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The Tennessee Walker or Tennessee Walking Horse is a breed of riding horse. The breed was originally bred in the Southern United States to carry the owners of plantations around their lands. They are known for their unique four-beat “running walk.” The breed is rarely seen in any of the sport horse disciplines; however, they are popular in trail riding because of their smooth gaits, stamina and easy temper. They are also seen in Western riding disciplines and in harness.

In conformation, the Tennessee Walker is a tall horse with a long neck and sloping shoulder. The head is traditionally large but refined in bone, with small well-placed ears. The horse has a fairly short back, short strong coupling, and an elongated stride. In the show arena, Tennessee Walkers are known for their running walk and are usually shown with long, unbraided manes and tails.

Common colors include black, chestnut, sorrel, and bay. Some may also show characteristics of the champagne gene; other colors patterns such as roan and pinto are common. Recently, the breed registry began to recognize the sabino pattern, and it must be noted that many horses registered in the past as roans were, in some cases, sabinos. Tennessee Walkers are generally 15 to 17 hands (60 to 68 inches, 152 to 173 cm) tall, but can range from 13.2 to 17.2 hands (54 to 70 inches, 137 to 178 cm) Weight is generally between 900 and 1,200 pounds (410 and 540 kg) (info from Wikipedia).

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