American Walking Pony

American Walking Pony
Distinguishing features Refined, gaited
Country of origin North America
Equus ferus caballus

The American Walking Pony is a relatively new breed of pony derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse and Welsh pony. It was developed mainly for the use as a show horse in gaited competitions. Although it has three unique gaits, it is able to compete in seven. Due to its Welsh Pony heritage, the pony also makes an excellent light hunter.

History

The American Walking Pony is a cross between the Tennessee Walking Horse and the Welsh Pony. The registry for the American Walking Pony was first established in 1968 by Joan Hudson Brown.[1] It regulates the breed by only allowing horses that have been registered with either the Walking Horse and the Welsh Pony associations, or horses that are the result of a cross between the two.[2] The first stallion to be registered in the American Walking Pony Registry was BT Golden Splendor and the first mare was Browntree's Flicka.[1]

Breed Characteristics

Standing up to 14 hands (56 inches, 142 cm) high at the withers, the American Walking pony is a relatively large pony-type. It has a clean, smallish head on a well arched and muscled neck. The shoulder is slightly sloped, the hips are well muscled and the back is relatively short. It can be most colors.[3][4]

The American Walking Pony is capable of performing up multiple gaits, including the walk, pleasure walk, merry walk, trot, canter, slow gait and the rack. The pleasure walk and merry walk are unique to the breed.[1] Both the pleasure walk and the merry walk are four-beat gaits that are faster than a regular walk, and are described as being very light and free. The merry walk is the faster of the two.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "American Walking Pony". American Livestock Breeds. Oklahoma State University. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
  2. ↑ Hendricks, Bonnie L. (2007-01-01). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806138848.
  3. ↑ Hendricks, Bonnie L. (2007-01-01). International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 9780806138848.
  4. ↑ Evans, James Warren (1990-02-15). The Horse. Macmillan. ISBN 9780716718116.


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