# my tn walker mare!!!!!tell me what you think!!!



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

this is motowns majorette she is my newest horse.she is a 3 yr old reg. almost 17 hh tn walker mare.she is a beautiful horse that im wanting to show andtrail ride with.she was broke just last winter and i can already get on her bareback and go trail riding.i can do anything with her!she is a good horse and is very fast.i run her hard for up to 2 hrs and she still has energy left to act up.she has an awsome gait and im now using 6 mm chains on her.it picks up her feet 2-3 inches.she is an impressive girl.this is her bloodline she has one world grand champion that is motown magic.and has good horses such as,prides generator 2 times on her bloodline,ebonys hacksaw ,major league,go boy's fury,sprits make me shake,and as beautiful does.she is a perfect horse for me.im also going to breed her sometime for a mule or for a tn walker idk im still deciding. here are some pics please give me your opinions!!!i think she is just beautiful!but some things i could live without would be her jug head and her hips that stick out even though shes in good condition.










my house is in the picture because i just brought her up and started taking pics for this forum before it started to rain.i have a barn i just dont like being in it! : ) because it doesnt have elctricty yet so its always dark.




















i think she looks like a quarter horse in her confo because she is massive!!!










just tell me what you think!!!


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

heres some more pics!!!


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

i ride her veryday and i do mostly trail rides and im starting her on small jumps now.she is an awsome athlete!and is a sweetheart but sometimes she can get mean.when im lounging her she just stops and comes at me with her head down....and it hurts too so i just make her work harder.i think i mightve solved the problem now.ill try and get a video of her doing her gait.


----------



## Solon (May 11, 2008)

She's not what I would call massive. She's got a very weak looking neck. When was the last time she had a trim. As a side note, seems like you are working her pretty hard for just a three year old. I would definitely reconsider breeding her.


----------



## Flyinghigh12 (Feb 17, 2009)

Tn Walker's take a long time to mature, their necks seem to stay skinny for a long time. Try not to develop bad habbits with her. I wouldn't breed her for a while, like years yet because she probably won't be done growing and maturing till she's 6. I'd love to see her gate. I might be training some this summer. Of course not riding them, the one mare is only 2 and I don't want to be on her back yet. 
Good luck with the training. What kind of schedule do you have her on?


----------



## morganshow11 (Dec 19, 2008)

Just out of curiosity(sp?) why would you be running a horse 'hard' for 2 hrs? I think that is way to much running for a horse.


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

Solon said:


> She's not what I would call massive. She's got a very weak looking neck. When was the last time she had a trim. As a side note, seems like you are working her pretty hard for just a three year old. I would definitely reconsider breeding her.


 
these pics dont do her any justice she does have a weak neck but she has a very deep girth and hindquarters.


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

Flyinghigh12 said:


> Tn Walker's take a long time to mature, their necks seem to stay skinny for a long time. Try not to develop bad habbits with her. I wouldn't breed her for a while, like years yet because she probably won't be done growing and maturing till she's 6. I'd love to see her gate. I might be training some this summer. Of course not riding them, the one mare is only 2 and I don't want to be on her back yet.
> Good luck with the training. What kind of schedule do you have her on?


 
i have her riding almost everday trail riding for 2 hrs and then some days ill jump her.she is a tough horse and she can handle being ridden like this.


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

also solon if you would come up to her now you wouldnt say that because she is big.shes bigger than any other tn walker my friends have.and also why would i want to trim her hair?i have it the way i like it.


----------



## gabrielstriumph (Mar 15, 2009)

Whoa, yeah, I totally agree with Solon and Morganshow11. 
She's a 3 year old. Her bones, tendons, and muscles have not matured yet, and too much work can hurt her later on in years. It seems as if you are putting too much work on for her. She's just a baby, of course she still has energy at the end.


----------



## SpiritJordanRivers (May 31, 2009)

I would NOT run her that hard. Seriously. You have to condition horses to go for hours on trails. You can't take them on 2 hour trail rides if she's just been broke this past winter. Don't breed her yet! She's still a baby (not literally), but she's too young. Wait until at least past 5. Is that a Tom Thumb bit, you have her in. Tom Thumb bits are harsh and confusing to horses even though most Walkers are shown in them. Today's Horse - The Trouble with Tom Thumb

If you have problems backing, slowing down and such, I would consider switching bits. I had my Walker in one and it was down right horrible.

She's pretty though


----------



## Chickerdoodle13 (Jun 15, 2009)

I agree with some of the other posters...that's definitely too much work for a baby! I try not to work my five year old for more than an hour and even then I do a lot of slow ground work and on her back I walk most of the time with some trotting in between. Until I get her into shape, I won't be running her hard. (And even then, I will probably do a lot of trotting. This is the gait that builds the most muscle and gets them into shape.)

I've seen it recommended to do about 45 minutes of walking on a trail, 10 minutes of trotting, and 5 minutes of loping/cantering. That's IF the horse is in shape (And I believe this recommendation is for full grown horses)

Usually if I'm doing a two hour trail ride, we do quite a bit of walking and we let the horses (and ourselves) rest a bit. We do run the horses a little bit, but we certainly know their limits.

She's a pretty horse, but seems a little too tall for a walker (especially if she is 17hh at only three years old!) However, I'm not familiar with the breed, as I typically ride QHs and Paints. 

As far as trimming, the previous poster was asking about a hoof trim, not a hair trim. Horses should have their hooves trimmed every six to eight weeks (Sometimes sooner depending on the season and what the horse is being used for) When their hooves get too long, it throws the horse off balance and can cause a lot of tripping, especially if the fronts are too long.

Try to go slow with your girl. You have lots of time to work with her. If you work her too hard too fast, you'll end up with a lame horse early on in her career. If not lame, she'll certainly be more prone to it. Its always sad to see a lame eight year old because the owner jumped and ran their horse way too early!


----------



## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

chika1235 said:


> also solon if you would come up to her now you wouldnt say that because she is big.shes bigger than any other tn walker my friends have.and also why would i want to trim her hair?i have it the way i like it.


She was not referencing her hair - she means her hooves.


----------



## NewHeart (Dec 10, 2008)

I agree with what others have posted that there is really no need to be pushing her that hard given her age. Why the rush? There is absolutely no shame in taking things slow, you will have a better horse in the end. Especially if she just turned three, you have all the time in the world right now to take things slow and do them correctly. 

I think trail riding is wonderful for horses, it gives them a chance to relax and can be quite beneficial for training purposes. When I do them with my young horse, it is mostly walking and some trotting. I don't think running your horse for for two hours is really going to accomplish anything (if this is what you actually do?) it actually can end up doing more damage then good.


----------



## Solon (May 11, 2008)

chika1235 said:


> also solon if you would come up to her now you wouldnt say that because she is big.shes bigger than any other tn walker my friends have.and also why would i want to trim her hair?i have it the way i like it.


Trim her hair? I'm talking about trimming her *feet*.


----------



## Jessabel (Mar 19, 2009)

She does have a weak neck and it looks like her hooves need to be trimmed. I'm not a huge fan of her head or legs. She could use a lot more muscle, too. It would help if she filled out more. It sounds like you're doing a lot with her at such a young age. You could predispose her to early health problems if you push her hard enough. It's not worth rushing when you end up with a six year old with crippling arthritis. She could be lame for the rest of her life, and it's not fair to her and you'll end up with a worthless horse that's piling up vet bills.

I would seriously reconsider breeding her as well.


----------



## goldilockz (Aug 1, 2008)

Go easy on her, she's still too young to be worked that hard. And trim her hooves, please.


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

mls said:


> She was not referencing her hair - she means her hooves.


 
i know now that it was her hooves.i was trying to do everything at oce yesterday and i didnt notice.yes she does need a trim.


----------



## chika1235 (Jan 1, 2009)

Solon said:


> Trim her hair? I'm talking about trimming her *feet*.


 
sorry i was trying to do everything at once yesterday.yes her hooves do need trimming.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

I think she's a very pretty girl. She doesn't look to me like she is quite 17 hh. I would geuss closer to 15.3 or 16. She looks narrow in the chest and weak in the neck, but seeing as she is only three I think she is pretty well filled out for her age. She'll thicken out as she gets older. I have a five year old walker that is not very well muscled yet and she is really thin in the neck as well. My walking horses always look really long in the hooves to me as well. I think their feet sit differently then other horses. 

I'm not sure what you meant by hard running for two hours. I know a lot of walking horse people that do ride long and hard for hours and hours each day. Just take good care of her and be mindful of her age and the developmental level of her joints and bones. She looks like a sweet girl and I'm sure you will love her forever. 

My 30 year old walker was ridden hard by the man that owned him for a good 10 or 12 years before I got him and now that he's old his joints are stiff and sore and he has some days were I just don't think he'll make it across the paddock... Keep her sound when old age comes.... and enjoy her, she's really pretty.


----------



## freedomfighter93 (Apr 15, 2009)

She's a _very_ pretty horse, but I have a couple of comments. I feel like her neck is too thin and too short, and her butt is too bony. But, I've seen many "too-thin" necks on TWH's, so it might be more common than I think.


----------



## Elapidae (Jun 17, 2009)

Jessabel said:


> She does have a weak neck and it looks like her hooves need to be trimmed. I'm not a huge fan of her head or legs. She could use a lot more muscle, too. It would help if she filled out more. It sounds like you're doing a lot with her at such a young age. You could predispose her to early health problems if you push her hard enough. It's not worth rushing when you end up with a six year old with crippling arthritis. She could be lame for the rest of her life, and it's not fair to her and you'll end up with a worthless horse that's piling up vet bills.
> 
> I would seriously reconsider breeding her as well.


Breed with care!!! There are lots of horses out there- just like there are lots of dogs and cats. If you are concerned about a weak neck, not a big fan of her head or legs- then why breed her? Breeding is expensive!! Breeding is hard work! Training foals is difficult and potentially dangerous. Not to mention lots of sweet mares and foals are lost during breeding.

Enjoy your mare. She looks like a big puppydog. Put what money you can into her training, not into breeding. That's my advice as a breeder.


----------



## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

i'm just curious. what do you mean by you using chains on her feet to bring her feet up? Does that hurt her in any way? i'm not familiar with TWH's so i'm honestly just curious


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Wow. I completely missed the comment regarding the chains. I don't believe in that method of training. And if she's a trail horse, what does it matter that she picks up her feet?


----------



## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

gabrielstriumph said:


> Whoa, yeah, I totally agree with Solon and Morganshow11.
> She's a 3 year old. Her bones, tendons, and muscles have not matured yet, and too much work can hurt her later on in years. It seems as if you are putting too much work on for her. She's just a baby, of course she still has energy at the end.


TRIPLE DITTO all of that.

She is way too young to be worked that hard ESPECIALLY since she is close to 17H. Those bones and muscles don't tend to develop and mature as fast on horses that grow that fast in such a short time.

Regarding her ugly head -- it needs time for the rest of the body to catch up to it and she will be a gorgeous horse ----- if you can wait it out until she's around 5 or 6.

I would not permit that mare to ridden or worked in the fashion that is being described. Since I am pretty old, I believe the phrase "grounded rider" would be my choice of action.

Sorry to come down so hard, but this mare is essentially being abused in what I call a non-abusive manner. SHE is the one that will pay for it in her older years---------

For the record, I have been on horses 60 of my 62 years, started breaking them to ride and drive when I was 12, and have owned Tennessee Walkers for the last 18+ years.

Experience and "lessons learned" is something I have a lot of------


----------



## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

I agree with what everybody has said. Why are you working her hard at a young age? It will only cause trouble further down the line. I would also wait on breeding her, breeding her early can stunt growth and cause other problems. Why don't you look into rescuing a horse instead of creating another one. 

I also see no need for any TWH to be worked in chains, let alone one that you plan to just do trail riding with. I feel really sorry for your horse, TWH are so sweet and layed back that they often put up with a lot of abusive treatment without a complaint.


----------



## RiddlesDarkAngel5 (Jun 2, 2009)

hmmm ok so the chains are what i thought they were. you do realize that chains only hurt her in the long run? There's no reason to use them. They cause chafing and rubbing and the exagerrated gait you get isn't natural. I'm sure you love her a lot and you two seem like you're getting along really well, i am just concerned that you are using that particular training method on her.

other than that, she's a cute mare and should make an excellent companion. i would definitely listen to the posters saying dont rush her training. she's has many more years ahead of her so just relax and enjoy her =)


----------



## katiecelia (Apr 26, 2009)

Please do not breed her! If she has that good of bloodlines, if that is even true, they do not want her foal to be a mule!
My advice is to not ride her hard until she gains more weight, she is not in the best condition either. Trim her feet and put oil in her feed to make her coat shiny. Her neck is weak and she has barley any real muscle-that takes time to build and develop.
I really wish that you would get some help with her-I don't know how old you are, but you sound pretty inexperienced to be 'running hard' a 3 year old.
As far as the chains go... I'm not too experienced on those training techniques, but I know that if she is just a trail horse, chains are no help.
I know that you said that she comes at you, calm down. Take charge. Say whoa loudly and flick the whip or line at her chest, not hard just a smack.
Please message me or reply on here ASAP, you need help with that mare.


----------



## MaieuticManege (Mar 2, 2009)

I have two TWH. I have a 3 y/o gelding, still going through his awkward phase, but is starting to do better too. I think she's just in that phase. Wait until she is 5 or 6 and she will really fill out. I'm sorry if I missed something, but if you do not plan on showing her saddle seat in a TWH show I would advise against the chains since that is the only place where the high-stepping rack is truly encouraged. My TWH are trail horses and I'd rather them be able to be fit and handle a day of hills than pick their feet up high.

In my opinion there is a lot wrong in the TWH world. Before my 3 y/o became mine he was ridden since he was 18 months old!! Last year (when he was 2 and still not mine) he was UNDER 12 hh. That is just wrong if you ask me. All I want you to know is that, sometimes you have to think about the horse more than yourself. She honestly can't stand hard galloping until 5 or later, but lighter work is fine if you build up gradually. I'm not trying to be critical, but I just don't want to see her ending up getting hurt.

She is very cute and I can't wait to see her when she fills out. I'm not much to critique right now just because she is going through her awkward phase.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

My walker had a mule.....


----------



## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Wowsa. I'm not completely against chains, they CAN have a purpose and not a negative one as long as illegal abrasive substances aren't used to create the chafing and pain. But unless you're training her for saddleseat, which I'm assuming you're not since she's being ridden Western it seems and ridden hard on trails, I would advise 110% against it. The last thing you want on trails is a high step, a trail horse needs to be surefooted and you're asking for serious injury by encouraging her to lift her legs in a big lick fashion on a trail where anything from rocks to sticks will cause her to loose her balance and sprain or even break something.

As for riding her hard, it's already been said so I won't reiterate only say that I agree 100%. As a 3 year old, she'd be working on the basics with me, not being run to death.

As for her conformation, it's hard to tell with the pics you posted. She looks very tall and gangly, but that's somewhat typical of TWH, as they have a very different conformation then many horses, with being gaited. Just remember that what you do with her now will affect how she is when she's 20, so take it easy!


----------



## katiecelia (Apr 26, 2009)

farmpony84 said:


> My walker had a mule.....


If your horse had outstanding bloodlines, you would not want to make her foal a mule, now would you?


----------



## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Why not? There's nothing at all wrong with mules.


----------



## katiecelia (Apr 26, 2009)

I know but that wouldnt look good in the pedigree, if they even care. I dont know if that is true anyway.


----------



## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

katiecelia said:


> I know but that wouldnt look good in the pedigree, if they even care. I dont know if that is true anyway.


Not true whatsoever. Mules aren't just crap animals, like someone decideing to breed a backyard mare to some random donkey. A mule should have just as good a pedigree as any horse, they're not "loser" animals, they're absolutely amazing and can far outdo horses in many aspects. A mule should have just as much thought put into it's breeding as a horse.


----------



## Solon (May 11, 2008)

katiecelia said:


> I know but that wouldnt look good in the pedigree, if they even care. I dont know if that is true anyway.


Wrong.

You can find a lot worse in a horses pedigree of other *horses* than a mule.


----------



## MaieuticManege (Mar 2, 2009)

and gaited mules are very popular now


----------



## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Mules are getting into all sorts of disciplines like draft horses which were fairly frowned on as riding horses initially.


----------



## iridehorses (Oct 22, 2007)

RFD has a show devoted to mules that I've seen from time to time. It's changed my attitude towards them and I've gained a respect for their accomplishments. I just can not get my head around owning one (even though I did for a little while - little ****** was the best escape artist I've ever had and he'd take the horses with him). I can't see myself looking between those ears all day.


----------



## Chuckface (Apr 25, 2009)

Im not going to repeat everything that was said. but i do feel like you are avoidign the questions. Please, for your horses wellbeing, listen to her needs, and not your yours.


----------



## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

my trainer has mules and they are really neat. he has one mule that does english hunt, western pleasure, barrels, and reigning... plus trail.....


----------

