flat walk vs running walk

Watching this: Gaits Video

And I am having a hard time seeing the difference between the running walk and the flat walk other than speed and it looks like the back legs reach a little further forward. Is there one?

No, there really is no difference except speed.

G.

Arrgg...that Performance canter is about the ugliest thing I've seen in a long time. JMO.

Stride is the only difference. Yeah, speed ends up happening, but it's stride you want.

I don't see the performance canter hardly ever, but I'm pretty w-fw-rw.

this is my tennessee walker and I can't get the rhyme on her, im new in riding

I'd never dream of making my Tennessee Walker a performance walker. Do you realize what pain most of those performance walkers go through to make them lift their hooves so ridiculously high? It leaves some of them crippled even.

This isnt true. Yes some walkers are sored, but its not all of them. There is abuse in any of the diciplines.....the worst I've seen ( personally) are just trail riders. Does that make trail horses bad? Does that mean all trail riders are abusive? NO.
Please don't generalize like that. It doesnt make you look very intelligent.

there shouldnt be a noticeable difference except to the rider.

I'm not just talking about soring. Yeah, that's obvious that some are sored. But the overall stress that lifting their limbs ridiculously high brings upon their bodies. If horses were meant to march high like that, they'd do it naturally. Now imagine lifting your limbs high like that whilst carrying a human upon your back that's being stressed from every flexation of your muscles whenever you lift your limbs high like that. That can cause major spinal issues for some horses, and others can end up crippled. In all it's a stressful sport for their bodies. Then of course, so are many others so. ;Shrug.;

I agree, just because you can't understand it doesn't in itself make it abusive.

Personally, I'd never ask my horse to do the big lick, but that's my decision.

I'm from walking horse country and grew up around several who trained them to do the big lick. I never saw a horse sored. I'm sure some do it, and they should be dealt with. To think that the big lick itself is cruel or abusive is something I'm not going to agree with.

Each to his own.