Endurance breed

["John Proudman GGPL B-262" <johnp@lpsi.barc.usda.gov>]

Cindy,

I also ride both an Arabian and a Tennessee Walking Horse, and I can 
second Truman's comments:  If you want to top-ten, get an Arabian; get 
one with the smoothest gait and calmest temperment that you can find.  If 
you can be happy doing a lot of miles on a comfortable, relatively 
bomb-proof horse that will end up in the middle of the pack most of the 
time, you will enjoy a Tennessee Walking Horse.  Contrary to one comment, 
they ARE bred for long distances...that was the purpose of a plantation 
horse, to carry the owner around the plantation all day in comfort.  They 
were just not bred for SPEED over long distances.  They do not have the 
cooling system of an Arab.  My TWH can keep up with the front-running 
Arabs for quite a ways, and he loves to race as much as they do.  But if 
I want him to finish 50 miles without winning the turtle award, I have to 
hold him in a running walk and a rack (which he can do at the speed at 
which many Arabs canter) most of the time.  (Gaits vary on TWHs, not all 
do a natural running walk and rack, so shop with someone who knows the 
breed.)  His P&Rs are not as good as a well-conditioned Arabian, so he 
will lose some time in vet checks in hot, humid weather.  He loses 
condition more quickly than an Arabian, so I cannot let him lounge around 
in the pasture for too long.  Some vets have difficulty evaluating 
his gait (...."I don't know what he's doing, but I guess he's alright"). 
He loves to lead the Arabs through all the scary places<g>!!!  And the 
TWH is a great conversation piece on the trail, especially if he is grey 
(..."excuse me, but what is your horse's breeding...?").

John