All Tennessee Walking Horses have the ability to pace. They have no choice, they inherit this ability from their very roots, the Standardbreds and Canadian or Tennessee Pacers from whence they came. Modern, "big lick" breeding practices have probably enhanced this somewhat, since the pacy colt is easier to "square up" when pads and weight are added to the forefeet. Fortunately, we now have breeders who select for natural gait. In the future, we have the opportunity to breed the pace out of our horses.

For those who are unsure just what a pace is; the horse moves lateral legs at the same time. Sometimes the horse's hind foot hits the ground slightly prior to the fore, in which the gait is termed a stepping, broken or soft pace. From the rider's standpoint (on top of the horse) the result is much the same; a rough ride. The pace throws the horse from side to side and so therefor the rider also. No one wants to ride a pace. So... how do we get our pacy horse to perform the flat walk and running walk properly?

Many trainers get rid of this gait with the help of their farrier (altering angles, heavy shoes in front, etc.). Other trainers may apply chains, rattles, or boots to help alleviate the pace. Deep footing, high grass and work up hills have been employed also. These measures can and do help the "pacy" horse to walk. They work by changing the timing and rhythm of the foot falls, but they do not get to the root of the problem.

The horse paces because his body is in the position to perform the pace with the least amount of effort. Pacy horses always travel with "hollow," disengaged backs. They may be high headed, stiff necked and tense with trailing hindquarters. They can also travel "strung out" with slack muscles. They have very little drive from the hindquarters. They do not round their backs, they are not balanced.

Pacy horses often have long backs, short, thick necks and hind legs which are very long from stifle to hock and have an open angle at the stifle, (camped out). This type of conformation prediposes the horse to pace. The horse who is tense; whether from fear, resistance or pain will tend to pace. Some horses do just seem to be "hard wired" to pace. These are the hardest, but even they can be re-educated.