1964-Voice Of The Tennessee Walking Horse 1964 February Voice | Page 33

FEBRUARY, 1964
had to hack and cut their way while all of this was taking place
through forests, cross over moun­ in the West, where a horse was not
tains, swim swollen rivers, and only required to be a stout work
fight they way through snow over horse, a sure footed mountain
the wagon tops. They had to have horse, an intelligent, fast cattle
strong animals to pull their wagons horse, he also had to be able to
through unknown territory, not outrun an Apache or Comanche
knowing what they had to face. pony with a wild fighting warrior
While' many used oxen, most used astride him, the Eastern and South­
horses. Strong, dependable, capa­ ern horses were taking on a dif­
ble horses. These horses didn’t al­ ferent aspect. They were experi­
ways ha ve beauty, or conformation, menting with breeding, too. But
or speed. Seldom were they pure­ it was a breeding on a different
bred stock. Mostly they were a level. They, too, started with a
mixture, but they had the strength heavier, utility horse and began to
the pioneer needed to pull the breed more fineness into him.
heavy wagons loaded with food, Crossing him with the Standard
bred, Throughbred, and other
breeds, they developed a horse
that was not only capable of work­
ing hard, but one that could take
his rider over rough ground with­
out causing undue stress on either
supplies, and all the earthly goods himself or his rider. This horse
the pioneer family needed to start became a recognized breed after
his life anew. Many people died, many years and was called the
many horses died. Both people and Tennessee Walking Horse, a horse
horses were taxed beyond their that became quite popular on the
limit, but they had the courage to southern plantations, but was to­
fight, to push onward, and finally, tally unknown in the wild and
their dreams became reality and wooly west.
they found their new homes,
Pioneers Begin To Move Again
started their new lives, and built
We have pioneers living in this
the home they sought in Virgin
jet-age era, too. Oh. not like the
country.
ones when the streets were just
New Breeds Develop
The pioneer, after finally reach­ dirt, the sidewalks made of lumber
ing their destination, began to de­ and a man had to tote a gun on
velop not only their land, but their his hip to stay alive, but a new
stock as well. After trade routes breed of pioneers. Where the pio­
were established, they7 began to neers of yesterday faced wild
bring in great herds of cattle, bands of Indians, the pioneers of
sheep, horses. They started with todav face the hydrogen bomb,
Longhorns, bred up to top beef still ’ they are pioneers in every
cattle. After establishing their sense of the word. They face dan­
ranches, they had to have better gers and hardship as did their
horses to herd the cattle with. Cow­ forefathers before them. Where
boys needed horses that were our forefathers conqued .the land,
strong and wiry, capable of herd­ our pioneers are conquering space.
ing the cattle over rough country. We don't have Indians to outwit,
They used mustangs. These horses but we do have to outrun erratic
were strong, surefooted, but not operators of the automobile every
in awhile. In this day and
always dependable. They crossed once
age. thev are every bit as danger­
these horses with the stock that re­ ous
as the marauding Indians and
mained alive after the long trek
from East to West. Still, they need­ white outlaws of yesterday.
We have a different type of
ed something better. They then
started to import horses from the pioneer today, outside of the ones
East to breed to the tough, hardy that are working on great scienti­
mustang and developed what is fic projects, or soaring to the moon,
known today as the Quarterhorse. or wiping out dreaded diseases.
These horses were fine, well suited Our different pioneer is coura­
to the task they were bred for. But geous, spending a lot of time,
iJ(i4^4U!ING h 33;R se
TEI
money and giving a great deal of
himself for another purpose. As said
before, the wild and wooly west
had never heard of the Tennessee
Walking Horse. It has only been
in the last few years that this
breed of horse, so common in such
states as Tennessee (their home)
and Alabama, started to filter into
the western states. Who brought
the first Walker out and introduced
him in this great state of Califor­
nia, I doubt if anyone knows. The
horse did move in, but has taken
several years, even at that, to be­
come recognized. The people you
are about to read about are great
devotees of the Walking Horse,
people who have brought in the
breed, promoted them, and stood
by them when the chips were
down. They are people who have
faced great odds in having to com­
pete with the western Quarter-
horse. the Arabian, and many
other well known breeds. This is
their story; the where’s, the why’s,
and the when's of it all.
A TRAINER'S STORY
Let’s take a trainer, one that is
fairly well knowm here in Cali­
fornia and quite well known in
Tennessee. A man who has the
courage to say what he thinks, and
be able to stick to his guns. He is
also honest, forthright, sincere in
his beliefs, a believer in Christ,
and a gentleman, His integrity is a
symbol to many, and the downfall
to some, still, he is a true lover of
the Tennessee Walking Horse, and
what he has to say could probably
be echoed by many others in the
business. I have mentioned him be­
fore. His name? Leonard Dunn.
Born in 1907 in Petersburg. Ten­
nessee. he was christened Leonard
B. Dunn. His parents were J. H.
“Boss” Dunn and Ada Warren
Dunn. “Boss" Dunn was a horse
trainer and livestock breeder, as
was his father, his great grand­
father. and his great-great grand­
father before him. so it was only
natural that Leonard would follow
suit and become a horse trainer
since he had grown up with them.
He was also, at one time, a well
known hog breeder and raised
many champion hogs. Horses were
his big love in life, and although
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