Racking horse
Encyclopedia
The Racking Horse is horse
breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse, recognized by the USDA
in 1978. It is known for a distinctive singlefoot
gait. The breed has its own organization, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America,http://www.rackinghorse.com/ headquartered in Decatur, AL. Its goal is to preserve the breed in a natural state with little or no artificial devices that enhance gait
. The horse's tail is naturally raised without nicking. Some classes allow special shoes that enhance action and a new class allows the use of chains, 6 ounces and under as action devices. The practice of soring, illegal under the Horse Protection Act of 1970
, is also seen within the Racking horse world.
as a horse which could be ridden comfortably for hours because of a smooth, natural gait. It was also bred for a good disposition, intelligence and versatility.
By the mid-20th century, there was no promotion for flat shod Walking pleasure horses. Further, the Racking horse had a distinct type and characteristics, but no specific category of horse show rules or a registry. A number of aficionados of this type wished to promoting the type as a breed that could be shown with no action devices, no set tail and without the canter, yet spotlighting the docile nature and easily ridden lateral gait exemplified by the rack
, a fast lateral gait sometimes called the singlefoot
. Although the Racking Horse today can be shown without pads there are also variety of shoes of different heights and weights to show with. Also, it is within regulations to have chains around the front hooves (just below the ankles and resting on the hoof loosely) as well, and they vary from 2-6 or more ounces in weight each, giving just enough weight and feel to make the horse want to kick them off their hooves when they pick them up, hence the appearance of such in the Specialty Action class horses.
A group of Alabamians headed by Joe D. Bright formed a corporation and initiated discussions with the USDA to designate the horse as a distinct breed from the Tennessee Walking Horse, which was then under federal scrutiny by the USDA due to the practice of soring, which was a serious concern at the time. Mr. Bright gathered knowledgeable show and pleasure horse breeders
to assist him in this effort. On May 23, 1971, the USDA recognized the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America, thereby allowing a registry to be established to perpetuate the Racking Horse breed.
The primary function of the Racking Horse Breeders' Association was to "establish a registry to protect and perpetuate the breed". The Racking Horse registry was open to horses from any state. The selection of the name "Racking" was not to tie this horse to any specific region. Eligibility for registration was determined upon the performance of the gaits natural to the breed, and in the beginning horses of all ages could be registered by gait performances. The goal was to promote a horse for middle income people to enjoy at home, on trails, and shown on flat shoes or with very little pad.
The main objective and the philosophy of the Racking Horse Breeders was to create an organization that was within the economic reach of the marketplace that would serve the amateur horse owner, a person doing his or her own training at home, as a both a breeder and a show-ring participant. The general membership was encouraged to have a voice in the association. The Racking Horse Breeders' Association laid the foundation and the incentive for the trend towards the pleasure horse movement by other gaited breeds in the show ring today.
The Racking Horse is the official state horse of Alabama.
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse, recognized by the USDA
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
in 1978. It is known for a distinctive singlefoot
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
gait. The breed has its own organization, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America,http://www.rackinghorse.com/ headquartered in Decatur, AL. Its goal is to preserve the breed in a natural state with little or no artificial devices that enhance gait
Horse gait
Horse gaits are the various ways in which a horse can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training by humans.-Classification:...
. The horse's tail is naturally raised without nicking. Some classes allow special shoes that enhance action and a new class allows the use of chains, 6 ounces and under as action devices. The practice of soring, illegal under the Horse Protection Act of 1970
Horse Protection Act of 1970
The United States Horse Protection Act of 1970 makes it a crime to exhibit, or transport for the purpose of exhibiting, any sored horse...
, is also seen within the Racking horse world.
History
Ancestors of the Racking horse developed from bloodlines of the Tennessee Walking Horse that arose on southern plantations prior to the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
as a horse which could be ridden comfortably for hours because of a smooth, natural gait. It was also bred for a good disposition, intelligence and versatility.
By the mid-20th century, there was no promotion for flat shod Walking pleasure horses. Further, the Racking horse had a distinct type and characteristics, but no specific category of horse show rules or a registry. A number of aficionados of this type wished to promoting the type as a breed that could be shown with no action devices, no set tail and without the canter, yet spotlighting the docile nature and easily ridden lateral gait exemplified by the rack
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
, a fast lateral gait sometimes called the singlefoot
Ambling
The term amble or ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of horses. All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a canter or gallop...
. Although the Racking Horse today can be shown without pads there are also variety of shoes of different heights and weights to show with. Also, it is within regulations to have chains around the front hooves (just below the ankles and resting on the hoof loosely) as well, and they vary from 2-6 or more ounces in weight each, giving just enough weight and feel to make the horse want to kick them off their hooves when they pick them up, hence the appearance of such in the Specialty Action class horses.
A group of Alabamians headed by Joe D. Bright formed a corporation and initiated discussions with the USDA to designate the horse as a distinct breed from the Tennessee Walking Horse, which was then under federal scrutiny by the USDA due to the practice of soring, which was a serious concern at the time. Mr. Bright gathered knowledgeable show and pleasure horse breeders
Horse breeding
Horse breeding is reproduction in horses, and particularly the human-directed process of selective breeding of animals, particularly purebred horses of a given breed. Planned matings can be used to produce specifically desired characteristics in domesticated horses...
to assist him in this effort. On May 23, 1971, the USDA recognized the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America, thereby allowing a registry to be established to perpetuate the Racking Horse breed.
The primary function of the Racking Horse Breeders' Association was to "establish a registry to protect and perpetuate the breed". The Racking Horse registry was open to horses from any state. The selection of the name "Racking" was not to tie this horse to any specific region. Eligibility for registration was determined upon the performance of the gaits natural to the breed, and in the beginning horses of all ages could be registered by gait performances. The goal was to promote a horse for middle income people to enjoy at home, on trails, and shown on flat shoes or with very little pad.
The main objective and the philosophy of the Racking Horse Breeders was to create an organization that was within the economic reach of the marketplace that would serve the amateur horse owner, a person doing his or her own training at home, as a both a breeder and a show-ring participant. The general membership was encouraged to have a voice in the association. The Racking Horse Breeders' Association laid the foundation and the incentive for the trend towards the pleasure horse movement by other gaited breeds in the show ring today.
The Racking Horse is the official state horse of Alabama.