Midnight
$600
Tennessee Walking Horse Breed
The Tennessee Walking Horse is the South's famous gaited breed — its four-beat "running walk" covers ground in glass-smooth comfort, making it a favorite of trail riders and riders with back trouble.
Developed on Middle Tennessee farms from pacers, trotters and saddle stock, the Walking Horse was bred to carry landowners comfortably over fields all day. Its signature running walk — a fast, gliding four-beat gait with head nod — can cover 10–20 miles per hour with almost no bounce in the saddle.
Modern Walkers split into flat-shod pleasure and trail horses (the vast majority) and the padded "performance" show segment. For buyers, flat-shod trail-bred Walkers offer one of the smoothest, most forgiving rides in the horse world, with temperaments to match.
Buying notes: ride before you buy — gait quality varies, and a naturally well-gaited Walker needs no gimmicks. Registration is with TWHBEA; ask whether the horse has been shown flat-shod and how it trail rides alone and in company.
By Horse Trading Post Research · Updated Aug 29, 2026
Common questions
What makes Tennessee Walking Horses smooth?
The running walk — a natural four-beat gait where each foot lands separately, eliminating the two-beat bounce of a trot. Riders describe it as gliding.
Are Tennessee Walkers good for beginners?
Often yes — the breed is docile and the smooth gait is confidence-building. As always, the individual horse's training matters most.
Do all Walking Horses gait naturally?
The running walk is inherited and most gait naturally under saddle, though quality varies. Test-ride to feel the gait, and prefer horses that gait well flat-shod.