Riding Rennesse Walkers

Bar N K · 06-11-2008, 12:24 PM

I've watched some video's on you tube and watched how they move. They seem very smooth.

On the otherhand, what Sandra said about looking till you find the right one is the best way to go. I'm not those types of people who buys a riding horse with out the owner riding first to see what it's like from ground level and then me riding. If it don't work out, move on to the next.

horselover1113 · 06-11-2008, 02:52 PM

Tennessee walkers are all I can ride. I had a bad fall and now I have a bulging almost ruptured disc in my back. I have tryed to ride trotting horses but it hurts really bad. Walkers are all I ride now, and when you hear people say it feels like i'm in a rocking chair when i'm riding them. They are not joking. It feels like you are rocking back and forth. Before when I rode trotting horses that is the most I could do was trot, now I can just hop right on a walker and gallop or whatever. I strongly recommend Tennessee walkers for people with back problems. Walkers have really helped me become a better rider too. I am now training my first 2/3 year old. They are truely an amazing breed. What is wrong with your back? Just curious!

Bar N K · 06-11-2008, 04:31 PM

No discs at all and nerve root damage in my lower back.

If I ride in the right saddle and the horse has a long, smooth stride, I can ride and tolerate a little pain. But if it short and choppy, I have issues.

That's why I do mostly ground training and work with problem horses rather than starting them under saddle anymore.

horselover1113 · 06-12-2008, 04:01 PM

I think a walker would be great! A walker only has a choppy gait if you allow it to. But a good walker will be VERY smooth, like I said unless you allow it to go out of its natural flat walk, running walk, rocking chair canter, gaits, if it goes out of those gaits it will either rack or pace it is very rare that you will find a walker that trots. The rack on a walker is normally smooth but faster, the pace is a big no no and it will jar you all over the place. If you can find a good walker with the TRUE walking horse gaits in my opinion I think you would truely enjoy it. I can say from my expierience that if I ride a trotting horse I will be in pain for weeks, I mean I can but it hurts. But I can ride a good gaited walker for hours and I do not hurt at all. You should truely go and ride one, I truely do not know if you will hurt or not i'm just saying from my bad back expierience being a bulging disc and my tail bone never turning to bone and has slipped out of place a forth of an inch, that TWH are all I can truely ride without being bent over in pain.

katylynn06 · 06-13-2008, 05:19 AM

We have a MFT and an Arab. I have ridden both and so has my son. My son rode my arab then got on the MFT and said wow mom she is much smoother. I agreed. If the gaited horse gaits correctly it can be a smooth ride and I wouldn't trade her for anything.

horselover1113 · 06-15-2008, 09:50 AM

Let me know if you get to ride a TWH. I'm curious about what you will think about the ride. Just be sure that if you do ride one you move with the motion of it's gait. I had a friend that would just sit there and not move with the horses strides and she would always be sore the next day.

seaecho · 06-15-2008, 05:29 PM

If you ride a TWH that does the "camel walk" when he flat walks, its a forward and backward motion. Very difficult to describe, but you know it when you feel it. Kinda loosey goosey feeling. Mine occasionally does that, but his running walk is very smooth. Smoothest of all is his stepping pace or rack. Smoothness varies tremendously among gaited horses. You have to find the one that gaits the way you prefer. Some are much smoother than others. As a general rule, gaited horses are great for people with bad backs, or older people. Why do you think so many middle aged and older people prefer gaited horses? Riding the trot can be jarring for anyone, regardless of age, and I personally am so glad I'll never have to ride a trot again, now that I have my Walker. I can also ride him bareback and not have to worry for a moment about losing my balance at the trot! They also have a rocking chair canter, that feels just like it sounds. Not all of them do, but many do. I am a firm believer in the saying Once you go gaited, you never go back!

06-13-2008, 05:19 AM	#15
katylynn06 Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: AR Posts: 1,645 Images: 189 Blog Entries: 29	We have a MFT and an Arab. I have ridden both and so has my son. My son rode my arab then got on the MFT and said wow mom she is much smoother. I agreed. If the gaited horse gaits correctly it can be a smooth ride and I wouldn't trade her for anything. __________________ Member of the 20lb club. 142lbs, goal lose 20lbs Ahhhh the smell of a horse. Who could resist. VPM of Jeff, 1st BTN Bravo Comp. Platoon 1026 Graduation October 31st, 2008. 09/22/08 Last week of Phase 2. OOHHH RAAHHH

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06-11-2008, 12:24 PM	#11
Bar N K Full Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Redwater, Ab Canada Posts: 144	I've watched some video's on you tube and watched how they move. They seem very smooth. On the otherhand, what Sandra said about looking till you find the right one is the best way to go. I'm not those types of people who buys a riding horse with out the owner riding first to see what it's like from ground level and then me riding. If it don't work out, move on to the next.

06-11-2008, 02:52 PM	#12
horselover1113 Full Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 234 Images: 31	Tennessee walkers are all I can ride. I had a bad fall and now I have a bulging almost ruptured disc in my back. I have tryed to ride trotting horses but it hurts really bad. Walkers are all I ride now, and when you hear people say it feels like i'm in a rocking chair when i'm riding them. They are not joking. It feels like you are rocking back and forth. Before when I rode trotting horses that is the most I could do was trot, now I can just hop right on a walker and gallop or whatever. I strongly recommend Tennessee walkers for people with back problems. Walkers have really helped me become a better rider too. I am now training my first 2/3 year old. They are truely an amazing breed. What is wrong with your back? Just curious!

06-11-2008, 04:31 PM	#13
Bar N K Full Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Redwater, Ab Canada Posts: 144	No discs at all and nerve root damage in my lower back. If I ride in the right saddle and the horse has a long, smooth stride, I can ride and tolerate a little pain. But if it short and choppy, I have issues. That's why I do mostly ground training and work with problem horses rather than starting them under saddle anymore.

06-12-2008, 04:01 PM	#14
horselover1113 Full Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 234 Images: 31	I think a walker would be great! A walker only has a choppy gait if you allow it to. But a good walker will be VERY smooth, like I said unless you allow it to go out of its natural flat walk, running walk, rocking chair canter, gaits, if it goes out of those gaits it will either rack or pace it is very rare that you will find a walker that trots. The rack on a walker is normally smooth but faster, the pace is a big no no and it will jar you all over the place. If you can find a good walker with the TRUE walking horse gaits in my opinion I think you would truely enjoy it. I can say from my expierience that if I ride a trotting horse I will be in pain for weeks, I mean I can but it hurts. But I can ride a good gaited walker for hours and I do not hurt at all. You should truely go and ride one, I truely do not know if you will hurt or not i'm just saying from my bad back expierience being a bulging disc and my tail bone never turning to bone and has slipped out of place a forth of an inch, that TWH are all I can truely ride without being bent over in pain.

06-15-2008, 09:50 AM	#16
horselover1113 Full Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: USA Posts: 234 Images: 31	Let me know if you get to ride a TWH. I'm curious about what you will think about the ride. Just be sure that if you do ride one you move with the motion of it's gait. I had a friend that would just sit there and not move with the horses strides and she would always be sore the next day.

06-15-2008, 05:29 PM	#17
seaecho Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 430	If you ride a TWH that does the "camel walk" when he flat walks, its a forward and backward motion. Very difficult to describe, but you know it when you feel it. Kinda loosey goosey feeling. Mine occasionally does that, but his running walk is very smooth. Smoothest of all is his stepping pace or rack. Smoothness varies tremendously among gaited horses. You have to find the one that gaits the way you prefer. Some are much smoother than others. As a general rule, gaited horses are great for people with bad backs, or older people. Why do you think so many middle aged and older people prefer gaited horses? Riding the trot can be jarring for anyone, regardless of age, and I personally am so glad I'll never have to ride a trot again, now that I have my Walker. I can also ride him bareback and not have to worry for a moment about losing my balance at the trot! They also have a rocking chair canter, that feels just like it sounds. Not all of them do, but many do. I am a firm believer in the saying Once you go gaited, you never go back!