FAQ's about Walking Horses and
the Walking Horse Journal

  Q:       What is a Walking Horse?

       A: Since all horses walk to food and water from birth on, the name has brought much confusion. but here are the basics:
        After the American Civil War had destroyed fences and separated livestock from owners certain horses were found that used an unfamiliar middle gait between ordinary walking and the gallop. This way of using the legs and body produced a far smoother ride than the trot. Owners tried to preserve this gait in later generations, and called the gait the running walk. The name has led to much confusion, but the capitalized name Walking Horse is applied to horses descended from that source.
        The confusion doesn't end there, because in more recent times breeders searching for flashy and crowd pleasing animation in the show ring developed Walking Horses descended from the original lines that use a rack or singlefoot gait, but continued labeling this as a running walk.
       The Walking Horse Journal is devoted to horses that use the original running walk gait, leaving show horses and show gaits to other publications.

Q:       How can I find out more?

Q:       Can I find original style Walking Horses to buy and ride?

       A: The editor of The Walking Horse Journal conducts an ongoing search for such horses. Results of the search change, sometimes from day to day. The original style running walk is found in some horses without known descent from the original Walking Horses and in unregistered descendants of those originals. Try our contacts link for current information by phone or e-mail.

 Q:       How can I write for The Walking Horse Journal?

       A: Guidelines for The Walking Horse Journal follow.  Write, call or e-mail us about your article and picture ideas in advance, or send the completed items for editorial consideration. Text may also be submitted by e-mail or postal service.  Mail us word processor documents on CD in Microsoft Word, Open Office Writer, Word Perfect or Lotus Word Pro formats or in .txt format.  We accept short letters in printed or typewritten form.  On longer submissions we can attempt optical character recognition scans of clean, high contrast typed or computer printed documents.  Handwriting, no matter how beautiful, probably will be rejected.  Text materials are not normally returned to the writer.

     The Walking Horse Journal is devoted to plain-shod, working, naturally running walk gaited equines.  We promote good horsemanship; good management; and sound, communication based, gimmick-free training methods that respect the horse’s inherited gaits and traits.  We cover all non-show uses of Walking Horses, including but not limited to:  Pleasure trail riding, field trials, trail patrol, police work, therapeutic riding, fox hunting, jumping, working cattle, o mok see or gymkhana, competitive trail riding, packing, wilderness camping, long distance riding, parades, and…  What do you do with your Walker?

      WHJ also does features on individual horses and/or breeders, breed history, research into rare and forgotten TWH bloodlines, and gait analysis from photos.

      We cover a wide range of  topics and accept submission on all of the following:  Feed/ health care suggestions, management hints, tack and equipment, training tips, human interest, color genetics, conformation, emergency preparedness, trails to ride, letters to the editor, original poems and almost anything else that may be of interest to us or our readers.  We cannot include every topic in every issue, so each issue is different.

      The Walking Horse Journal is a copyrighted publication. Editorial submissions are welcome.  Articles should be approximately 750-1,000 words in length and must comply with current copyright laws.  We re-print articles only with the written permission of the author.   The original author retains rights to articles published in WHJ.  From time to time WHJ publishes excerpts from historical articles that have lapsed into public domain and material published on websites or elsewhere that clearly is in the public domain.

     Q:  Do you accept controversial subjects?

      A:  Guidelines for notoriously controversial aspects of the TWH breed follow:
      Training information should be safe for both horse and handler, humane, and gimmick-free.  It must be horse logical - based on communication with and respect for the horse as a thinking, feeling creature without idolizing the horse.
      Shoeing information should be based on sound scientific research, promote the long-term soundness of the horse, and be safe and appropriate for non-show uses.
      Gait enhancement/manipulation information should be seeking a performance objective that is realistic, humane and practical for use outside the show ring.

      The Walking Horse Journal recognizes that there are several distinct riding disciplines, each developed for specific purposes.  WHJ does not endorse any one riding discipline, training method, or trainer as superior to another but encourages owners to practice good, safe horsemanship using techniques appropriate to their horse and activities.

      The Walking Horse Journal is published by FOUR CRAFTSMEN Publishing, whose motto is “Truth that Works.”

      Q:  Do you require pictures with articles?

      A:  We like appropriate photos and/or illustrations with the article.  The horse must be flat-shod, and sound.  Good action photos of the horse doing its job are strongly preferred to standing shots.  We must have written permission to publish from any and all living people who can be identified in posed photos (or from parents or guardians of minors).

      Photos are accepted for gait analysis, but will be published only with permission of the owner of the horse and rider if the horse is being ridden.  A side view photo is best.  The horse should be flat-shod or barefoot and gaiting on a firm surface with the hooves and their contact with the ground clearly visible.

      Q:  What are your other rules for photos?

      A:  For best results photo prints should be mailed to:
The Walking Horse Journal
P. O. Box 177
Lakeside, AZ 85929-0177
Prints will be returned after publication.  Digital photos should be submitted  to industry standard Category A, which means JPEG file format, highest quality compression level from at least a 3 or 4 megapixel camera for typical cover pictures. Please click the info for writers and photographers button at left, then choose photographers at the top of the resulting page for more details.