It had been a picture-perfect weekend in Middle Tennessee traveling with my sister Cindy Mouch and her husband Jim from Decatur, Alabama. Destination? Jack Daniel Distillery to tour the facility and see the production of Old No. 7 up close. (Click here for story.) And then we stayed in a lovely, country Bed and Breakfast Inn — GreenRose of Raus — as recommended on the Jack Daniel website. (Click here to read about GreenRose.)
But all weekend, Cindy kept saying, Wouldn’t it be great to see a Tennessee Walking Horse? We agreed it would be, but where could we find a farm that would let us take a closer look or see walking horses in training? Through the magic of “Googling,” however, we happened upon an event in nearby Shelbyville going on that very weekend: The Walking for Angels Horse Show and Christmas Village!
We put the address for Calsonic Arena into our GPS and found ourselves headed toward the home of the The Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration that’s held each year in late summer for eleven days ending on the Saturday night prior to Labor Day.
Originally bred as utility horses for plantation owners, Tennessee Walking Horses are known for a four-beat gait that’s smoother than a trot. It can seem as though the horses are gliding or moving effortlessly down the track.
Finding the show at Calsonic Arena was pure serendipity: seeing Tennessee Walking Horses in action was elegance in motion.
For more information:
Calsonic Arena, 721 Whitthorne Avenue, Shelbyville, TN; http://www.calsonicarena.com/
Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration: http://www.twhnc.com/
The Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum located in Wartrace, TN is part of The Jack Trail. For more information, go to http://www.tntrailsandbyways.com
This is post #27 of National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo) 2013 sponsored jointly by BlogHer and WordPress.
I needed to thank you for this fantastic read!!
I certainly loved every bit of it. I have got you saved as a favorite
to check out new stuff you post…
There is truly no sweeter sight than Tennessee Walking Horses, Rusha … and you captured them beautifully. Smooth, silky elegance in motion. So glad that you shared this. All the best, Terri
So glad my sister pushed us all to go see this event. I loved watching the horses and noting the intensity of the riders. Thanks for commenting. Happy holidays!
Oh, the pictures brought back memories from long ago. I used to show gaited horses, both three and five gaited. i never road a Walking Horse but they are lovely! Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the pictures as much as I enjoyed seeing these horses. I have no idea about the details of riding or showing, but to an average spectator like me, the whole thing was mesmerizing! Thanks for commenting!
They are amazing animals. Thanks for sharing. . . .
Appreciate your visit and comment! And I agree — they’re amazing!
You are most welcome!
If you think these horses are beautiful, I hope you take the opportunity to see naturally trained and shod Walking Horses. At the 2010 World Equestrian Games, only flat-shod walking horses were allowed to be exhibited, and NWHA chose some of the best of the best as representatives. Here’s a little preview of horses that perform in perfect balance and harmony with their riders (without grotesquely large shoes or chains on their legs): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTckbkLlcDM Check out http://www.nwha.com for a schedule of future shows (as they are added).
Thanks for letting me know. You can tell I’m a complete novice!
They are beautiful and their unique gait is amazing! I used to own a horse (a bay Thoroughbred) before the commitments of college and studying got in the way and it is a great hobby. Horses are wonderful, intelligent animals. Great photos!
I agree about horses being so beautiful! I am in awe of them even though I’m rarely around them. Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Wow – poetry in motion indeed! Looks fabulous.
Beautiful horses, no doubt! Thanks for reading and commenting!
Such magnificent animals!
They are truly beautiful! I’ve ridden horses very rarely in my lifetime, but I can see how some people love this hobby! Thanks for reading and commenting.