell-tale signs
of soring, and therefore may be covered up by a dye, or the
horse's legs may be soaked in salicylic acid before the animal
is stalled (as many can not stand up after the treatment)
while the skin of the scars slough off. Other signs that a
horse has been sored include:
The horse stands with his feet close together, shifting his
weight to his hind legs
Granulation or scars on the pasterns or coronet
Wavy hair growth or hair loss in the pastern area
Pastern has darker hairs than the rest of the horse's coat
Hocks are carried low and may twist outward when moving
Horse lies down for extended periods of time, and is resistant
to stand
Horse resists handling of feet
Horse has difficulty walking, and may fall
Other methods of soring include pressure shoes, where the
hoof is trimmed to the quick so that the sole is in direct
contact with the metal shoe. The horse may then be "road
foundered," ridden up and down hard surfaces on the over-trimmed
hooves, until they are very sore. Trainers sometimes place
objects, such as metal beads, nails, or screws, under the
pad causing intense pressure, although this practice has begun
to decrease with the advent of fluoroscope to detect such
methods. Abusive use of chains (such as using them with chemical
soring agents) is also a common practices by sorers.
Measures have for many years been taken to stop the practice,
and many supporters of the TWH have banded together against
such cruelty. The 1972 Horse Protection Act [2], created specifically
to stop such practices and to monitor the TWH in particular,
prohibits the use of soring agents. The USDA's Animal and
Plant Health Inspection Spervie (APHIS) is working with the
industry to enforce the law; Walking Horse organizations send
DQP's (Designated Qualified Persons) to shows to inspect the
horses alongside the federal Vetrinary Medical Officers. According
to the APHIS, less than 1 % of horses inspected were cited
for any violation, including technical violations such as
use of hair dyes and shoeing measurements.
Soring is prohibited at sales and shows, and is detected
by observing the horse for lameness and assessing his stance
and palpating the lower legs. Some trainers can bypass inspectors
by "stewarding," or teaching the horses not to react
to the pain that palpation may cause, by severely punishing
the horse for flinching after the sored area is palpated.
Trainers may also time the use of the agents so that it will
not be detected when the horse is examined, but will be in
effect when the rider goes into the ring. Others use topical
anesthetics, which are timed to wear off before the horse
goes into the show ring. Many trainers that sore will also
leave the show grounds when they find that DQPs are present.
Although soring is not as prevalent as it was in earlier years,
and while the vast majority of Walkers are not sored, the
problem still exists.
In 2006, however, due to new techniques in both soring and
detection, the USDA has begun a larger crack down on soring
within the TWH industry. A new device known as a sniffer (also
used to detect the chemical presence of bombs in airport security)
is now being employed where swabbed samples are taken from
the horse and then "sniffed." At the 2005 Walking
Horse Celebration, over 50% of the horses showing were found
to be in violation when "sniffed," and the USDA
then expressed that it would begin the crack down in 2006.
Trainers have begun to ban against the practice, and many
have joined the National Walking Horse Association (NWHA).
This association promotes the sound Tenneessee Walker.
|
| |
History
The Tennessee Walker originated from the Narragansett Pacer
and the Canadian Pacer. In the early 1800s, these two breeds
were blended by Tennessee breeders who were looking for a
horse that could handle the mountainous terrain of the area.
Confederate Pacer and Union Trotter blood was added during
the Civil War, creating the sturdy Southern Plantation Horse
(aka the Tennessee Pacer). Breeders later added Thoroughbred,
Standardbred, Morgan, and American Saddlebred blood to refine
and add stamina to their gaited horse.
In 1885, Black Allen was born. By the stallion Allendorf
(from the Hambletonian family of trotters) and out of a Morgan
mare named Maggie Marshall, he became the foundion sire of
the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.
The breed became popular due to their smooth gaits and incredible
stamina. It was common for farmers to hold match races with
their Walkers, who they also used for plowing fields. Even
after the coming of the automobile, Tennessee communities
kept their Walkers to manage the poor roads of the area. The
Walkers began to gain a reputation as a showy animal, and
breeders sought bloodlines to produce refined, intelligent,
flashy horses.
The registry was formed in 1935. The stud book was closed
in 1947, so every Walker after that date has to have both
parents registered to be registered themselves.
The town of Shelbyville, Tennessee is often recognized as
the "Walking Horse Capital of the World."
|
| |
|
|
|
