Not long after the birth of America, a special horse was created in the rural South. Carrying the blood of the Narragansett and Canadian Pacer, along with the genes of the Standardbred, Thoroughbred, Morgan and American Saddlebred, this new horse had the strength and endurance to carry a rider through miles of farmland, all while moving at a smooth gait easily sustainable for hours.
Originally called the Plantation Walking Horse, the breed later obtained the name of Tennessee Walking Horse after the state where it fi rst originated. By the 1800s, the breed’s popularity had grown among farm owners throughout the South, who had discovered its vast talents. It wasn’t long before this horse became renowned for its willingness to work and easy-to-ride gait.
In 1935, the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ and Exhibitors’ Association (TWHBEA) was formed to help record bloodlines and promote the breed as a pleasure riding and show horse. In 1954 the breed was recognized by the United States Department of Agriculture, and the TWHBEA as the official breed registry. Studbooks were closed in 1957, requiring all registered foals thereafter to parentage qualify.