When you see a big-striding equus caballus, wearing a cut-back saddle and being ridden past a human in a suit and English-fashion hat, that's a Tennessee Walker, correct?

Wrong.

It could be, but at that place are also numerous other breeds that perform in the subject called saddle seat—breeds that are continually dislocated with Tennessee Walkers despite their vast differences, and deserve to be judged on their own merit.

All styles of riding tin can exist separated into one of two categories: western or english. Under english language riding fall disciplines such every bit hunt seat, dressage and saddle seat.

Many breeds can perform in the subject of saddle seat, but the virtually mutual are American Saddlebreds, Morgans, and Arabians. Though less common, Hackney horses and ponies, and a growing number of Friesians and Dutch Harness horses too compete under saddle seat tack.

Tennessee Walkers are likewise commonly used for saddle seat, but they are and so different from the other saddle seat breeds that they most deserve a category unto themselves.

Unfortunately for the other breeds, uninformed people both in and out of the horse industry continually confuse Tennessee Walkers with their peers. This can be seen most clearly on Google, where fifty-fifty a simple Google search of the term "Tennessee Walker" turns up nearly equally many pictures of other breeds as information technology does Walking horses.

The horse most often confused with the Tennessee Walker is the American Saddlebred and, in ane sense, information technology is easy to see why. Both breeds originated in the 18th century and thrived on plantations in the Southern United States, both are big horses, with long necks and high-stepping gaits, and both were used every bit the mounts of generals during the Civil War.

Simply the modern-mean solar day breeds are quite different in both use and preparation practices.

In that location is nil incorrect with the Tennessee Walker equally a brood. Tennessee Walkers are versatile and expert-tempered horses, and thrive on the trail or in the show ring. There is probably zip wrong with the vast majority of the people involved in the Tennessee Walker industry either—most of them probably love and care for their horses. The problem is with the percentage of them that don't, and how it is affecting the perception of all breeds that compete under saddle seat tack.

The Tennessee Walker has been making headlines in the news recently due to the prevalence of a practice called "soring," where horse owners or trainers utilise chemicals or pressure to the anxiety or legs to strength the equus caballus to option upwards its legs higher and faster than information technology normally would and achieve the desired animated look.

It is important to note that this do is really just a problem in what is known as the "Big Lick" Tennessee Walker. There are many Tennessee Walkers ridden for pleasure purposes, and many that compete in the bear witness ring in other divisions, such equally the plantation pleasure division, that do non have any use for these practices.

However, the United states of america government is rightfully concerned well-nigh this cruelty, and looking into how to stop it. This is skilful. Information technology only becomes problematic when other saddle seat breeds are grouped in with the Walking horses, and that is why public knowledge is vital.

If it'due south trotting, it is piece of cake to tell that it is not a Tennessee Walker.

Even if these other breeds wanted to sore their horses for whatever bizarre reason, they wouldn't do good from it. While Tennessee Walkers exercise non need to trot in the show ring, Saddlebreds, Morgans, Arabians, Hackneys, Friesians and Dutch Harness horses do. There is a reason the trot is used every bit a soundness bank check in eventing competition—if a horse is unsound or pain, that is the gait where it is most likely to show up. While soring may "meliorate" (emphasis on air quotes) the gait of a horse performing a running walk, it would severely damage the gait of any equus caballus that needs to trot.

So how tin can y'all tell the difference between a Big Lick Tennessee Walker and, say, a five-gaited American Saddlebred?

First, expect at the gait the horse is performing. If it'south trotting, it is piece of cake to tell that information technology is not a Tennessee Walker.

Information technology is when the equus caballus is performing a gait that is non a regular walk, trot or amble that it gets a little more than complicated. About horse people are familiar with the Tennessee Walker'south signature gait, the running walk. What they may not know is that some American Saddlebreds are known equally "v-gaited" horses, and are able to perform an extra gait called the rack. The rack has the same footfalls as the running walk, though in practice information technology looks quite dissimilar.

While a knowledgeable saddle seat rider would be able to tell instantaneously which gait is which, for the newbie, information technology can be tricky, and might be easiest to tell this way: while pictures of Tennessee Walkers performing the running walk will often testify two feet flat on the basis, the all-time pictures of the rack (the ones Saddlebred owners will be most likely to display) show just one foot apartment on the ground at a time at a time. Y'all may take to look closely, every bit the pes may exist tipped up just getting ready to leave the ground, or hovering above just getting fix to hit it, but there are probably not ii feet entirely on the ground at once.

A Tennessee Walking Horse performing a running walk. Notice the two flat feet on the ground that is signature of the gait. ©Randall R. Saxton/Flickr CC Past two.0,

A Saddlebred Equus caballus performing the Rack. Notice that only one human foot is apartment on the basis at a time. Photo courtesy of the American Saddlebred Horse Clan.

The shoeing between these breeds is unlike equally well. While near saddle seat breeds offer some divisions where horses are immune to wear leather pads between their hoof and shoes, they are extremely different than the large stacks seen in the Large Lick Tennessee Walker.

More ofttimes than non, the employ is limited to just a single pad to cushion the impact of the horse's naturally blithe gait, or fix an uneven angle in the horse'south heel. The goal is to shoe the horse as lightly equally possible to preserve its natural free-flowing gait, while keeping the horse sound and moving correctly. Finding that residual is the art of show horse farriery.

Other details set the breeds autonomously as well.

The Saddlebred's face up, similar that of the Morgan and Arabian, is mostly more refined than that of the Tennessee Walker.

Saddlebred horses tend to have a more refined head than Tennessee Walkers.

In that location are subtle tack differences, too. While Tennessee Walkers perform with only one rein and one bit, a curb, other saddle seat disciplines compete with two bits and reins—a snaffle and a adjourn with a shorter shank—and there is no need for them to wear a chest collar like many Tennessee Walkers do, because their gait is not as exaggerated.

On the left: Saddlebred bridle featuring two flake and reins, a curb and a shank. On the right: A Tennessee Walking Equus caballus with a single adjourn bit and rein. (Saddlebred photo courtesy of the American Saddlebred Horse Association. Tennessee Walking Horse )

Additionally, while Tennessee Walkers are allowed to compete with action devices around the horse's ankles, other saddle seat breeds would never be seen competing with anything on their anxiety except protective boots, such as bell boots or quarter boots.

If zero about the horse is able to assistance yous determine what breed you're looking at, have a look at the rider. The rider position between Tennessee Walkers and Saddlebreds is extremely dissimilar, due to the difference in the horses' way of going. Because Big Lick Tennessee Walkers accept such an exaggerated movement of the hindquarters, riders tend to lean forward to maintain their balance, while riders of Saddlebreds and other saddle seat breeds must maintain an upright posture to stay with their equus caballus's move.

Rider clothes may be useful in helping distinguish between breeds besides, particularly when riders are in show ring attire. As a general dominion, Tennessee Walker riders tend to be less conservative in their dress, sometimes wearing brighter colors or large bows in their hair. Additionally, they oft utilize homburg fashion hats rather than the derbies that are almost solely worn in the Saddlebred world, or forego hats and gloves completely.

It is clear that the differences between these breeds are many, and with the current authorities intervention, recognizing them has never been more vital. It's fine to not like Tennessee Walkers as a breed. It's fine to not similar saddle seat as a discipline. It is the prerogative of every human to take an opinion, but information technology is as well human duty to have an educated 1.

So think that Tennessee Walkers contain only a minor section of the saddle seat bailiwick, and well-nigh saddle seat enthusiasts detest soring practices only equally much as you do. And remember this too: there is a chance that the horse y'all are lambasting in the online comments department isn't a Tennessee Walker at all.

©Studio 637 Photography

Near the Author

Allie Layos is a lifelong equestrian with a passion for the written word, and she likes naught improve than to combine these ii interests. While she has ridden multiple disciplines, her first dearest is saddle seat, and she serves equally editor-at-large for the international show horse magazine, Saddle & Bridle. Her piece of work has also been featured in a variety of equine-related books, websites and other publications.