| The Missouri Fox Trotter is a breed of naturally gaited | | | | American horse. Currently, over 90,000 horses have |
| horse from the Ozarks that is most famous for its fox | | | | been placed in the Official Record with more than |
| trotting gait of walking with its front feet while trotting | | | | 42,283 registered Missouri Fox Trotters living in the |
| with its back feet in a broken, yet gliding motion. Trail | | | | United States and Canada. |
| riders are rapidly discovering what U.S. Forest Rangers | | | | In May of 2004, MFTHBA Board of Directors |
| have known for years -- Missouri Fox Trotters have | | | | recognized the need to specifically register and record |
| no equal when it comes to an easy, sure-footed ride | | | | Fox Trotting horses that were between 44" and 56", |
| on hazardous or mountainous terrain. They are | | | | and The Missouri Fox Trotting Pony Registry (MFTPR) |
| especially common in their native Missouri, but have | | | | was created as a part of the MFTHBA. No further |
| world-wide appeal. Missouri Fox Trotters are very | | | | information is available at this time on what the |
| versatile horses found in a wide variety of disciplines, | | | | ancestry of these smaller Fox Trotters may have |
| including jumping, pleasure and equitation. These horses | | | | been. |
| are historically tied to the grazing cattle industry of the | | | | The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse comes in a wide |
| Ozarks and continue to be used on working ranches | | | | range of colors; and. generally stands between 14 and |
| and farms. In 2002, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse | | | | 16 hands in height, with a pony version between 11 and |
| became the Official State Horse of Missouri. | | | | 14 hands. Individuals may average 900 to 1200 pounds. |
| The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse was developed in the | | | | The neck should be graceful with a neat, clean, |
| rugged Ozark hills during the 19th century out of a | | | | symmetrically shaped head of medium length; pointed |
| desire to have a sure-footed, smooth-gaited horse that | | | | ears; large, bright, wide-set eyes; and a tapered muzzle |
| could travel long distances through this mountainous | | | | with large nostrils. The back should be reasonably |
| region quickly. They also needed the ability to do | | | | short and strong, the body deep and the ribs |
| whatever was needed such as plowing, hauling logs | | | | well-sprung. The foot should be well made, strong and |
| and working cattle; yet be able to double as a stylish | | | | in proper proportion to the size of the horse. Good |
| buggy horse or riding horse. | | | | conformation permits their special gaits to be |
| Their pedigrees can be traced to the horses of early | | | | performed in the proper manner. |
| settlers coming to the Ozarks from neighboring states | | | | Unlike a lot of gaited horses, the Missouri Fox Trotter is |
| of Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee and Arkansas. | | | | not a showy horse with high-stepping flashy gaits, but |
| Bloodlines from several other gaited horses, such as | | | | rather a steady, dependable, sure-footed animal which |
| the American Saddle Horses and the Tennessee | | | | often nods its head in time with the pleasant gait. The |
| Walkers along with the American Quarter Horse are in | | | | head and tail are slightly elevated and the rhythmic |
| their ancestry. It soon became apparent that horses | | | | beat of the hooves along with the nodding action of |
| with the, broken, sliding gait were the most useful in the | | | | the head give the appearance of relaxation and poise. |
| rocky hills, and selective breeding for the fox trot gait | | | | The movement is smooth and consistent with no |
| began. Later the horses became known as Missouri | | | | noticeable up and down motion. No special shoeing or |
| Fox Trotters, though other names have been used | | | | training is required for these 3 natural born gaits. |
| such as Missouri Fox Trotting Horse or simply, Fox | | | | The breed's signature Fox Trot is a broken diagonal |
| Trotter. | | | | gait performed by walking in front and trotting behind, |
| A breed association was formed in 1948 by fifteen | | | | with reach in each stride. The rhythm begins at the tip |
| men who were concerned with preserving this unique | | | | of the nose with a characteristic headshake and |
| breed before it was irretrievably lost and maintaining | | | | continues back through the ripple of the tail. There is no |
| an accurate stud book. Much progress was made, but | | | | excessive animation, nor exaggerated knee motion but |
| in 1955 the Secretary's home burned and with it the | | | | the back feet have a sliding action resulting from the |
| stud book and all the records they had. In 1958, the | | | | horse breaking at the hocks. The front hoof of the |
| Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association | | | | diagonal pair strikes the ground just before the rear |
| (MFTHBA) was reorganized and reincorporated as a | | | | hoof, and one front hoof is on the ground at all times in |
| stockholder company. In 1973 the corporation was | | | | the correct fox trot. The head is slightly elevated with |
| changed from a stockholding company to a | | | | a rhythmic motion matching the rear foot movement. |
| membership organization. It became a "closed book" | | | | The raised tail emphasizes the rhythm naturally. The |
| registry in 1983 and foals have to have both parents | | | | gait is extremely comfortable and surefooted, and the |
| registered in the MFTHBA. This is designed to | | | | horse can maintain it for long periods of time with little |
| preserve the breed standard and history of this | | | | fatigue. |