American Walking Pony

The American Walking pony, which has often been described as a "dream walking", is a highly attractive pony of Arab type. The breed exhibits a fixed type and characteristics. The foundation cross was a registered Tennessee Walking horse and a Welsh pony.

The American Walking pony combines the best features of both parent lines—they are born with natural gaits, inherited from the Tennessee Walking Horse and the excellent qualities of the Welsh pony. The American Walking pony has unique gaits which include the Pleasure Walk, Merry Walk and Canter, although they are seven gaited.

The Pleasure Walk is a four-beat gait, faster than a normal walk, but slower than a trot. The Merry Walk us a four-beat, but much faster and accompanied by a head-nodding movement, with the pony nicely together with its hocks under it and its head carried well. The canter is smooth and collected, and all the paces are unhurried and comfortable to sit to.

The American Walking pony is highly versatile and has proved its mettle in jumping, dressage, showing and pleasure riding, as well as diving. They have very attractive and fine heads, which do not have particular pony characteristics. The neck should be of good length, muscular, and set and carried well. The shoulders are nicely sloping allowing for good freedom of movement, the chest should be broad and deep, theback compact, adn the quarters muscular. Typically, they have great presence and quality. they can be any solid color, and have a height limit of 14 hh.

Photo courtesy of Hobby Horse Farm

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