Racking horse
| Other names | RH, Racker |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Alabama, United States |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
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| Height |
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| Color | Black, chestnut, bay, gray, palomino, roan |
| Distinguishing features | Tall, lean build; long, straight head; racking gait |
| Breed standards | |
The Racking Horse is a horse breed derived from the Tennessee Walking Horse, recognized by the USDA in 1971. It is known for a distinctive singlefoot gait. In 1971, the Racking Horse Breeders' Association of America, headquartered in Decatur, Alabama, was formed as the breed registry. Its goal is to preserve the breed in a natural state with little or no artificial devices that enhance gait. The horse's tail is naturally raised without nicking or tail sets. Some classes allow special shoes that enhance action, and a new class allows the use of chains, six ounces and under as action devices. The practice of soring, illegal under the Horse Protection Act of 1970, is also seen within the Racking Horse world. Since the breed's inception, about 80,000 Racking Horses have been registered, with the largest populations located in the US states of Alabama and Tennessee.
The Racking Horse is a light riding horse, standing an average of 15.2 hands (62 inches, 157 cm) high and weighing around 1,000 pounds (450 kg). Overall, the Racking Horse is described as "attractive and gracefully built". The neck is long, the shoulders and croup sloping and the build overall well-muscled.
According to the breed standard, the Racking Horse should have slim legs, with good bone and feet large enough to preclude lameness. The head should be "intelligent and neat" with a straight profile preferable. The ears should prick alertly and the eyes should be large, clear and bright.
Colors accepted by the breed registry include all solid equine coat colors and roan. Racking Horses are also commonly seen in colors created by dilution genes, such as dun, cream and champagne. Some horses may also have body markings. Pinto Racking Horses may be double-registered as Spotted Saddle Horses. The breed is known for its ambling gait, a four-beat intermediate-speed gait known as the rack or sometimes single-foot, which it performs in addition to the four-beat walk (called the 'show walk' in breed-specific competition) and canter. The latter gait is not performed at breed-specific horse shows. When assessing the rack, judges place greater weight on correct movement and speed, rather than extreme elevation.
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