Tennessee Walkers in the woods

[Mike Leonard]

I guess they say you afre never too old to learn.

I had always heard the Walkers were not much good for hunting in rough country. Tangle footed or stumbling. Hard to slow down and things such as that. Well for an old rancher, roper and cow bum a horse has always just meant Quarter Horse to me. Well I have some pretty good ones and they have served me well as hunting horses as well.

Well these two guys ask to go lion hunting with me and say they will bring their Tennessee Walkers, and I just shake my head. I could just see the wrech about to happen.

Well let me tell you those lads showed me a thing or two. These guys are not lion hunters but are avid archers and very successful on deer and elk in the mountain west. Those big old long headed horses got around great. Sure footed and stamina to burn I mean we were busting brush and sliding them on the butts of sttep stuff with ice and snow. It was one long day and my horse was pretty well used up but I had one dog that had slipped away and got on a bobcat and had it bayed in a hole in a bluff about 5 miles in. Well this guy said take old Big Man pointing at his 16 hand bay gelding and go get him. Well I got on that big old dude and away we went. That horse never looked back and acted like he was ready to go anywhere and cared nothing about the trailer or other horses. I mean I rode way off in there and got old Jiggs and turned around and it was near dark. I just leaned back a little and pressed my legs on him and that son of a gun took of at that high running walk and we were flying thru there. Over logs thru brush off the hill over the creek and I mean we were back at the trailer before dark.

I had to get off that horse who wasn't even breathing hard with my hat in my hand and shake that young man's hand and confess I just learned somthing new. Well actually I did but before that I said that damn horse ain't worth a plug nickel! You ought to just give him to me. LOL!

[Brady Davis]

THats pretty cool, I've actually never ridden a Tennessee Walker in the woods before but I know a bunch of houndsmen who hunt soley off of Tennessee Walker Mules. I'll have to try one someday...

[LCK]

Mike, I learned the same lesson some years ago from two different cattle ranch family's I grew up workin for. These folks are no nonesense ranchers with big outfits. They spend almost all day every day ahorseback and have for generations. They were hardcore quarter horse people, and raised em right.

Turns out they have completely switched to the Tennesee Foxtrotter, I mean 100%. I spent two days with the one family a while back and used one of their mounts on the summer range. Needless to say I had much the same experience you did. We pushed those horses hard.

In discussing the switch with the owner, he said they just go better, keep better and have "good sound minds" early on. He said they learn cow fast, but are not naturally cowey, but once taught, hard to beat.

It was kind of a neat deal to see first hand, die hard ranchers make a switch like that for no reason other than they said they just get the job done a bit better than what they were using, refering to the quarter horse.

I know I sure saw the difference and had some pre concieved notions corrected.

[RIGDAWG]

i am a avid horse rider .ride racking horses had people say the same bout them but i have a to year old gelding that i can work hunt or any think with and he is very shure footed and can build speed up evsn on small paths in the woods. and he loves dogs wood rather be with dogs than other service

[dwalton]

Guys: I am a mule man but one ,if not the best mountain horse I have ever owned was a Fox Trotter. Dewey

[mulehound]

Tried two mules out of Tennessee walkers, just did not work out they were not handy at all in the ledges and rough stuff. I know of three mules out of paso mares that are like cats and really move. Dunno know maybe I just struck out twice.
Mulehound.