Is a Tennessee Walking Horse good for barrel racing?

Answer 1

Definitley not. Their gait is definitely un-suitable for barrel racing it could result in minor or major injuries, most commonly a broken leg. And for the retard that said "rolling run," it is called a running walk.

Well, most walkers are gaited, which means they have a rolling run that is usually slower than a regular gallop. Some are trained to trot, canter, gait, and gallop, and some are only trained to trot and gait. If youre doing it just for fun it may work, but not if you are serious.

The 1st answer about breaking a leg is not true. Call the association. I think they are great for barrel they will blow the quarter horses away in walk trot class.

Second post is correct. WHile I doubt you'll ever see TWH place top three in the world, they dang sure CAN give SOLID, performance around barrels. What many folks fail to consider is that a four beat gait is an EXTRA gait these horses possess. They can also canter, trot, pace, gallup etc, just like any other breed of horse. While they aren't built really for explosive performance over ultra-short distances like a quarter is, there are exceptions, and any fairly substantially built Walking horse can scare some quarter horses in the cloverleaf. And I haven't seen where they are ANY more prone to leg injuries than any other breed.

Answer 2

Tennessee Walking Horses are not typically used in barrel racing due to their natural gait and conformation, which may not be suited for the quick turns and speed required in barrel racing. Breeds like Quarter Horses or Thoroughbreds are more commonly seen in barrel racing competitions.