EDITOR ' S NOTE : This article is reprinted from the January 1946 edition of a publication entitled " The Tennessee Walking Horse ," founded by the late Jimmy Joe Murray . The article on MERRY LEGS F-4 was written by the same Jimmy Joe Murray . With the theme of our January Stallion Directory for 1969 being IT ' S NOT HOW MANY MARES YOU BREED . IT ' S HOW MANY COLTS YOU GET . we feel that this article on one of the all-time great mares is appropriate .
For the reader ' s information , MERRY LEGS F-4 was foaled in April , 1911 , and died in 1932 .
THE SUPERIOR FOUNC
An enchanting atmosphere of reverence lingers around great horses of every breed . Horse fanciers throughout the world , in a way of speaking , frequently are wont to pay homage to certain sires or dams of their favorite breed , and it is with genuine love , affection , and respect that renowned foundation stock of every breed attains posthumous pedestal-like adoration in mythical halls of fame .
So it is with perhaps the greatest Foundation Mare of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed . The rolling hills of Bedford County in Middle Tennessee contributed to our breed a bay mare with four stockings whose records of performance as a show horse and as a brood matron are unsurpassed in the annals of Tennessee Walking Horse history and legend . Verily , MERRY LEGS F-4 , the all-time famous mare of our breed , decidedly deserves all the bountiful praise that I an be accorded her as a superior Foundation Mare . Foaled in April , 1911 , our of NELL DEMENT F-3 i A . LLAN F-l as her sire , the great MERRY LEGS ls the culmination of long years ’ experiments in animal husbandry planned by the late Albert M . Dement or the definite purpose of producing true gaited Tennessee Walking Horses . According to Mr . Dement ’ s estimation , MERRY LEGS was the realization of a completed project which was designed for the posterity of the breed . Toward this end , recognized breeders of today concur with the statement made by Mr . Dement that " MERRY LEGS will be recognized some day as the greatest brood mare of the Tennessee Walking Horse breed , not only from the standpoint of her own foals , but through the progeny of her sons and daughters .”
MERRY LEGS was a straight-going mare with n amble whatsoever . She had lots of head motion , good long neck , perfect ears , and large eyes . Her cai
The blood of MERRY LEGS F-4 Is today contributing more to the Tennessee Walking Horse breed than any other individual brood matron . The dam of seven sons and six daughters , MERRY LEGS F-4 is now the most highly appreciated mare , dead or alive , of our breed . The influence of this great brood and show mare will live long and in honorable mention wherever the
Tennessee Walking Horse breed may travel . Those who knew MERRY LEGS F-4 during her heyday recall unmatched
action in the show ring that enhanced her prowess as a versatile performer . Then , the fact that her offspring have given the breed masterpieces of perfection adds to her glory as a brood matron of unlimited quality .
We desire to express our appreciation to several veteran Middle Tennessee horsemen and horse fanciers who so kindly supplied us with certain information during the compilation of this article . We are especially grateful to Bob
Murchison and W . H . Davis , both of Wartrace , Tennessee .
ter was perfect , and her tlatfoot walk and running walk were truly as great as any ever displayed by Tennessee Walking Horses . Anybody could ride her , because she had perfect manners , and was gentle as could be .
When MERRY LEGS was a weanling colt , in 1911 , she was shown in Middle Tennessee by W . H . Davis of Wartrace , Tennessee , and was never defeated . Towns included on the circuit where MERRY LEGS was first shown were Murfreesboro , Tullahoma , Shelbyville , Winchester , and Fayetteville . She was probably shown as a yearling on the same circuit , Mr . Davis recalled , although this fact cannot be ascertained .
" Joe Crawford of Shelbyville , now of Macon , Georgia , and I were partners in 1913 , and we showed horses together in Middle Tennessee ,” Mr . Davis related . " We were making plans to attend the shows that spring and summer , and stopped by Mr . Dement ’ s farm on our way to Winchester , where the first show of the circuit was scheduled . We borrowed MERRY LEGS from Mr . Dement and tied her with some other horses we were leading . She was a two-year-old at that time and had never been broken . When we arrived in Winchester , which is about 40
22 Voice of the Tennessee Walking Horse