About the Breed Missouri Foxtrotter

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is known best for the comfort if affords its rider. Loved as a trail horse, 90 percent of registered
Missouri Fox Trotters are owned by people who use them for trail riding, competition and endurance riding, and pleasure riding.
Acclaimed as a show horse the Missouri Fox Trotting horse is also recognized for its beauty and style in the show ring.

Used by hunters and forest rangers for it's endurance and surefootedness in rugged terrain, by ranchers for it's versatility and
intelligence, and on Hollywood movie sets for its gentle nature the breed has quickly earned its reputation as a horse for all
situations.

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse has three naturally gaits: the long and easy going flat foot walk, the smooth and comfortable fox
trot characteristic of its name, and the "rocking horse" canter. No special shoeing or training is required for these horses to perform
their gaits and their good disposition and trainability are among their many desirable characteristics making them one of the most
versatile and loved of horse breeds within the equine registries.

Developed from horses in the Ozarks, the breed is characterized by a gentle disposition and an easy, fluid 4-beat diagonal gait.
Bloodlines can be traced from early settlers coming into the Missouri Ozarks from neighboring states of Kentucky, Illinois,
Tennessee, and Arkansas. Their horses were depended upon for their surefooted- ness in the mountainous region and their ability to
do whatever was needed around the homestead, ranging from plowing, hauling logs, and working cattle, while at the same time able
to double as a stylish buggy horse or riding horse for the family. Whatever the need this using horse from the homestead which
eventually became known as the Missouri Fox Trotter proved capable and adaptable.

Surefooted in mountainous terrain, gentle in disposition, and smooth of gait for the comfort of both horse and rider the Missouri
Fox Trotter Horse Breed motto today is..........
"Every rider's pleasure horse".

Characteristics of the
Fox Trotting Horse

The Missouri Fox Trot gait is basically a diagonal gait. The horse will perform this gait by walking in front and trotting behind with
reach in each stride He may disfigure or overstep his track, provided he travels straight on all four legs and does a true Fox Trot. The
Fox Trotting Horse is not a high stepping horse, but an extremely sure-footed one; and, because of the sliding action of the rear feet,
rather than the hard step of other breeds, the rider experiences little jarring action and is quite comfortable in the saddle for long
periods a time. The head and tail are slightly elevated, giving the animal a graceful carriage; and the rhythmic beat of the hooves,
along with the nodding action of the head, give the animal an appearance of relaxation and poise. The ideal characteristics of the Fox
Trot shall be that the animal will travel with animation, Fox Trot rhythm, and style. The horse will travel in a collected manner. The
Fox Trot should carry with it rhythm. The head should nod, the ears should indicate the step and the tail should be part of the
rhythm. The step should be springy, consistent and smooth. The up and down motion should not be noticeable, but rather a smooth
gliding gait without swinging.

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse should stand 14 to 16 hands in height, be of good conformation, and able to carry weight. The
animal should stand well on its feet, be erect, wide awake and alert. The neck should be graceful, in proportion to length of body, and
well-joined to body. The Fox Trotting Horse should have a neat, clean, intelligently-shaped head; pointed ears that are well-shaped;
good, large, bright eyes; and a tapered muzzle. The back should be reasonably short and strong; the body deep and well-ribbed. The
flank should be full; and the chest deep and full. The shoulders should be properly sloped and well-muscled. The legs should be
muscular and well-tapered. The foot should be well-made, strong and in proper proportion to size a horse. The hair should be soft
and silky.

The Fox Trot will be performed in stylish collected manner by walking in front and trotting behind with reach in each stride (front
and rear). The back feet must exhibit a sliding action in order to keep beat of the gait. The horse will carry its head slightly elevated
having as much rhythmic head motion as possible. This head motion should always be in time with the movement of the feet. The
ears should be relaxed. The tail will be carried naturally elevated and should be in rhythm to the Fox Trot beat. The natural rhythm
of the horse starts at the tip of the nose and goes back to the tip of the tail in one continuous motion.

Conformation

Performance of the Horse in Fox Trot

Reprinted from "Official Rules for Judging and Exhibiting the Missouri Foxtrotting Horse"

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse; "The Winning Combination"