THE TENNESSEE WALKING HORSE GAITS:

The flat foot walk, running walk and canter are natural, inherited gaits and can easily be recognized from the time a young foal starts to amble beside its mother, with rhythmic coordination of legs, head and body movement. The flat walk and the famed unique running walk are both basic, loose, four-cornered gaits, a 1-2-3-4 beat with each of the horses' hooves hitting the ground separately at regular intervals - first the left rear, then the left front, then the right rear, followed by the right front. As he moves, his head will shake in rhythm with the regular rise and fall of his hooves, overstriding with his hind foot the track left by his front foot - left rear over left front, right rear over right front. In general, he should travel in a straight, direct motion, never winging, crossing or swinging. The flat walk should be loose, bold and square with plenty of shoulder motion. The running walk should also be executed with loose ease of movement, pulling with the fore feet, pushing and driving with the hind. There should be a noticeable difference in the rate of speed between the flat walk and the running walk. But, a good running walk should never allow proper form to be sacrificed for excessive speed.

The rocking chair canter is a rolling collected gallop with distinct head motion, chin tucked and in a smooth collected movement.