Is he a Walker? or Is he a Reiner? - He's Black Hills Skipper! - Appearing April 9, 11 & 12 Gary Sandlin and He's Black Hills Skipper (AKA- Doc) have been excelling against all breeds in NRHA reining competitions and have come to the Grand National Rodeo to demonstrate those skills in a 4-minute free reining demonstration as part of the 2008 Tennessee Walking Horse Exhibition. The versatile Tennessee Walking Horse is suitable for ranch work; they are excellent reining and cutting horses...  (scroll down to read more)

... and because of their naturally smooth gait and ground covering speed, they have also been used by ranchers for decades to ride fences. These horses can flat-foot walk at speeds of four to seven miles per hour. The running walk is a very smooth ground covering eight to ten miles per hour. The Tennessee Walker is also famous for its Rocking Chair Canter which is a collected version of a gallop. Tennessee Walkers can change leads with ease including flying lead changes. In the fall of 2005, Doc began reining training. He was a fast learner of the reining requirements and was exhibited at the Rocky Mountain Horse Expo held in March of 2006, 6 months after starting his reining training. Doc holds his competition license with the National Reining Horse Association in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  For the past two years Doc has been shown at NRHA shows in Colorado.  Doc is a champion walking horse on the rail, in model and can perform the versatile, technical reining patterns of NRHA.  NRHA patterns require the horse to perform 4 spins to the right, 4 spins to the left, 3 - 4 sliding stops (depending on pattern) with rollbacks, lead change left to right, lead change right to left, large and small controlled circles, and a back.  All maneuvers are done at the lope.

OK- but can this Walkin' horse really move?   Just come on out and see!

* Kathie and Gary Sandlin are Colorado ranchers who raise cattle and have owned Tennessee Walkers since 1982.  In addition to Doc, they are the proud owners of 3 TWHBEA Supreme Versatility Champions and 1 TWHBEA Versatility Champion horse

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