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TWH

Total Worker Health (TWH) is a framework developed by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) that integrates traditional occupational safety and health protections with broader efforts to promote worker well-being, emphasizing the prevention of work-related injuries, illnesses, and diseases alongside enhancements to physical, mental, and organizational health factors in the workplace.^[1] Introduced in the early 2010s as a paradigm shift from siloed occupational health initiatives, TWH prioritizes upstream interventions such as healthy work design, organizational policies, and leadership commitment to foster safer, more productive environments rather than relying solely on individual-level wellness programs.^[2] Key components include the Hierarchy of Controls applied to psychosocial and ergonomic risks, alongside evidence-based practices to address how work influences overall health outcomes, with empirical data showing potential reductions in absenteeism and healthcare costs through integrated approaches.^[3] While adopted by organizations like the Society for Total Worker Health for advancing collaborative research and implementation, TWH has faced implementation challenges in resource-limited settings, though peer-reviewed studies affirm its effectiveness in linking work exposures to holistic well-being metrics.^[4]^[5]

History

Origins and early development

The Tennessee Walking Horse developed in the Middle Tennessee Basin during the late 19th century through crosses of gaited and light harness breeds, including Narragansett Pacers, Canadian Pacers, Thoroughbreds, Morgans, and Standardbreds, to produce a versatile utility horse capable of comfortable long-distance travel over hilly terrain.^[6]^[7] Settlers from Virginia, the Carolinas, and adjacent states selectively bred these animals for riding, light farm work, and driving, prioritizing a smooth running walk that minimized rider fatigue during plantation oversight or rural errands.^[7] This regional adaptation emphasized natural gaits—flat walk, running walk, and rocking-chair canter—over trotting or pacing, distinguishing the type from faster harness racers.^[6] Black Allan (Allan F-1), foaled in 1886 in Kentucky to Thoroughbred stallion Union Jack and a pacing-breed mare, emerged as the foundation sire upon relocation to Tennessee, where his progeny consistently exhibited the breed's signature intermediate gait.^[8]^[7] Early breeders in counties like Maury and Giles refined these lines by mating Black Allan's descendants with local mares of similar gaited ancestry, yielding horses valued for endurance and docility in agricultural settings.^[9] Without a formal registry, selection relied on empirical performance in fieldwork, with the running walk enabling coverage of 10 to 20 miles per hour at a stride length of up to 18 feet.^[7] By the early 20th century, the breed had solidified informally as a plantation and farm staple, with its traits propagated through family-based breeding programs rather than organized shows.^[10] This pre-registry phase focused on practical utility, as the horses' calm temperament and sure-footedness suited country doctors and overseers navigating uneven ground, laying the groundwork for later standardization.^[7]

Establishment of the breed registry

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' Association, later renamed the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), was formally chartered on May 11, 1935, in Lewisburg, Tennessee, following an organizational meeting on April 27, 1935, among a group of breeders and owners seeking to standardize and preserve the breed's distinctive traits.^[11]^[12] This establishment addressed the growing demand for a centralized registry to document pedigrees of horses descended from the region's plantation walking stock, which had evolved informally through selective breeding since the late 19th century.^[11] The registry's primary objectives included maintaining breed purity by verifying ancestry, promoting the horse's natural gaits for utility in farming and riding, and facilitating organized exhibitions to showcase superior specimens.^[11] Initial registration focused on foundation sires and dams exhibiting the breed's signature running walk, with early records emphasizing horses from Middle Tennessee bloodlines that traced back to Narragansett Pacers and other gaited influences.^[6] By formalizing eligibility criteria, the association aimed to distinguish purebred Tennessee Walkers from crossbred variants, requiring documented parentage for future entries—a policy that culminated in the closure of the stud book in 1947 to prevent dilution.^[11] The TWHBEA, headquartered in Lewisburg, quickly became the authoritative body for breed certification, issuing papers that verified horses met conformational and gait standards without artificial enhancements.^[12] This structure supported the breed's expansion beyond agricultural roles into competitive showing, laying the groundwork for national recognition.^[13]

Expansion and recognition in the 20th century

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) was established on May 11, 1935, in Lewisburg, Tennessee, to maintain pedigrees and promote the breed, marking a pivotal step in formalizing its identity beyond regional plantation use.^[11] This registry facilitated standardized breeding and documentation, enabling breeders to track foundation sires like Black Allan and Merry Go Boy, which traced to Narragansett Pacers and Thoroughbred influences from the late 19th century.^[10] By the late 1930s, the breed's distinctive running walk—covering up to 15 miles per hour with minimal vertical bounce—drew attention at local exhibitions, transitioning the horse from utilitarian farm work to competitive showcasing.^[14] The inaugural Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, held August 17–19, 1939, in Wartrace, Tennessee, under the vision of trainer Henry Davis, attracted over 40,000 spectators and featured elite gaited entries, solidifying the breed's national profile.^[15] ^[16] The event, which relocated to Shelbyville in 1940 due to venue constraints, grew into an annual fixture interrupted only briefly by World War II, emphasizing classes for flat-shod and performance horses that highlighted natural gaits.^[16] This showcase spurred demand, with registrations expanding as breeders disseminated stock southward and westward from Middle Tennessee's Nashville Basin hearth, often to states like Texas and Florida for ranch and trail applications.^[10] Mid-century champions such as Midnight Sun (foaled 1940), who dominated multiple National Celebration titles through the 1940s and 1950s, exemplified the breed's conformational ideals—headset, overstride, and soundness—elevating its status among equestrians.^[17] By the 1960s, the horse's versatility for pleasure riding, parades, and light harness work contributed to its proliferation, with notable endorsements from entertainers like Gene Autry, whose mount Champion Jr. (a Tennessee Walker) appeared in films, broadening appeal beyond agriculture.^[18] The Walking Horse Owners Association (WHOA), formed in 1976, further advocated for ethical promotion, complementing TWHBEA efforts amid rising show circuit participation.^[19] Recognition culminated in legislative honors, including a 1965 Tennessee General Assembly resolution under Governor Frank Clement affirming the breed's cultural significance, though formal designation as the official state horse occurred via Public Chapter 987 in 2000.^[13] ^[20] Throughout the century, empirical diffusion patterns showed sustained growth, with the breed ranking among the top five U.S. equine populations by century's end, driven by its inherent sure-footedness on varied terrain rather than artificial enhancements.^[8]

Post-1970 evolution and breed splits

The Horse Protection Act of 1970 established federal prohibitions against soring Tennessee Walking Horses, requiring pre-show inspections by USDA-accredited veterinarians to identify chemical, mechanical, or surgical abuses that induce artificial gait exaggeration through pain.^[21] This legislation responded to documented abuses emerging in the mid-20th century, particularly in show contexts where trainers applied irritants to forelimbs to elevate leg action beyond natural capabilities.^[21] Despite initial self-regulation efforts by industry groups like the Walking Horse Trainers' Association, USDA records indicate persistent noncompliance, with over 1,000 violations cited annually in performance divisions during the 2000s, including convictions such as that of trainer Jackie McConnell in 2012 for directing soring via chains, acids, and beatings.^[22]^[21] Post-1970, Tennessee Walking Horse exhibitions formalized divisions between flat-shod classes, emphasizing natural gaits with standard lightweight shoes (typically under 1 pound per foot) and minimal toe length, and performance classes, which permitted stacked pads up to 1.5 inches, weighted chains, and extended toes to produce the high-stepping "big lick" variant of the running walk.^[23] Flat-shod competitions prioritize smooth, ground-covering strides suitable for trail and pleasure use, aligning with the breed's foundational versatility derived from pacers and trotters, and saw substantial growth as exhibitors sought alternatives amid soring scandals.^[24] Performance entries, conversely, focused on dramatic foreleg flexion and hindleg overstride, but empirical evidence from thermography and gait analysis linked these enhancements to higher soring prevalence, as devices amplified pain responses for competitive edge.^[25] The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), renamed in 1974, maintained a unified closed studbook since 1947, registering 108,899 horses by 2025 without formal lineage bifurcations, though selective breeding for performance traits—favoring conformational extremes like upright pasterns—diverged from utility lines bred for endurance.^[26]^[6] Industry fractures intensified with welfare advocacy, as groups like Friends of Sound Horses promoted naturally gaited alternatives, contrasting establishment defenses that attributed violations to outliers rather than systemic incentives in padded formats.^[27] USDA amendments in 2016 aimed to phase out pads and action devices, but legal challenges delayed implementation until a May 2024 final rule mandating their outright ban in regulated shows, effective after a transition period, to sever soring's mechanical enablers.^[21]^[28] This regulatory evolution prompted some performance exhibitors to migrate to unregulated "celebration" events or foreign venues, while flat-shod registrations and trail-oriented breeding expanded, reflecting a causal shift toward welfare-compliant markets; TWHBEA reported 45,664 living registrants in 2025, with non-show sectors comprising the majority.^[26] No independent breed registries splintered from TWHBEA, but the performance-flat divide engendered parallel ecosystems, with flat-shod prioritizing genetic soundness over spectacle and performance lines risking welfare trade-offs via device dependency.^[29]

Physical Characteristics

Conformation and build

The Tennessee Walking Horse exhibits a refined yet solidly built conformation suited to its gaited performance, typically standing between 14.3 and 17 hands high and weighing 900 to 1,200 pounds.^[30] The average height is approximately 15.2 hands, contributing to an elegant, long-legged appearance that supports extended strides.^[31] The head is well-proportioned and definitive, featuring small, alert ears set close together and a clean, refined throatlatch without coarseness.^[30] The neck is long, muscular, and gracefully arched, connecting smoothly to the head and providing balance during motion, with a broad base that enhances overall suppleness.^[32] Shoulders are long and sloping, allowing freedom of movement, while the chest is deep and the body short-coupled for strength and efficiency.^[30] The back is fairly short and strong, with a level or slightly sloping topline leading to a short, powerful loin; the underline is notably longer than the topline, facilitating the breed's characteristic long stride.^[30] Hindquarters are long, sloping, and well-muscled, promoting propulsion, paired with slender yet strong, straight legs that are well-boned and set for soundness.^[30]^[32] This balanced structure emphasizes functionality over extreme athleticism, prioritizing endurance and smoothness in gait.^[33]

Coat colors and markings

The Tennessee Walking Horse displays a wide array of coat colors derived from base pigments combined with dilution genes and white spotting patterns, all of which are accepted for registration by the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA). Base colors include black, characterized by an entirely black body coat with foals often appearing mousy gray at birth; bay, featuring a light-to-dark reddish-brown body with black points on the mane, tail, legs, and ear rims; brown, with a predominantly black body and lighter tan areas around the muzzle, eyes, flanks, and upper legs; and chestnut or sorrel, ranging from light golden red to dark reddish-brown, with mane and tail either matching the body or lighter flaxen shades.^[34]^[34] Dilution genes further modify these bases, producing colors such as buckskin (bay diluted to creamy tan with black points), palomino (chestnut diluted to golden with white mane and tail), smoky black (black with a single cream dilution appearing dark brown to black), and various champagne variants including classic champagne (black diluted to dark chocolate with freckled skin and hazel eyes), amber champagne (bay to golden tan with chocolate points), and gold champagne (chestnut to pale golden).^[34] Additional dilutions like dun (any base lightened with a dorsal stripe and primitive markings, requiring a dun parent) and silver (lightening black to silvery mane and tail) occur, as do double dilutions such as perlino, cremello, and smoky cream, which result in near-white coats with blue eyes and pink skin.^[34] Champagne dilutions are notably prevalent in gaited breeds like the Tennessee Walking Horse due to selective breeding preferences.^[35] Common white markings on solid-colored Tennessee Walking Horses include facial features such as stars (small white patches on the forehead), stripes or blazes (white extending down the face), and snips (small white on the muzzle), alongside leg markings like coronets (white at the coronet), socks (white to the fetlock or mid-cannon), and stockings (white extending to the knee or hock).^[34] Pinto patterns, recognized but less dominant in the breed, encompass sabino (ragged white extending up legs and onto the belly with possible blue eyes and facial flecking), tobiano (vertical white patches with white legs and a dark head), overo (horizontal white from the flanks with solid-colored legs and often a bald face), and combinations like tobiano/sabino featuring excessive white.^[34] Rare modifiers include roan (intermixed white hairs requiring a roan parent), progressive gray (lightening over time from a colored birth coat), and pure white (dominant epistatic white at birth with dark eyes, sometimes misclassified as extreme sabino).^[34] These variations do not affect breed standards for gait or conformation but influence registration documentation through genetic testing for accurate color prediction.^[34]

Temperament and suitability for riders

Tennessee Walking Horses are renowned for their calm and docile temperament, traits that have been selectively bred into the breed since its development in the early 20th century.^[6] These horses typically exhibit a gentle, obedient disposition, making them polite and easy to handle in various settings.^[31] A 2016 genome-wide association study identified heritable temperament factors in the breed, including tractability and low anxiousness, which align with anecdotal and observational descriptions of Tennessee Walkers as eager to please and non-reactive under stress.^[36] This inherent calmness stems from foundational bloodlines emphasizing utility for plantation work, where reliability was paramount over speed or excitability.^[14] The breed's temperament contributes to its broad suitability for riders of all experience levels, particularly beginners and families seeking a forgiving mount. Their smooth, natural gaits—such as the running walk—combined with a willing and intelligent nature, allow novices to maintain balance without the jarring motion common in trotting breeds, reducing fatigue on long rides.^[14] Tennessee Walkers are frequently recommended for trail and pleasure riding due to this even-tempered reliability, with many individuals proving steady around children or inexperienced handlers.^[31] However, as with any breed, individual temperament can vary based on genetics, early handling, and training; some lines bred for competitive showing may display higher energy or sensitivity, though the breed standard prioritizes docility.^[6] In equine management contexts, the Tennessee Walking Horse's trainability and sociability enhance its versatility for therapeutic or recreational programs, where low agonistic (aggressive) traits facilitate bonding with handlers.^[37] Owners report these horses as gregarious yet not overly herd-bound, aiding focus during solo outings.^[36] Empirical observations from breed registries and veterinary sources underscore that proper socialization from a young age reinforces these positive traits, minimizing behavioral issues like spookiness.^[14]

Gaits and Movement

The running walk

The running walk is the signature intermediate-speed gait of the Tennessee Walking Horse, characterized as a four-beat, symmetrical stepping gait with a lateral footfall sequence typically following left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore.^[38]^[39] This gait extends the flat walk by increasing tempo, extension, and overstride, allowing the horse to cover ground efficiently while maintaining smoothness for the rider.^[39]^[40] In execution, the hind hooves overstep the tracks left by the forehooves by 6 to 18 inches or more, with greater overstride prized for its reach and propulsion, derived from the breed's selective breeding for natural ambling ability rather than acquired training alone.^[39]^[41] The horse exhibits a pronounced head nod synchronized with the foreleg movement, reflecting the even timing and lack of vertical bounce, which contributes to its gliding quality and rider comfort over long distances.^[39] Speeds typically range from 10 to 20 miles per hour, enabling sustained travel without fatigue, though proper form prioritizes balance over maximum velocity.^[39]^[40] Biomechanically, the running walk functions as a hyperextended walk leveraging inverted-pendulum dynamics for energy efficiency, distinguishing it from trotting or racking gaits in other breeds by its even four-beat timing at intermediate velocities.^[42]^[43] Genetic loci influencing this polymorphic gait have been identified, underscoring its heritability within the breed, where not all individuals perform it equally despite breeding standards.^[43] In performance evaluation, judges assess for clarity, rhythm, and extension without artificial enhancements, as the gait's natural expression supports versatility in trail, utility, and show contexts.^[39]

Other natural gaits

The Tennessee Walking Horse performs two additional natural gaits beyond the running walk: the flat walk and the canter, both inherited traits that enhance the breed's suitability for extended riding without jarring motion.^[39]^[44] The flat walk, also known as the flat-foot walk, is a four-beat gait in which each foot strikes the ground independently, producing a smooth, gliding motion with pronounced head nod synchronized to the hindquarters.^[39] This gait maintains a brisk pace, typically covering four to eight miles per hour, with extended overstride where the hind foot reaches beyond the imprint of the forefoot, distinguishing it from a standard walk while avoiding the bounce of a trot.^[39]^[45] The canter is a three-beat, asymmetrical gait executed on either the left or right lead, featuring a forward diagonal movement that lifts the forehand in a rolling, rhythmic fashion.^[39] Often termed the "rocking-chair canter" for its relaxed, easy rise-and-fall quality, it provides a comfortable, collected propulsion without excessive speed, complementing the breed's ambling walks for versatile trail and pleasure use.^[46]^[47] In performance contexts, the canter emphasizes balance and smoothness, reflecting the horse's genetic predisposition toward non-trotting locomotion.^[33]

Performance enhancements and variations

Tennessee Walking Horses are exhibited in two primary gait performance divisions: flat-shod, which emphasizes the breed's natural gaits using standard lightweight horseshoes without pads or weighting devices, and performance (also known as padded or built-up), which permits enhanced shoeing to accentuate leg action and stride exaggeration.^[23]^[44] In flat-shod classes, horses must maintain a relaxed, ground-covering running walk without artificial elevation, rewarding inherent smoothness and overstride developed through breeding and training rather than mechanical aids.^[23] Performance classes allow flat or wedge pads up to one inch thick, combined with roller chains or other action devices applied to the front hooves to promote higher knee and hock flexion, producing the signature "Big Lick" style where the running walk features pronounced vertical lift and flashier presentation.^[48]^[44] Gait variations within these enhancements include departures from the ideal running walk, such as the rack—a faster, lateral-interfering four-beat gait with minimal overstride—or the fox-trot and stepping pace, which some horses naturally exhibit or trainers encourage through selective shoeing and conditioning to suit class preferences.^[39] These variations arise from genetic predispositions in bloodlines favoring ambling patterns, but performance shoeing can amplify or alter them, with the running walk ideally reaching speeds of 10 to 20 miles per hour while preserving four-beat timing and head nod.^[46]^[39] Historically, performance enhancements have included soring, the deliberate infliction of pain via chemical irritants, excessive weighting, or mechanical pressure to compel exaggerated gait elevation, originating in the 1950s among Tennessee trainers seeking competitive advantage in shows.^[49]^[50] Congress banned soring under the Horse Protection Act of 1970, mandating USDA veterinary inspections at sanctioned events to detect scars, heat, or asymmetry indicative of abuse, yet noncompliance persists, with padded horses accounting for 96% of violations as of 2018 despite representing only 23% of inspections.^[49]^[50]^[51] The flat-shod division's growth reflects backlash against these practices, prioritizing verifiable natural talent over potentially coercive methods.^[23]

Uses and Versatility

Trail and pleasure riding

The Tennessee Walking Horse's running walk and other natural gaits provide a smooth, gliding motion that minimizes jarring for riders during extended periods in the saddle, making the breed particularly well-suited for trail riding over varied terrain.^[44]^[14] This four-beat gait, performed at speeds up to 10-15 miles per hour, enables coverage of long distances—such as multi-hour or multi-day trails—without the fatigue associated with trotting breeds.^[46] Breeders and exhibitors' associations highlight the horse's intelligence, strength, surefootedness, and calm disposition as key attributes for trail work, allowing riders to navigate obstacles like rocks, streams, and inclines with reliability.^[44]^[52] These traits stem from the breed's historical development for plantation oversight in the American South, where endurance and versatility were prioritized over speed or jumping ability.^[53] For pleasure riding, which encompasses casual outings on farms, beaches, or local paths, the Tennessee Walking Horse accommodates both English and Western tack without requiring specialized performance enhancements like weighted shoes, unlike in show divisions.^[23] The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) supports trail and pleasure use through its Trails Program, launched to recognize riders logging verified hours on registered horses, with awards for achievements such as 100 cumulative hours; in 2023, the program's Trail Horse of the Year accumulated 387.5 hours.^[54]^[55] This initiative promotes the breed's utility beyond competitions, emphasizing its role in recreational equestrianism where natural, flat-shod conformation preserves joint health for sustained activity.^[23] Owners report the breed's affectionate nature and low-maintenance gaits foster accessibility for novice to experienced riders seeking enjoyable, low-impact outings.^[14]^[52]

Farm and utility work

The Tennessee Walking Horse originated in the Middle Tennessee region during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily bred for practical farm utility on plantations and smallholdings. It performed tasks such as plowing fields, hauling timber and crops, and light draft work, leveraging its sturdy build and natural gaits for efficiency over uneven rural terrain.^[56]^[57] The breed's running walk, covering up to 14 miles per hour while maintaining a smooth ride, allowed farmers and overseers to traverse large areas—such as inspecting fences, crops, or livestock—without excessive rider fatigue, a key advantage in pre-mechanized agriculture.^[8]^[58] Early Tennessee Walkers were treated as standard farm animals, doubling as both workhorses and riding stock, with their versatility extending to match races between neighboring farmers after daily chores.^[59]^[57] Their sure-footedness and stamina suited hilly or forested landscapes common in Tennessee, facilitating duties like light logging or herding in rugged conditions where other breeds might falter.^[58] By the mid-20th century, however, widespread adoption of tractors and internal combustion machinery diminished their role in heavy farm labor, shifting emphasis toward recreational and show uses.^[60] In contemporary contexts, Tennessee Walkers retain niche utility applications, particularly in field trials where riders judge hunting dogs over extended distances, benefiting from the breed's endurance and steady gait.^[61] Some rural operations continue employing them for driving wagons, light hauling, or trail-based farm oversight, valuing their calm temperament and low-impact movement on soft ground to minimize soil compaction compared to wheeled vehicles.^[62] Despite these roles, mechanization has largely supplanted equines in commercial agriculture, confining TWH utility to hobby farms or specialized non-industrial tasks.^[14]

Competitive showing and divisions

Tennessee Walking Horses compete in shows sanctioned by organizations such as the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), where exhibitors demonstrate the breed's signature gaits—flat walk, running walk, and canter—in various classes divided primarily by shoeing type and performance style.^[44] Competitive showing emphasizes the horse's natural ability, conformation, and manner of going, with judging prioritizing smoothness, overstride, and head nod while penalizing artificial enhancements beyond regulated allowances.^[23] The two principal divisions are flat-shod and performance. Flat-shod classes require lightweight, plain horseshoes without pads, wedges, or action devices, showcasing the breed's inherent gait quality for pleasure and trail-oriented riding; subclasses include Trail Pleasure (emphasizing endurance and versatility), Country Pleasure (focusing on relaxed, natural movement), and Lite Shod (allowing minimal weighting up to 2 ounces per shoe for subtle enhancement).^[44] ^[63] In contrast, performance divisions permit stacked pads up to 1.5 inches thick and weighted chains or rollers on the pasterns to accentuate leg action and tail set, aiming for elevated, flashy movement in classes like Park Performance or Two-Gaited, though subject to inspections under the Horse Protection Act to detect soring.^[23] ^[48] Additional competitive formats include versatility events under TWHBEA, limited to flat-shod horses, encompassing up to 21 disciplines such as reining, jumping, dressage, and obstacle courses to highlight multifunctionality beyond gaited showing.^[64] Youth, amateur, and open categories further subdivide entries by rider experience and age, with English or Western tack permitted across divisions to accommodate diverse exhibitor preferences.^[23] Major events like the TWHBEA International Pleasure & Colt Grand Championship draw thousands of entries annually, awarding points toward national standings based on cumulative performances.^[65]

Breeding and Registration

Role of the TWHBEA

The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), founded in 1935 in Lewisburg, Tennessee, serves as the official international registry for the Tennessee Walking Horse breed.^[66]^[67] Its core mission is to record pedigrees, ensure breed purity through verified ancestry, and facilitate accurate ownership transfers, thereby protecting breeders' and owners' investments via standardized policies and documentation requirements.^[11]^[68] As a 501(c)(5) nonprofit organization, TWHBEA maintains comprehensive records of over 500,000 registered horses as of recent counts, requiring DNA verification for certain registrations to uphold genetic integrity and prevent fraud in bloodlines.^[67] The association processes registrations using prescribed forms, mandates inspections for foal papers, and issues certificates that detail lineage back to foundation stock, enabling traceability essential for breeding decisions.^[68] Transfers of ownership must be filed promptly to validate sales, with fees structured to support ongoing registry operations—such as $25 for mare or foal transfers and $50 for stallions as of 2023 schedules. Beyond registry functions, TWHBEA promotes the breed through educational programs, youth initiatives, and events like its annual Awards Banquet, where it honors influential sires, dams, and breeders—for instance, inducting seven horses and three breeders into its Hall of Fame on December 5, 2025.^[69]^[70] It supports versatility in disciplines such as trail riding and farm work by providing resources on gaits and standards, without direct involvement in show regulations or enforcement against practices like soring, which fall under separate entities like the USDA and inspection bodies.^[71] Membership, available to breeders, exhibitors, and enthusiasts for annual dues starting at $75, grants access to these services, stallion directories, and promotional tools to foster breed growth.^[70] TWHBEA's governance includes corporate rules that prohibit endorsements of commercial products or political stances, emphasizing neutrality in its promotional role while collaborating on breed preservation efforts, such as marking programs for identification.^[68] This structure has sustained the association's position as the breed's foundational body, registering foundational horses like Black Allan in its early years and adapting to modern demands like genetic testing amid ongoing industry scrutiny.^[11]

Bloodlines and influential sires

The foundational bloodlines of the Tennessee Walking Horse derive from gaited progenitors including the Narragansett Pacer and Canadian Pacer, interbred with Thoroughbred, Morgan, Standardbred, and American Saddlebred stocks to emphasize smooth, ambling gaits suitable for plantation work.^[6] These early crosses prioritized endurance and natural running walk over speed, with selective breeding in Middle Tennessee from the late 18th century onward refining the breed's distinctive four-beat gait.^[72] Black Allan, registered as Allan F-1 and foaled on September 30, 1886, in Kentucky, serves as the acknowledged foundation sire, sired by a Thoroughbred stallion out of a Morgan mare; despite initial breeding as a trotter, his gaited offspring established the breed's core lineage before his death in 1910.^[73] His descendants propagated the breed's conformational traits, such as a long neck, sloping shoulders, and level topline, which facilitate the running walk.^[74] Subsequent sires amplified Black Allan's influence, notably Roan Allen F-38 (foaled 1904), a direct son whose progeny underpin 100% of extant Tennessee Walking Horses; his sons Wilson's Allen (foaled 1914, out of Birdie Messick) and Merry Go Boy dominated early 20th-century breeding, with Wilson's Allen siring five World Grand Champions through his muscular build and gait transmission.^[75] ^[76] Wilson's Allen's chestnut coloring and proud carriage frequently appeared in his offspring, which excelled in early show rings despite limited competition from other lines.^[77] Midnight Sun (foaled 1940, sired by Wilson's Allen out of Rama's Queen), a jet-black stallion standing 17 hands and weighing 1,250 pounds, emerged as the breed's most prolific sire, producing five World Grand Champions after his own victories in 1945 and 1946; his lineage emphasized exaggerated animation and presence, influencing performance-oriented bloodlines into the mid-20th century.^[76] ^[78] This concentration on select sires like Roan Allen and Midnight Sun narrowed genetic diversity, with modern pedigrees often tracing multiply to these figures, though efforts persist to preserve broader foundation strains for versatility beyond showing.^[75]

Modern breeding practices and genetics

Modern breeding of Tennessee Walking Horses emphasizes preservation of the breed's signature running walk and conformational traits through selective mating informed by genetic testing and pedigree verification. The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) mandates DNA parentage verification for foal registration, requiring both sire and dam to be DNA-typed to confirm lineage and prevent errors from visual misidentification or fraudulent pedigrees.^[79] This system, supplemented by blood typing and microchipping, ensures genetic integrity and breed purity by linking offspring directly to verified progenitors.^[80] The running walk gait is genetically underpinned by a near-fixation of the homozygous A/A genotype at the DMRT3 c.982A>G mutation, known as the SynchroGait variant, which facilitates symmetrical, four-beat ambling locomotion by altering spinal circuit function and inhibiting trotting patterns.^[81] ^[82] Breeders routinely test for this variant to predict gaited progeny, as heterozygous or wild-type horses are less likely to produce consistent performers. Genome-wide association studies have further identified additional quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing gait polymorphism, such as SNPs associated with maximum running walk speed and canter kinematics, enabling finer selection for elite traits beyond DMRT3 alone.^[43] Other heritable features, including skeletal size variation, map to the LCORL/NCAPG locus, where specific SNPs within LCORL transcripts correlate with body measurements in TWH populations.^[83] Assisted reproductive technologies have expanded breeding efficiency since the mid-20th century, with artificial insemination (AI) implemented as early as 1939 at foundational farms and now commonly using cooled or frozen semen for wider dissemination of superior genetics.^[76] Embryo transfer (ET) is permitted under TWHBEA rules, allowing high-value mares to produce multiple foals annually via recipient surrogates while adhering to registration standards equivalent to natural foaling.^[84] ^[85] Selective breeding prioritizes sires and dams excelling in gait quality, temperament, and conformation, often drawing from narrow bloodlines that trace to influential foundation stallions, though genomic analyses indicate reduced diversity signatures from intense selection, prompting calls for broader matings to mitigate inbreeding risks.^[86] ^[87] Overall, these practices leverage empirical genomic data to enhance predictability, with studies confirming breed-specific selection sweeps for locomotor traits.^[88]

Show Industry and Events

Major competitions and championships

The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, held annually in Shelbyville, Tennessee, serves as the premier event in the breed's show circuit, attracting over 2,400 entries across more than 100 classes during its 11-day duration in late August and early September.^[89] Established as a tradition since the late 1930s, it culminates in the crowning of the World Grand Champion in the 3-year-old and under performance division, with winners gaining significant prestige and syndication value within the industry.^[90] In 2025, Justified Honors, ridden by John Allan Callaway, secured the title, marking the first horse to achieve four World Grand Championships and underscoring the event's role in elevating elite bloodlines.^[91] The International Grand Championship, organized by the Walking Horse Owners Association (WHOA), represents another flagship competition, conducted over 12 days in mid-July at Miller Coliseum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.^[92] Initiated in 1979 to promote sound gaited horses, it features divisions emphasizing flat-shod and lightly shod classes, with high-point awards recognizing top junior and amateur exhibitors alongside open stakes.^[93] The 47th edition in 2025 highlighted youth competitors, with Ella Jane Rook earning top junior honors, reflecting the event's focus on developing new talent while adhering to stricter welfare protocols than some peers.^[94] Additional notable championships include the SSHBEA Fall Championship in Shelbyville, a late-October event emphasizing breed versatility, and regional classics like the ETWHA Fall Classic, which contribute to qualifying pathways for national titles but lack the scale of the Celebration or International.^[95] These competitions collectively drive the show industry's calendar, with aggregate prize money exceeding hundreds of thousands of dollars annually, though participation has fluctuated due to regulatory scrutiny on performance enhancements.^[95] Success in these venues often correlates with sires producing multiple champions, as seen with historical influencers like Wilson's Allen, who sired five World Grand Champions.^[96]

Class divisions: flat-shod vs. performance

In Tennessee Walking Horse shows, class divisions are categorized primarily by shoeing type, with flat-shod classes emphasizing natural gaits performed under minimal artificial enhancement and performance classes permitting stacked pads, wedges, and action devices to accentuate high-stepping animation.^[23] Flat-shod divisions, such as Plantation Pleasure, Country Pleasure, and Park Pleasure, require horses to wear lightweight keg shoes—typically not exceeding 3/8 inch in thickness or 3/4 inch in width—with no pads, bands optional only for reinforcement, and strictly prohibiting action devices like chains on show grounds.^[48]^[97] Judging in these classes prioritizes "true pleasure qualities," including smooth, comfortable flat walk, running walk, and canter without tendencies toward pacing, trotting, or racking, rewarding brilliance and presence derived from inherent talent rather than exaggeration.^[23]^[98] Performance classes, by contrast, allow more elaborate shoeing setups, including therapeutic pads up to 12 inches in total stacked height (shoe plus pad), metal bands for stability, and weighted chains or roller chains as action devices applied to the pastern to encourage elevated front-leg action during the running walk.^[48]^[23] These divisions, often termed "padded" or "performance horse," evaluate horses on heightened animation, head nod, and tail set, with the running walk expected to cover more ground at speeds up to 10-15 mph while maintaining four distinct footfalls, though such setups have been linked to mechanical irritation that can incentivize soring practices. USDA inspection data from 2017-2022 reveal a disproportionately high soring violation rate in performance classes—exceeding 90% of total HPA violations in some years—compared to flat-shod classes, where noncompliance is markedly lower due to the absence of devices and simpler shoeing that limits opportunities for hidden chemical or mechanical abuse.^[99]^[51] The flat-shod versus performance divide reflects broader tensions in the breed's show culture, with flat-shod classes promoted by organizations like TWHBEA as preserving the horse's versatile, naturally gaited heritage for pleasure and trail use, while performance classes dominate high-stakes events like the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, drawing larger purses but facing scrutiny for enabling gait alterations via equipment that USDA deems conducive to pain induction.^[44]^[100] Industry reports indicate flat-shod entries have grown since the 2010s as an alternative circuit, with some exhibitors citing reduced regulatory hurdles and appeals to welfare-conscious audiences, though isolated soring cases persist even here due to undetected chemical applications.^[48]^[27] Federal rules under the Horse Protection Act, updated in 2023 and effective 2024, further restrict performance shoeing by banning all pastern chains and limiting pad weights, aiming to align divisions closer to natural standards while performance advocates argue such measures overlook compliant exhibitors.^[99]^[28]

Economic significance to Tennessee

The Tennessee Walking Horse industry forms a key component of the state's equine sector, which generates an estimated $1.805 billion in total economic output, including direct, indirect, and induced effects from horse ownership, breeding, training, and events.^[101] Tennessee Walking Horses rank among the top breeds in the state alongside Quarter Horses, supporting activities concentrated in Middle Tennessee counties like Bedford, where Shelbyville serves as the breed's epicenter for shows and registrations.^[101] In 2023, the breed had 235,418 registered individuals, with approximately 15% (34,673) designated as show horses, many tied to Tennessee-based farms and trainers.^[102] Major events, such as the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration held annually in Shelbyville, drive localized economic activity through tourism and ancillary spending. The 2004 event alone produced over $38 million in consumer spending on lodging, food, transportation, and retail, benefiting Bedford County and surrounding areas year-round via related equine services.^[103]^[104] Industry data from 2012 identified about 7,007 exhibitors and 458 trainers linked to Tennessee Walking and related racking horses, contributing to employment in veterinary care, farriery, feed supply, and transport.^[105] Proponents, including congressional representatives and the TWHBEA, assert the industry sustains roughly 20,000 jobs nationwide with a $3.2 billion economic footprint, much of which accrues to Tennessee as the breed's origin state and primary market.^[106]^[26] These estimates, however, derive from a 2013 industry analysis and have been critiqued as overstated, lacking independent audits and potentially conflating national figures with state-level effects amid declining show participation.^[107] Despite such debates, the sector bolsters rural economies by preserving farmland for breeding operations and fostering ancillary businesses, with civic groups raising over $3.5 million from Celebration-related fundraising in the past 15 years as of 2025.^[108]

Controversies Surrounding Soring

Definition, methods, and empirical evidence of prevalence

Soring is the intentional application of chemical, mechanical, or thermal methods to inflict pain on the forelimbs of gaited horses, particularly Tennessee Walking Horses (TWH), compelling them to lift their legs higher to avoid discomfort upon ground contact, thereby producing an exaggerated gait termed the "big lick."^[109]^[25] This practice targets the sensitive pastern and hoof areas, altering natural locomotion through induced soreness rather than training alone.^[110] Common methods include chemical soring, where irritants such as mustard oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, or acids are applied to the pastern skin and wrapped in plastic or bandages to "cook" the agents into tissues, causing blisters and inflammation.^[109]^[25] Mechanical soring employs weighted chains, stacked pads, or altered footwear that apply uneven pressure or friction to bruise tissues, while some techniques involve grinding the hoof sole to expose sensitive corium or inserting screws to heighten pain on weight-bearing.^[109]^[25] These approaches are often combined with masking agents like numbing gels to evade detection during inspections.^[111] Empirical evidence of soring's prevalence derives mainly from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections under the Horse Protection Act, which documented 1,111 violations in 2011 across shows and exhibitions.^[112] At the 2013 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, USDA tests revealed 67% of examined horses positive for soring-masking substances, indicating widespread circumvention efforts.^[111] A 2021 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine review of detection methods concluded that soring persists in TWH shows despite regulatory measures, though exact rates are underreported due to inconsistent inspection protocols and evasion tactics.^[25] Industry estimates from the mid-2000s suggested 80-90% involvement in certain performance divisions, but post-2016 self-regulation reduced padded class entries to 23% of inspections by 2018, with noncompliance concentrated therein at 96% of cases.^[50]^[51] USDA data limitations, including restricted public reporting since 2017, hinder precise quantification, yet ongoing rule changes in 2024 signal unresolved incidence.^[110]^[51]

Historical adoption and causal factors

Soring practices in Tennessee Walking Horses first gained prominence in the mid-20th century, particularly from the 1950s onward, as the breed's show industry emphasized exaggerated front-leg elevation known as the "Big Lick" gait. This style diverged from the breed's natural running walk, which originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for practical plantation use, toward a more theatrical performance favored in competitions like the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration established in 1939.^[8]^[25] By the 1960s, reports of irritants and mechanical devices applied to the pasterns and hooves had become widespread enough to prompt federal scrutiny, culminating in the Horse Protection Act of 1970 aimed at prohibiting the practice.^[49]^[113] The adoption of soring was driven by competitive dynamics in the show ring, where judges subjectively rewarded horses displaying maximum vertical motion over natural smoothness, creating a feedback loop for artificial enhancement. Trainers applied caustic chemicals (e.g., mustard oil, kerosene) or pressure devices to induce hypersensitivity, compelling horses to lift their feet higher to avoid pain upon ground contact, thereby amplifying the gait under heavy stacked shoeing and ankle chains.^[114]^[50] Economic pressures amplified this: top show winners commanded stud fees exceeding $10,000 by the 1970s and progeny sales in the millions, tying financial success to gait exaggeration amid rising event prize money and spectator demand for spectacle.^[25] Causal factors rooted in industry structure included lax initial oversight, with self-regulation by the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) failing to curb innovations in gait manipulation as membership and shows proliferated post-World War II. Breed standards prioritizing performance over conformation incentivized shortcuts, as natural training alone often fell short of achieving the 6-8 inch toe flick demanded in performance classes. Animal welfare critiques, while prominent from groups like the AVMA, highlight that soring persisted due to perceived necessity for parity in a stacked-shod format, though empirical evidence from USDA violations (over 250 cases annually in the 2010s) underscores enforcement gaps rather than inherent breed traits.^[49]^[51] Industry defenders argue selective breeding for gait could suffice, but historical data show soring's entrenchment correlated with the shift to performance divisions over flat-shod natural gaiting.^[115]

Animal welfare impacts: data on pain and long-term effects

Soring, defined as the deliberate infliction of pain through chemical irritants, mechanical pressure devices, or excessive tissue removal to exaggerate gait in Tennessee Walking Horses, induces acute forelimb pain characterized by inflammation, hypersensitivity, and lameness.^[116]^[25] Veterinary assessments document pain via bilateral palpation eliciting withdrawal responses in sored pasterns, often masked by "stewarding" techniques such as numbing agents or distractions during inspections.^[109] Behavioral indicators include shortened strides, reluctance to bear weight, and excessive lying down due to unrelenting discomfort, with physiological evidence from USDA-documented cases showing tissue erosion and chemical residues like mustard oil or diesel fuel.^[110]^[117] Empirical data from enforcement actions, such as 103 violations at the 2007 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, reveal soring's role in causing acute laminitis, where inflammation leads to pedal bone rotation or sinking, exacerbating pain through disrupted hoof-lamellar interface.^[116] Studies on nociception indicate that repeated painful insults from soring heighten long-term sensitivity in pain receptors, potentially fostering chronic hyperalgesia via central sensitization mechanisms observed in equine models of persistent injury.^[118] Long-term effects manifest in chronic skin and hoof pathologies, including pastern scarring, callus formation, and wavy or rippled hair growth indicative of prior dermal damage, as identified in veterinary examinations under the Horse Protection Act's scar rule.^[49]^[119] These secondary lesions, while not always tracing to initial soring events, correlate with distorted hoof capsules, thinned soles, and recurrent lameness, impairing natural locomotion and increasing susceptibility to secondary infections or joint degeneration over years of exposure.^[116] The American Association of Equine Practitioners classifies such outcomes as abusive, linking them to diminished welfare through sustained physical and psychological distress.^[116]

Regulatory Framework and Enforcement

The Horse Protection Act of 1970 and amendments

The Horse Protection Act (HPA), enacted December 9, 1970, as Public Law 91-540, prohibits the soring of horses—defined as the application of irritants or devices to induce artificial gait exaggeration—and bans the interstate transport, showing, exhibition, sale, or auction of sore horses, primarily targeting practices in Tennessee Walking Horse competitions.^[120]^[121] The Act declares soring cruel and inhumane, empowers the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to enforce it through inspections and regulations, and authorizes civil penalties up to $2,000 per violation, with provisions for horse detention up to 24 hours for examination.^[122]^[123] Initial enforcement relied on USDA inspectors at events, but limited resources highlighted gaps in detecting concealed soring methods.^[124] The Horse Protection Act Amendments of 1976 (Public Law 94-360, signed July 13, 1976) expanded USDA authority by raising civil penalties to $3,000, introducing criminal sanctions (fines up to $3,000 and imprisonment up to one year for knowing violations), and mandating horse show managers to disqualify sore horses while implementing pre-show inspections.^[125] These changes permitted certified Horse Industry Organizations (HIOs) to train and deploy inspectors, shifting toward industry self-regulation to supplement federal oversight, though USDA retained final enforcement power.^[124] The amendments addressed persistent soring despite the original Act, emphasizing management accountability and prohibiting devices or substances used to mask pain.^[126] Further regulatory refinements occurred without major statutory changes until 2024. A 2012 USDA rule required HIOs to impose minimum disqualification periods and fines for violations, aiming to standardize penalties amid inconsistent self-enforcement.^[124] In May 2024, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) finalized comprehensive amendments to HPA regulations (9 CFR part 11), eliminating HIO licensing of inspectors, authorizing APHIS to screen, train, and deploy independent Horse Protection Inspectors, banning stacked pads and action devices on all gaited breeds at shows, expanding lists of prohibited practices and substances (e.g., certain topical anesthetics), and requiring show managers to notify APHIS 30 days in advance of events.^[127]^[21] Intended to centralize enforcement and close loopholes enabling soring, these rules faced industry opposition over scope and practicality; their effective date, initially February 1, 2025, was delayed to April 2, 2025, then further postponed to February 1, 2026, except for reporting requirements under §11.19, as of September 2025.^[121]^[128]

USDA inspections and protocols

The United States Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) enforces the Horse Protection Act (HPA) primarily through inspections at covered equine events, including shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions involving Tennessee Walking Horses. These inspections aim to detect soring by evaluating horses for pain responses, scars, chemical residues, and non-compliant devices. As of October 2025, event managers must provide inspections either by Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs) certified through USDA-approved Horse Industry Organizations or by APHIS personnel, with APHIS retaining authority for unannounced visits and oversight.^[121]^[129] Inspection protocols require examiners to conduct pre-event or random checks on participating horses, starting with a visual assessment of the forelimbs for bilateral scars, open wounds, or embedded foreign objects suggestive of soring methods. This is followed by manual palpation of the pasterns and heels—horses exhibiting flinching, flinching, or other pain reactions bilaterally are deemed sore and disqualified. Devices such as chains, rollers, or weights are weighed and measured against limits (e.g., no more than 3 ounces per foot for action devices in performance classes), while pads, wedges, and boots are scrutinized for prohibited thicknesses or materials like heterodymite beyond 10 mm. Prohibited practices include applying irritants, sensitizers, or hard objects to induce gait exaggeration. APHIS inspectors may employ portable ultrasound devices to confirm subcutaneous inflammation or tissue damage.^[121]^[129]^[127] Violations trigger immediate disqualification of the horse, with APHIS issuing warnings, civil penalties ranging from $2,750 to $11,000 per violation (adjusted for inflation), and potential suspensions or disqualifications for trainers, owners, and agents. Enforcement data indicate a decline in actions, with fewer than 100 warnings issued annually in recent fiscal years, attributed by critics to reliance on industry DQPs who may face conflicts of interest. A June 2025 USDA Inspector General review highlighted inconsistent application of protocols at Tennessee Walking Horse events, including inadequate training and selective palpation, contributing to uneven detection rates.^[121]^[130]^[131] In May 2024, APHIS finalized rule amendments to replace DQPs with federally screened Horse Protection Inspectors (HPIs), whom APHIS would train and authorize to eliminate self-policing biases, alongside stricter reporting and device bans; however, implementation was postponed to February 1, 2026, maintaining the existing framework in the interim. This delay followed industry concerns over operational disruptions, though APHIS emphasized the changes' basis in evidence of persistent soring despite prior protocols.^[127]^[121]

Legal challenges and court rulings up to 2025

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a final rule amending regulations under the Horse Protection Act (HPA) to prohibit stacked shoes, wedges, action devices, and certain substances on Tennessee Walking Horses shown at events, while eliminating the role of Horse Industry Organizations (HIOs) in inspections and imposing direct federal oversight. This rule faced immediate legal challenges from industry groups, including the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association, asserting that the USDA exceeded its statutory authority by regulating non-soring practices rather than solely targeting the defined offense of soring—inflicting pain to alter gait.^[132] On January 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk in the Northern District of Texas ruled in Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association et al. v. United States Department of Agriculture that the USDA overstepped the HPA's scope by broadly banning permissible training aids like chains and pads, which Congress had not authorized as inherently violative absent proof of soring.^[133] The court invalidated key provisions, emphasizing that the HPA empowers regulation of abusive methods, not all gait-enhancement tools, and granted partial summary judgment to plaintiffs while enjoining enforcement of the device bans.^[134] This decision, affirmed in a February 2025 memorandum, preserved industry practices on four of five challenged points, highlighting procedural deficiencies in the USDA's rulemaking, such as inadequate consideration of economic impacts on breeders and trainers.^[135] Further challenges emerged in June 2025 when the Walking Horse Trainers' Association and others filed suit in federal court against USDA disqualification protocols, alleging violations of due process through indefinite horse bans without verifiable soring evidence or appeal opportunities, often based on subjective inspector findings.^[136] The complaint cited instances of horses disqualified solely on appearance or historical association, lacking empirical pain assessments, and sought injunctions to halt such practices pending review.^[136] In August 2025, Judge Kacsmaryk extended relief by granting a preliminary injunction barring USDA enforcement of amended rules at the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, ruling that the agency failed to adhere to administrative procedures and likely misinterpreted the HPA to impose de facto bans on traditional shoeing.^[137] Concurrently, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals declined to resolve a horse owner's procedural challenge to a USDA administrative law judge's finding of HPA violation in a soring case, remanding it without prejudice due to mootness after a one-year suspension expired, underscoring ongoing tensions in adjudication fairness.^[138] A separate North Carolina federal case challenging USDA charging processes in a soring allegation was dismissed on August 19, 2025, for failure to state a claim, as the court upheld the agency's evidentiary standards under the Administrative Procedure Act.^[139] These rulings collectively restrained USDA expansions, reinforcing that HPA enforcement must demonstrate causal links to pain-induced gait alteration rather than presuming abuse from devices alone, amid industry arguments of overregulation stifling a compliant sector with low verified soring incidence.^[140] Legislative efforts like the 2025 PAST Act, reintroduced to codify device bans and boost penalties, remained stalled in Congress, indirectly validating judicial limits on administrative rulemaking without explicit statutory backing.^[141]

Industry Defenses and Reforms

Breeder and trainer perspectives on gait enhancement

Breeders of Tennessee Walking Horses emphasize selective breeding to perpetuate the breed's innate four-beat running walk, a laterally intermediate gait genetically linked to specific loci that enable even timing at speeds up to 10-15 mph without trotting or pacing.^[43] This approach prioritizes horses from lineages demonstrating natural overstride and head nod from foalhood, viewing artificial interventions as secondary to hereditary traits refined over generations since the breed's foundation in the 1930s.^[142] Trainers advocate for gait refinement through foundational techniques such as bitting for collection, lunge work to build muscle engagement, and progressive speed drills that encourage forward momentum while maintaining gait purity, often likening the process to athletic conditioning in other disciplines.^[143] In performance contexts, light chains and stacked pads—limited to 1-inch thickness under Horse Protection Act guidelines—are described as mechanical aids that promote exaggerated animation and hoof flight by altering leverage and encouraging hindquarter drive, without inducing pain when hooves are trimmed to natural angles and no irritants are applied.^[23] The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) posits that such devices, when properly fitted, enhance the inherent gait's brilliance and dimension, serving as training tools rather than necessities for all horses.^[23] Industry representatives, including the Walking Horse Trainers' Association, distinguish legitimate enhancement from soring by prohibiting pressure shoeing—defined as excessive sole pressure to cause lameness—and enforcing lifetime bans for violations, while endorsing veterinary oversight and thermographic inspections to verify absence of inflammation.^[144] Studies commissioned or reviewed by affiliated researchers, such as those at the University of Tennessee, have reported no measurable biomechanical harm or stress indicators from pads and chains in sound horses, attributing any gait exaggeration to improved timing and propulsion rather than nociception.^[145] Trainers contend that flat-shod divisions, which eschew devices entirely, demonstrate the breed's viability for natural expression, with growing participation in such classes since 2015 reflecting a shift toward versatile, trail-oriented utility over show-specific stylization.^[146]

Evidence against widespread abuse claims

USDA inspection records demonstrate fluctuating but generally declining noncompliance rates for soring among Tennessee Walking Horses at regulated events. In 2015, 509 violations were recorded out of 2,003 inspected horses, yielding a 25.4% rate; this rose to 30.3% in 2016 across 3,044 horses but fell sharply to 8.4% in 2017 for 1,536 inspected horses.^[51] At the 2012 Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, only 9% of 1,849 presented horses were cited for violations.^[147] These figures indicate that a majority of inspected horses pass muster, countering narratives of near-universal abuse, though rates remain concerning in padded performance classes, which comprised 93% of 2017 violations despite representing a minority of entries.^[51] Soring practices are predominantly linked to "Big Lick" or stacked divisions using action devices, affecting a subset of show horses rather than the broader Tennessee Walking Horse population or flat-shod/pleasure classes.^[49] The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) maintains that such abuses are outliers, emphasizing breed standards for naturally gaited, sound horses and voluntary inspections to promote compliance.^[148] APHIS oversight covers approximately 16% of covered events, suggesting violations may cluster at high-profile venues rather than permeating all exhibitions or non-competitive uses.^[127] Critics from animal advocacy groups often highlight undercover footage from isolated stables to imply systemic prevalence, yet aggregated USDA enforcement data reveal no evidence of majority-level infractions across the industry's estimated tens of thousands of annual show entries.^[121] Discrepancies between industry self-reported compliance (often exceeding 98%) and federal findings underscore enforcement challenges but affirm that documented cases represent a minority, not the norm, in empirical terms.^[127]

Self-regulation efforts and natural alternatives

The Tennessee Walking Horse industry has implemented self-regulation through Horse Industry Organizations (HIOs), such as the Walking Horse Trainers' Association and SHOW HIO, which conducted voluntary inspections at shows to detect soring under the Horse Protection Act framework prior to 2024 amendments.^[110] These efforts included training Designated Qualified Persons (DQPs) from within the industry to perform pre-show checks for scars, sensitivity, and prohibited substances, with the stated aim of maintaining gait enhancement practices without abuse.^[21] However, USDA data and independent investigations have documented persistent violations, with over 1,000 horses inspected as sore in fiscal year 2023 alone, prompting criticism that industry-led oversight created conflicts of interest and insufficient deterrence.^[149]^[131] In response to scrutiny, the industry, led by organizations like the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA), has promoted flat-shod divisions as a self-regulated alternative to performance classes using stacked pads, action devices, and chains.^[23] Flat-shod classes limit footwear to lightweight keg shoes or barefoot configurations, emphasizing the breed's inherent running walk and flat walk gaits achieved through selective breeding and training rather than mechanical exaggeration.^[98] These divisions, judged on natural talent, comfort, and pleasure qualities, have grown in popularity, with TWHBEA reporting their inclusion in major events and a shift toward "effortless" performances that reward genetic predisposition over artificial aids.^[23]^[150] Natural alternatives further include targeted breeding programs prioritizing horses with genetically superior gaits, such as those exhibiting a smooth, gliding flat walk without external stimuli.^[14] Trainers advocate ground work, lunging, and rider techniques to develop muscle memory for the breed's four-beat lateral gait, avoiding chemical or mechanical interventions associated with soring.^[151] TWHBEA has publicly affirmed support for eradicating soring, endorsing penalties for violators while defending flat-shod reforms as evidence of internal progress toward welfare-compliant exhibition.^[148] Despite these initiatives, federal regulators and veterinary groups contend that self-regulation has not eliminated abuse, leading to the USDA's 2024 rule prohibiting industry inspectors and certain devices effective February 2025.^[29]^[110]

Cultural and Economic Impact

Role in Southern heritage and tourism

The Tennessee Walking Horse breed originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Middle Tennessee, primarily through crosses of Narragansett Pacers, Canadian Pacers, Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and Morgan horses, yielding a versatile utility animal suited for riding, light farm work, and driving on the region's plantations and farms.^[63] Southern plantation owners favored the breed for its smooth, ambling gaits—the flat walk, running walk, and rocking-chair canter—which enabled comfortable long-distance travel over uneven terrain without jarring the rider, reflecting practical adaptations to the agrarian demands of the post-Civil War South.^[32] Designated Tennessee's official state horse in 2000, the breed embodies regional equestrian traditions tied to rural self-sufficiency and horsemanship, with foundational bloodlines like the stallion Black Allan preserved as cultural artifacts of Southern equine development.^[63] The annual Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, held in Shelbyville since 1939, serves as a central showcase for the breed, attracting competitors and spectators to demonstrate gaited performances and preserve breed standards rooted in historical utility.^[15] This multi-week event in August generates substantial local tourism, with estimates indicating over $30 million in annual economic contributions to Shelbyville and Bedford County through visitor spending on lodging, dining, and related services.^[152] Civic organizations leverage the Celebration for fundraising, raising more than $3.5 million in the 15 years leading to 2025 via concessions and events, underscoring its role in sustaining community ties to the breed's heritage.^[108] Broader tourism benefits extend from trail riding and breed-specific venues across the South, where the horse's gentle disposition and gait appeal to recreational riders, drawing enthusiasts to Tennessee's rural landscapes and reinforcing the region's identity as a hub for gaited horse culture.^[6] The industry's overall economic footprint, including shows and breeding, supports approximately 20,000 jobs statewide with a $3.2 billion impact as of 2024, though direct tourism attribution centers on events like the Celebration that highlight the breed's historical significance.^[153]

Contributions to equine industry jobs and revenue

The Tennessee Walking Horse industry sustains approximately 20,000 jobs across the United States, encompassing roles in breeding, training, exhibition, farriery, veterinary services, transportation, and event management.^[153] ^[154] These positions support a network of over 500,000 registered horses since the breed's formal organization, with activities centered in Tennessee but extending nationally through sales, trail riding, and competitive shows.^[155] The sector generates an estimated $3.2 billion in annual economic impact, derived from direct spending on horse purchases, upkeep, and events, alongside indirect effects in hospitality, feed production, and equipment manufacturing.^[153] ^[154] This figure, reported by industry representatives including the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association, reflects revenue streams from auctions—such as the annual juvenile sales exceeding $1 million in some years—and ongoing operational expenditures that bolster rural economies in states like Tennessee, where the breed originated.^[156]

Debates on tradition vs. modernization

The debates surrounding Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH) exhibitions pit the preservation of traditional performance classes—characterized by padded shoes, stacked platforms up to 1.5 inches thick, and action devices like chains—against a shift toward flat-shod, naturally gaited presentations. Traditionalists within the industry maintain that the exaggerated "big lick" running walk, enhanced by these modifications, embodies the breed's competitive heritage, originating in the mid-20th century as a spectacle that distinguishes TWH shows from other gaited breeds.^[63] This style, they argue, drives attendance at events like the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration, where performance divisions generate significant revenue and uphold Southern cultural traditions tied to the breed's development in Tennessee since the 1930s.^[157] Industry representatives, including the Performance Show Horse Association, assert that properly managed shoeing without chemical soring amplifies the horse's inherent four-beat gait without inherent harm, preserving economic viability for breeders and trainers reliant on high-stepping displays.^[28] Opponents of padded performances advocate modernization through flat-shod classes, emphasizing the TWH's natural gaits—the flat walk at 4-8 mph, running walk up to 10-15 mph, and canter—as sufficient for versatile uses like trail riding and pleasure showing, without devices that alter biomechanics and complicate soring detection.^[23] The Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) reports tremendous growth in flat-shod segments since the 2000s, attributing it to increased demand for sound, humane horses adaptable to non-show disciplines, with studies indicating that natural training enhances overall equine health and reduces injury risks from weighted shoeing.^[23] Animal welfare investigations, including those documenting persistent soring under pads despite prohibitions, fuel calls for reform, positing that eliminating devices would align the breed with ethical standards while expanding markets beyond niche exhibitions.^[149] Flat-shod advocates, including segments of the industry like the SHOW Horse Inspection Organization, highlight successful rule sets limiting shoe weights to under 20 ounces per foot, yielding balanced, high-quality gaits without exaggeration. These tensions escalated with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) 2024 final rule under the Horse Protection Act, which sought to ban pads, chains, and related substances on TWH and racking horses at shows to curb soring, effective February 2026 after delays.^[110] The National Celebration and allied groups filed lawsuits, securing a preliminary injunction in August 2025 and a January 2025 court ruling that the USDA exceeded statutory authority by targeting lawful shoeing practices, thereby safeguarding performance traditions amid claims that outright bans threaten the breed's show divisions and associated jobs.^[135]^[140] Pro-reform stakeholders counter that self-regulation has failed—evidenced by USDA disqualifying 57% of inspected horses at the 2024 Celebration—urging a pivot to flat-shod standards to ensure long-term sustainability, as natural gait classes demonstrate comparable competitiveness without welfare controversies.^[158] This ongoing legal and cultural rift underscores causal links between device-dependent traditions and enforcement challenges, versus modernization's empirical benefits in promoting verifiable soundness through breeding and training alone.^[42]

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[15]
Walking Horse National Celebration - Tennessee Encyclopedia
The “Celebration,” as the show is known, began in 1939 as a vision in the mind of Henry Davis of Wartrace, a longtime owner and trainer of Walking Horses. Davis ...
[16]
Celebration 1939 | The Walking Horse Report
Aug 30, 2021 · “The Celebration is an All-Middle-Tennessee show which brings together the finest and best horses in the walking horse breed, and those ...
[17]
The Story of Midnight Sun, Franklin's Tennessee Walking Horse ...
Jul 21, 2020 · Midnight Sun, born Joe Lewis Wilson in 1940, was purchased for $300. He was considered unremarkable and "plain, thin, and gangly" initially.
[18]
2024 Hall of Fame - TWHBEA
Nov 13, 2024 · It has been said that, with the exception of ROAN ALLEN F-38, no individual stallion did more to establish the Tennessee Walking Horse.<|separator|>
[19]
Walking Horse Owners Association - About WHOA
The Walking Horse Owners Association (WHOA) was founded in 1976 for the purpose of advocating for and promoting the Tennessee Walking Horse.<|separator|>
[20]
Tennessee Walking Horse - State Symbols USA
The Tennessee walking horse was adopted as the official state horse of Tennessee in 2000; Tennessee walkers are one of the smoothest riding horses in the ...Missing: designation date
[21]
[PDF] Horse Protection Amendments Rule - usda aphis
Performance division of the Tennessee Walking Horse and racking horse industry that is not found in other breeds that compete in pads and action devices ...
[22]
Walking horse group successful with new rules | wbir.com
Jul 19, 2015 · ... Tennessee trainer, Jackie McConnell, beating and overseeing the soring of horses. A federal court convicted McConnell, who was once a member ...
[23]
JUDGING, SHOEING, TACK - TWHBEA
Aug 9, 2021 · The Tennessee Walking Horse is shown under both English and Western tack and attire. There are divisions for both padded and flat shod horses in the show ring.
[24]
[PDF] Tennessee Walking Horses - Neitak Equestrian
There are divisions for both built up and flat shod horses in the show ring. The flat shod horse segment of the walking breed has grown tremendously due to ...
[25]
A Review of Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses - NCBI - NIH
The two basic categories of TWH competitions are flat-shod and performance. Flat-shod horses wear traditional horseshoes and are judged on brilliance and ...Missing: post- | Show results with:post-<|separator|>
[26]
Tennessee Walking Horses - TWHBEA
Mar 5, 2025 · Tennessee Walking Horses Founded in 1935, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) is the oldest breed ...
[27]
Soring of Horses - FOSH
Please note that “performance” in this industry means padded and plantation shod Tennessee Walking horses. These HIOs write eight times to 22 times more ...
[28]
A Breakdown of the New USDA Horse Protection Act Rule
May 1, 2024 · The Final Rule completely bans the use of action devices and pads by Tennessee Walking Horses and racking horses during competition.Missing: timeline | Show results with:timeline
[29]
APHIS bolsters regulations against horse soring
May 3, 2024 · Updated June 04, 2024. In an effort to end horse soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal ...
[30]
CONFORMATION - TWHBEA
May 3, 2023 · Conformation Tennessee Walking Horses generally range from 14.3 to 17 hands and weigh 900 to 1200 pounds. The modern Tennessee Walking Horse ...
[31]
What to Know About the Tennessee Walking Horse - WebMD
Mar 6, 2025 · While all horses canter, the Tennessee Walking Horse performs the gait with its characteristic rhythm and smoothness. Enthusiasts often call ...
[32]
THE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE - TNGenWeb
The Tennessee Walking Horse, developed in Middle Tennessee, is known for its comfortable running walk, and is friendly, gentle, and intelligent with a long ...<|separator|>
[33]
Breed Description
The mature horse may range in height from 14.2 to 16.2 hands high with some horses being slightly over or under. Tennessee Walking Horses come in a wide range ...Missing: weight build<|control11|><|separator|>
[34]
COLORS AND MARKINGS - TWHBEA
May 3, 2023 · The foal coat color is almost black at birth and the skin is pink and as the horse ages freckles develop on the pink skin. The eye color is ...
[35]
https://www.breyerhorses.com/blogs/horse-colors/real-horse-colors-and-equine-color-genetics
[36]
Genome-wide association mapping of heritable temperament ...
The Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH) is described as a calm, docile breed and is often used as a trail, show and pleasure horse.
[37]
Genome‐wide association mapping of heritable temperament ...
Mar 16, 2016 · For example, the Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH) is described as a calm, docile breed and is often used as a trail, show and pleasure horse.
[38]
Relationship between velocity and temporal variables of the flat ...
The running walk at both velocities was a 4-beat, symmetrical stepping gait with a lateral footfall sequence and lateral couplets. The velocity ranged from mean ...Missing: speed four- evidence
[39]
GAITS - TWHBEA
Dec 1, 2023 · The running walk is a smooth, easy gait for both horse and rider. A true Tennessee Walking Horse will continue to nod while performing the ...
[40]
https://happytrailswalkers.com/understanding-the-unique-gaits-of-the-tennessee-walking-horse/
[41]
How is the McCurdy gait different from the running walk of the old ...
Oct 14, 2018 · This is a four-beat gait with the same footfall pattern as a regular, or flat, walk, but significantly faster. While a horse performing a flat ...Descriptions of gaits in gaited horses - FacebookTennessee Walking Horse breed characteristics - FacebookMore results from www.facebook.comMissing: evidence | Show results with:evidence
[42]
The Characteristics, Distribution, Function, and Origin of Alternative ...
The running walk and rack (tölt) are even four-beat or “singlefoot” gaits, with the former being a hyperextended walk relying on inverted-pendulum swinging ...
[43]
Loci impacting polymorphic gait in the Tennessee Walking Horse1
The Tennessee Walking Horse (TWH) is the only U.S. breed able to perform an even-timed 4-beat gait (the “running-walk”) at intermediate speeds; however, within ...
[44]
DISCIPLINES – TWHBEA
Aug 9, 2021 · The Tennessee Walking Horse was originally bred to be a utility horse capable of carrying a rider over the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee in ...
[45]
Breed Profile: Tennessee Walking Horse
Tennessee Walking Horse Characteristics and Fast Facts ; Height: 14.3 to 17 hands ; Color: All horse colors, pinto and roan patterns ; Overall Appearance: Straight ...<|separator|>
[46]
Understanding the Unique Gaits of the Tennessee Walking Horse
May 17, 2024 · Whether you're a beginner or an experienced rider, the Tennessee Walking Horse's ability to transition between the flat walk, running walk, and ...<|separator|>
[47]
Tennessee Walking Horse - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
Tennessee Walking Horses are a breed known for their high-stepping, exaggerated gait, often enhanced through practices such as the use of weighted shoes, ...Missing: meaning | Show results with:meaning
[48]
Shoeing Guidelines & Rules - The Walking Horse Report
Aug 20, 2012 · The Park Performance horse is allowed to have flat pads, wedge pads, or a combination of both that do not exceed a thickness of one inch (1”).
[49]
[PDF] Soring: Unethical and Illegal
Soring is the unethical and illegal practice of deliberately inflicting pain to exaggerate the leg motion of gaited horses (such as Tennessee Walking Horses ...
[50]
EQUUS Special Report: Why Soring Persists
Soring was banned by federal law in 1970, and inspections have been part of all Tennessee Walking Horse shows ever since. But, ultimately, the law has ...
[51]
[PDF] Perceptions of Soring in Tennessee Walking Horses
The number of padded horses inspected declined to 23 percent as of June 2018, despite padded horses representing 96 percent of the total noncompliance cases for ...
[52]
Frequently Asked Questions about Tennessee Walking Horses | FAQ
Tennessee Walking Horses are great for pleasure and trail riding due to their smooth gaits and calm nature. Their versatility and friendly disposition make them ...
[53]
Tennessee Walking Horse Breed Guide: Height, Diet, and ...
Nov 21, 2023 · They weigh between 900 to 1,200 pounds on average. They are a fairly tall breed yet have a slim build that helps them glide across the ground.
[54]
TWHBEA TRAILS PROGRAM
Jun 6, 2025 · The TWHBEA Trails Program is designed to recognize trail riding enthusiasts who enjoy spending quality time on the trail and competing in trail events.
[55]
Breed Spotlight: Tennessee Walking Horse
Via's Sugarfoot, owned and ridden by Glory Redmond of Lowell, Ind., was the TWHBEA Trail Horse of the Year for 2023, logging 387.5 hours.
[56]
The History of Tennessee Walking Horses ~ by Michelle Shocklee
Aug 7, 2024 · The Tennessee Walking Horse originated in the late 18th century in Middle Tennessee, with Black Allan as the foundation sire. The National ...
[57]
Tennessee Walking Horse - MAJESTIC RIDER
Tennessee Walking Horse History The Tennessee Walker originated from the Narragansett Pacer and the Canadian Pacer in the late 18th century.Missing: 1970 evolution divisions
[58]
The History and Characteristics of the Breed
Mainly used for utility and riding stock, the breed gained wide popularity for its ease of gait, and ability to stride faultlessly over the hills and valleys of ...<|separator|>
[59]
Walking Horse history via Dr. Bob Womack. Very interesting.
Aug 16, 2014 · Since the early Walking Horse doubled as a utility animal, he was treated exactly like any other farm animal. The chief purpose of early ...
[60]
TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE DRAWING NEW CHEERS AND ...
Aug 27, 1986 · The walking horse became less valued in the early decades of the 20th century as its utility as a farm animal was replaced by the combustion ...
[61]
https://en.malazhorses.com/2025/10/tennessee-walking-horse.html
[62]
The Horses - Silverwind Ranch
When the Tennessee Walking Horse Registry was established in the early ... They excel at many tasks such as trail riding, field trialing, driving and working ...
[63]
Tennessee Walking Horse
Nov 14, 2020 · The breed dates to the late 19th/early 20th century and is descended from Standardbred, Morgan, Saddlebred, and American Thoroughbred stock.
[64]
VERSATILITY – TWHBEA
Jan 31, 2025 · The Versatility Program is a showcase for the flat-shod Tennessee Walking Horse. With as many as 21 different events from which to choose, you and your horse ...
[65]
OPERATING DIVISIONS COMMITTEES - TWHBEA
Feb 10, 2025 · This committee promotes Tennessee Walking Show Horses in the traditional show ring through horse show development and the International High ...
[66]
TWHBEA – Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibitors ...
TWHBEA PO Box 286 or 250 N. Ellington Pkwy. Lewisburg, TN 37091 By e-mail: You can find a listing of email addresses on our Staff page.The breed · Membership · Transfer of ownership · Tennessee walking horse hall...
[67]
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association ...
Founded in 1935, the breed registry was established as a 501c5 not for profit organization to record the pedigrees of the Tennessee Walking Horse.
[68]
CORPORATE RULES - TWHBEA
Jun 16, 2025 · The TWHBEA is the official Registry for Tennessee Walking Horses. All registrations, to be valid, must be filed with the TWHBEA on the prescribed form and ...
[69]
https://www.facebook.com/officialTWHBEA/posts/twhbea-announces-2025-hall-of-fame-and-master-breeder-honoreesthe-tennessee-walk/1221263573360426/
[70]
MEMBERSHIP – TWHBEA
Jul 23, 2025 · Its primary purpose is to record the pedigrees of Tennessee Walking Horses and work to maintain the purity of the breed. The TWHBEA is also ...
[71]
TWHBEA Clarifies its role in the Tennessee Walking Horse Industry
May 29, 2012 · As such, TWHBEA's primary responsibilities are to ensure that all Tennessee Walking Horses are properly registered and transferred, and to ...
[72]
Tennessee Walking Horse Origin, History and Traits
May 29, 2009 · The Tennessee Walking Horse is an American breed developed in the late 1800s in Tennessee. It was created by crossing horses like the Narragansett Pacer, ...
[73]
The Breed - Walking Horse Owners Association
The Breed association was formed in 1935. It is known today as the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeder's and Exhibitor's Association. Foundation stock of the new ...
[74]
Tennessee walking horse - 7 facts you may not know
Jan 17, 2023 · In 1886 the horse named Black Allen was born who became the foundation sire of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed. Although Black Allan was ...
[75]
The Founding Bloodlines
100 percent of all living Walking Horses trace to Roan Allen F-38. His two most famous sons were Merry Boy and Wilson's Allen. From the huge number of ...
[76]
MASTER BREEDERS – TWHBEA
Aug 5, 2021 · The family bred, raised and owned Hunter's Allen F-10, one of the foundation sires of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed and one of the most ...
[77]
Wilson's Allen - Westwood Farms Reference
Most of the successful show horses sired by Wilson's Allen were chestnut in color and inherited their sire's muscular build and proud carriage. Frank Wilson had ...Missing: influential TWH
[78]
TWHBEA Presents Four Master Breeder Awards
Dec 6, 2011 · This cross produced the horse that has been referred to as the greatest sire of all time and the horse of the century - Midnight Sun. Ramsey's ...
[79]
BLOOD TYPING / DNA - TWHBEA
Mar 11, 2025 · In order for parentage verification to be accomplished through DNA, it is necessary that the sire and dam both be DNAed. TWHBEA must have a ...Missing: guidelines | Show results with:guidelines
[80]
Maintaining the Purity of the Tennessee Walking Horse - TWHBEA
Mar 6, 2017 · By carefully thinking about your TWH's correct base coat color and what dilutions or white coat patterns are working with that coat color ...
[81]
Mutations in DMRT3 affect locomotion in horses and spinal circuit ...
Aug 30, 2012 · Thus, the mutation may promote the ability to trot or pace at high speed and genetic modifiers determine the gait to which the horse is best ...
[82]
SynchroGait (DMRT3) - Veterinary Genetics Laboratory - UC Davis
SynchroGait is a DNA test for a genetic variant impacting horse gait, related to the DMRT3 gene, and helps identify innate gait performance.
[83]
Skeletal variation in Tennessee Walking Horses maps to the LCORL ...
This is the first study to identify putative causative SNPs within the LCORL transcript itself, which are associated with skeletal size variation in horses.Missing: practices | Show results with:practices
[84]
[PDF] TNH1003-Embryo Transfer in Mares
Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders and Exhibi- tors Association Corporate Bylaws contain a rule that governs embryo transfer for Walking Horses. The rule is ...
[85]
Breed Regulations - University of Wisconsin–Madison
Tennessee Walking Horse. Yes. Yes. Yes. Registrations of foals resulting from embryo transfers will follow the same standard requirements for registration ...Missing: artificial insemination
[86]
Genetic Diversity in the Modern Horse Illustrated from Genome-Wide ...
Jan 30, 2013 · This report describes the use of a genome-wide set of autosomal SNPs and 814 horses from 36 breeds to provide the first detailed description of ...
[87]
Genetic Diversity and Selection in the Domestic Horse
In the coming year we will test these markers in other gaited breeds including Tennessee Walking Horses, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, and Missouri Fox ...
[88]
Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals Selection for Important Traits ... - NIH
In this study, we exploited the breed structure of the horse to identify regions of the genome that are significantly different between breeds and therefore may ...
[89]
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration - Facebook
Aug 1, 2025 · Celebration Entries Top 2,400 for 87th Annual Event SHELBYVILLE, Tenn. · Sponsor a table at the 2025 Celebration Fall Classic!Missing: major competitions
[90]
Home - The Celebration®
THE LARGEST EVENT FACILITY IN TENNESSEE. Located in Shelbyville, The Celebration® is a Tennessee tradition. And while the walking horse will always be our first ...The Celebration announces... · Champions Arena · Tennessee Walking Horse...
[91]
Justified Honors goes down in the history books with a fourth world...
Aug 31, 2025 · Justified Honors won the 2025 World Grand Championship, becoming the first horse to win four world grand championship titles.
[92]
International - Walking Horse Owners Association
The 47th International Grand Championship. July 15-26, 2025. Tennessee Miller Coliseum. 304 West Thompson Lane. Murfreesboro TN. History of the International.
[93]
Walking Horse Owners Association - History of International
The first International Championship Show was held in 1979 at the Old Fort Park in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The show was the creation of the newly formed ...<|separator|>
[94]
2025 International Grand Championship High Point Winners
Aug 7, 2025 · 2025 International Grand Championship High Point Winners Thursday, August 7, 2025 · 1. Ella Jane Rook · 2. Ally Jo Jacobs · 3. Aubrey Singleton · 4.
[95]
Calendar of Events | The Walking Horse Report
October 15-18, 2025. ***SSHBEA 41ST ANNUAL FALL CHAMPIONSHIP Shelbyville, TN Read More · October 16-18, 2025. ***ETWHA FALL CLASSIC White Pine, TN Read More ...
[96]
[PDF] The only horse to win all five performance World Grand ... - TWHBEA
Two horses have sired five World Grand Champions, the most by any sire. Wilson's Allen, Midnight Sun. The highest price ever paid for a Tennessee Walking Horse.<|separator|>
[97]
[PDF] State 4-H Horse Program
Horse/Rider combinations may only show within ONE division. Walking Horse Divisions ... Any Flat Shod horse entered will be disqualified. Division is emphasized ...
[98]
[PDF] effortless. All Flat Shod Pleasure entries should have comfortable gaits
The ideal Country Pleasure horse should exhibit the true pleasure qualities and natural gaits of the flat shod Tennessee Walking Horse. The Country Pleasure.
[99]
[PDF] Federal Register/Vol. 88, No. 160/Monday, August 21, 2023 ...
Aug 21, 2023 · The marked difference between the rates of noncompliance found in padded performance classes and those found in flat-shod classes indicates that ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[100]
About the Show Horse - FAST, Inc.
Mar 17, 2025 · The Country Pleasure horse displays the true pleasure qualities and natural gaits of the flat shod Tennessee Walking Horse.
[101]
[PDF] Assessing the Impact of the Tennessee Equine Industry
Despite the lack of economic stimulation from a racing sector, the Tennessee equine industry has an overall impact estimated to be $1.805 billion in total ...
[102]
Future of Walking Horse industry up in the air - Bedford County Post
May 22, 2024 · The future of the Performance division of the Tennessee Walking Horse will eventually be decided by a Federal judge.
[103]
Celebration Provides $38 Million Economic Impact
May 24, 2005 · The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration provides an estimated $38-million economic impact to the regional economy, according to a ...
[104]
The Beneficial Effects of Equine Events on the Local Economy
A recent study estimated that the 2004 Tennessee Walking Horse Celebration generated more than $38 million in consumer spending during the ten day event [2].<|separator|>
[105]
Economic Impact Analysis of the TWH - Shelbyville Now
There are an estimated 7007 exhibitors associated with Tennessee Walking and Racking Horses as of mid 2012. There are an estimated 458 trainers ...
[106]
Tennessee Delegation Members Lead Letter with Rep ... - John Rose
Aug 8, 2024 · The Tennessee Walking Horse industry provides approximately 20,000 jobs to the market and has a nearly $3.2 billion economic impact.
[107]
Senators relying on spurious Tennessee Walking Horse economic ...
Jun 20, 2019 · The $3.2 billion gross national product economic impact for Tennessee Walking Horses springs spontaneously from a 2013 lobby packet created by ...
[108]
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration - Facebook
Aug 12, 2025 · Many local civic clubs use the Celebration as their annual fundraiser and have raised more than $3.5 million dollars over the past 15 years!
[109]
[PDF] Soring in Horses - American Veterinary Medical Association
Feb 15, 2012 · The chest-high stride achieved by soring is known in the industry as the “big lick”. WHAT BREED(S) PRACTICE SORING? Tennessee Walking Horses ...
[110]
USDA Strengthens Regulations to Protect Horses from Soring Abuse
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2024 – In an effort to end horse soring at Tennessee Walking Horse shows, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant ...
[111]
Banned substances on sored horses undercut compliance claims ...
Aug 15, 2014 · USDA records show 67 percent of horses examined at the Celebration in 2013 tested positive for substances that could mask soring. Figures for ...
[112]
Groups urge USDA to crack down on equine soring - DVM360
And these weren't the only cases of Horse Protection Act violations—the USDA identified 1,111 violations in 2011—but the AVMA says the fact that the cases were ...
[113]
A Review of Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses
The study will review the scientific and veterinary medical literature on hoof and pastern pain and skin/tissue changes on the pastern of horses, ...
[114]
What is horse soring? | Humane World for Animals
Tennessee Walking Horses, known for their smooth gait and gentle disposition, commonly suffer from the practice of soring. Other gaited breeds, such as racking ...Missing: timeline | Show results with:timeline
[115]
[PDF] Soring in the Tennessee Walking Horse: A Review of the History ...
Dec 19, 2021 · Some trainers force the horse to stand on blocks for prolonged periods of time while others resort to intentionally causing laminitis, a painful ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[116]
[PDF] AAEP-White-Paper-on-TWH-Soring.pdf
Soring is the practice of inflicting pain to create an extravagant and exaggerated show gait for both padded and flat-shod horses and includes but is not ...Missing: prevalence performance
[117]
A Sore Spot - VETzInsight - VIN
Jan 7, 2013 · Soring produces unrelenting pain and psychological trauma. Many of these horses are so painful that they spend most of their time lying down in ...
[118]
A Review of Methods for Detecting Soreness in Horses - NCBI
Previous painful insults can also have long-lasting effects on nociceptor sensitivity. Research on the development of chronic pain has provided information ...
[119]
Review of the Scar Rule for Determining Compliance with the Horse ...
Jan 13, 2021 · This chapter reviews the scar rule, its limitations, and what changes are currently documented regarding the skin of Tennessee walking horses (TWHs) that are ...
[120]
S.2543 - Horse Protection Act of 1970 91st Congress (1969-1970)
Text for S.2543 - 91st Congress (1969-1970): Horse Protection Act of 1970.
[121]
Horse Protection Act | Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Sep 24, 2025 · The Horse Protection Act (HPA) is a Federal law that prohibits sored horses from participating in shows, exhibitions, sales or auctions.Missing: performance division
[122]
Horse Protection Act | National Agricultural Library - USDA
The Horse Protection Act (HPA) was passed in 1970 to prohibit the showing, sale, auction, exhibition, or transport of sored horses.
[123]
The Horse Protection Act of 1970—Regulations - NCBI - NIH
PART 11—HORSE PROTECTION REGULATIONS. Contents. §11.1 Definitions. §11.2 Prohibitions concerning exhibitors. §11.3 Scar rule. §11.4 Inspection and detention ...
[124]
Horse Protection Act; Requiring Horse Industry Organizations To ...
Jun 7, 2012 · In 1970, Congress passed the Horse Protection Act (15 U.S.C. 1821-1831), referred to below as the Act or the HPA, to eliminate the practice of ...Background · Current HIO Enforcement of... · Requiring HIOs To Assess and...
[125]
[PDF] Public Law 94-360 94th Congress An Act - GovInfo
Jul 13, 1976 · An Act. To revise and extend the Horse Protection Act of 1970. Be it enojcted hy the Senate and House of Representatives of the. United States ...Missing: text | Show results with:text
[126]
[PDF] 1976/07/13 S811 Horse Protection Act Amendments of 1976
Jul 8, 1976 · The Horse Protection Act of 1970 was enacted in an attempt to stop the inhumane practice of soring horses by making it unlawful to exhibit or ...
[127]
Horse Protection Amendments - Federal Register
May 8, 2024 · The amendments have APHIS screen, train, and authorize qualified persons to detect soring, remove HIO training/licensing, and remove the term ...Evaluations of the Horse... · Definitions · Stewarding · Other Proposed Changes to...
[128]
Horse Protection Amendments; Further Delay of Effective Date, and ...
Mar 21, 2025 · The amendments to the final rule initially scheduled to go into effect on February 1, 2025, were delayed until April 2, 2025.
[129]
9 CFR Part 11 -- Horse Protection Regulations - eCFR
APHIS Show Veterinarian means the APHIS Doctor of Veterinary Medicine responsible for the immediate supervision and conduct of the Department's activities under ...<|separator|>
[130]
Horse Protection Act Enforcement Plummets - Animal Welfare Institute
A sea of zeroes illustrates the precipitous plunge in HPA enforcement. In fiscal year 2016, the USDA issued 956 warnings for HPA violations.
[131]
Comer Statement on USDA IG's Review of Tennessee Walking ...
Jun 23, 2025 · The USDA Inspector General's review confirms our Committee's findings of inconsistent enforcement of the Horse Protection Act by APHIS at Tennessee Walking ...
[132]
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association et ...
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING IN PART and DENYING IN PART re: 28 Motion for Summary Judgment filed by Tom Gould, Kimberly Lewis, ...
[133]
TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE NATIONAL CELEBRATION ...
The Congress, USDA, and equine organizations like Plaintiffs all agree on the objective of the Horse Protection Act (“HPA”): to end “soring,” the cruel and ...<|separator|>
[134]
Court Rules USDA Exceeds its Authority in Horse Protection Act ...
Feb 3, 2025 · The amendment prohibited such necessities as fly spray and ointments used to treat minor injuries that would not affect the soundness of a horse ...
[135]
Walking Horse industry gets major court victory - Bedford County Post
Feb 6, 2025 · Judge Kacsmaryk ruled in favor of the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association (Plaintiffs) on four of five points in a legal challenge.
[136]
Tennessee Walking Horse Industry Files Federal Lawsuit ...
Tennessee Walking Horse Industry Files Federal Lawsuit Challenging USDA Disqualification Rules Tuesday, July 1, 2025. On June 30, 2025, the Tennessee ...<|separator|>
[137]
Federal Judge Grants Injunction Against USDA Rules at Tennessee ...
Aug 20, 2025 · In his ruling, the judge held that USDA likely exceeded its authority under the Horse Protection Act and that the agency's procedures failed to ...Missing: soring | Show results with:soring
[138]
Fourth Circuit dodges horse owner's challenge to USDA ...
Aug 18, 2025 · In February, USDA's Administrative Law Judge Jill Clifton found that Manis violated the Horse Protection Act, imposing a $10 penalty and a one- ...
[139]
Judge throws out NC 'sore horse' case challenging federal ...
Aug 19, 2025 · A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit in North Carolina challenging the process the government used to charge a man with entering a “sore” ...
[140]
Walking Horse USDA Ruling 1.31.25
Jan 31, 2025 · Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk issued his ruling regarding the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration Association ...
[141]
Text - H.R.1684 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): PAST Act of 2025
Feb 27, 2025 · A bill to amend the Horse Protection Act to designate additional unlawful acts under the Act, strengthen penalties for violations of the Act.
[142]
The Tennessee Walking Horse Questions and Answers
Aug 4, 2007 · This is a natural gait for the horse, and is enhanced by professional training, just as professional athletes train to enhance their abilities.
[143]
Basic Techniques for Training the Tennessee Walking Horse, Part II ...
Aug 15, 2025 · Basic Techniques for Training the Tennessee Walking Horse, Part II Gait Recognition, Bitting, Collection and Shoeing (Tennessee Walking ...Missing: body structure head neck legs
[144]
Code of Ethics - Walking Horse Trainers Association
... enhancement. Trainers found to have used pressure shoeing shall lose their training license and be banned from the Walking Horse Trainers Association for life.Missing: soring | Show results with:soring
[145]
Use of action devices and pads backed by University of Tennessee ...
Jan 4, 2018 · The study, similar to findings from the well-known Auburn Study, finds there to be no harm caused by the use of pads and action devices.
[146]
https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2015/07/18/walking-horse-group-successful-flat-shod-rules/30357289
[147]
9% soring violation rate recorded at Celebration | Ellington
Inspections at this year's 11-day Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration found that 9 percent of the 1,849 horses presented for competition were cited ...
[148]
TWHBEA Responds to USDA Rule
May 3, 2024 · If other show horses ... It is imperative to recognize the rigorous standards already in place within the Tennessee Walking Horse industry.Missing: performance | Show results with:performance<|separator|>
[149]
The latest in our fight to end the ugly practice behind the 'Big Lick'
Oct 15, 2024 · Our investigator collected a sample of the soring solution that burned their skin upon contact. It was tested by Southwest Research Institute ...Missing: scientific studies
[150]
Flat Walk and Running Walk | Naturally Gaited
Many people believe that a Tennessee walking horse cannot perform a natural four-beat flat walk on a loose rein. I think my TWH prefers flat walking on a loose ...
[151]
What alternatives exist for achieving a desired gait in horses without ...
Aug 3, 2025 · I assume you ride Tennessee Walking Horses. For the abomination and inhumane practice of soring to end, the rewards for engaging in such a ...
[152]
[PDF] walking - horse - tennessee - Congress.gov
May 26, 2022 · The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration proudly crowns the Tennessee Walking Horse World ... It would result in a negative economic ...
[153]
[PDF] The Honorable Thomas J. Vilsack - John Rose
Aug 5, 2024 · The Tennessee Walking Horse industry provides approximately 20,000 jobs to the market and has a nearly $3.2 billion economic impact. Walking ...
[154]
[PDF] Statement from the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders ...
May 26, 2022 · Founded in 1935, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' & Exhibitors' Association (TWHBEA) is the oldest breed association dedicated to the ...<|separator|>
[155]
[PDF] Regulatory Impact Analysis - Regulations.gov
May 12, 2023 · According the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders' and Exhibitors' Association, since its inception, it has registered over 400,000 horses2. Table ...
[156]
TWHBEA wraps up another successful year
Dec 12, 2024 · The budgeted net income figure was $54,756. TWHBEA's total revenue was $1,435,558 with expenses for the year running $1,224,838. It has not been ...Missing: economy | Show results with:economy
[157]
Support Blackburn/Alexander on Walking Horse Reform Don't be ...
Jun 20, 2014 · We want nothing more than to protect and preserve the heritage and history of the Tennessee Walking Horse. And that's why PSHA and a number ...
[158]
Plaintiffs Seek Preliminary Injunction Against USDA to Block Enforc...
Jul 9, 2025 · At the 2024 event, USDA disqualified 57% of horses it inspected, according to the motion, dramatically affecting show quality, entries, and ...