Missouri Fox Trotting Horse
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Welcome to the world of theMissouri FOX TROttING HORSE Gentle, sure-footed and smooth to ride, the Missouri Fox Trotter is an internationally known breed that excels in every discipline from cutting cows to dressage. WE INVITE YOU TO LEARN MORE. Photo: Valley Springs Foxtrotters The World’s Smoothest and Most Versatile Breed he Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is same horse had to serve as the family’s stylish Tdescribed as every person’s pleasure buggy and riding horse. horse because of its gentle disposition and its As people migrated west from the hills comfortable ride. The breed is in demand for and plantations of Kentucky, Tennessee and use in pleasure, show, versatility, trail riding, Virginia, they brought with them their most cross-country and endurance. Ninety percent precious possessions, including their best of registered Missouri Fox Trotters are owned saddle horses. by people who use them for trail and pleasure These breeds were largely Arabian, riding. They are also popular with endurance Morgan, and plantation horses from the Deep riders, hunters, park rangers, and ranchers South. Later, American Saddlebred, Tennessee (many Missouri Fox Trotters have excellent Walking Horse and Standardbred blood was cow sense), and of course they’re an acclaimed added to the stock, resulting in a horse with show horse, exhibiting great beauty and style a more pleasing appearance and disposition. in the ring. This versatile animal, able to travel great Physical Description distances at a comfortable, ground-covering gait (five to eight miles an hour), made the Missouri Fox Trotting horses generally Missouri Fox Trotting Horse a favorite of the stand between 14 and 16 hands tall. They have country doctor, sheriff, assessor and stock a proud carriage, standing raiser. squarely on their feet, with a graceful neck and well- In 2002, the Missouri Fox proportioned head. The back is Trotting Horse was honored by reasonably short and strong. being named the official state The overall look is one of horse of Missouri. substance and grace. Missouri Fox Trotters come in all colors– from perlino to black and every shade in between, including spotted. History of the Breed More than a century ago, the settlers and pioneers of the Ozarks needed a sure- footed, easy-traveling horse that could perform the varied and often grueling work their way of life demanded. Those Upper photo: Nancy Ann F-166, requirements included plowing fields, hauling dam of Lady Ann & Golden Rawhide. logs and working cattle in rugged, rocky Ozarks Lower photo: Cotham Dare F-19 sire of many early Missouri Fox Trotters. terrain. And when the day was done, that Missouri Fox Trotting Breed Association P.O. Box 1027 • Ava, Missouri 65608 • Phone: (417) 683-2468 Email: [email protected] • www.mfthba.com The Gaits of the Missouri Fox Trotter lthough the Missouri Fox Trotting fox trot is smooth because the horse is AHorse is capable of many different in contact with the ground at all times. A gaits, there are three that are considered horse that is fox trotting correctly will never standard for the breed. have more than two feet off the ground at any given time. On both the front and back ends, the horse will set one foot down as it The Flat Foot Walk picks the other foot up and for a moment A true flat foot walk is a four-beat both feet will be touching the ground. gait in which each foot is picked up and The exceptional rhythm of the fox set down in an even cadence. The rear end trotting horse begins at the tip of the movement should be smooth and close to nose with the characteristic headshake the ground without any snap or pop. With and continues back through the ripple of each stride, the back foot should reach the tail. The diagonal nature of the gait is forward and slide in as it is set down, over- also what makes the Missouri Fox Trotter striding the track of the front foot. The head extremely sure-footed. shakes in time with the rear feet. The gait should be smooth. The Canter The Fox Trot The canter is a broken, three- beat gait, and should be performed with The fox trot is a broken diagonal gait collection. In the canter, the feet strike the with a distinctive rhythm that is created ground in this sequence: (1) the outside rear by the horse moving its front foot a split foot, (2) the inside rear and outside front, second before its opposite rear foot. The simultaneously, and (3) the inside front. This produces the three-beat cadence. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse can perform an athletic lope or a collected rocking chair canter. The famous Fox Trot silhouette illustrates the diagonal nature of the gait. Photo: Steve Mayfield The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association T he MFTHBA’s mission is Membership in the to record and preserve the integrity MFTHBA of the breed registry. The association Whether you are the promotes the breed through owner of a Missouri Fox participation in expos, horse shows, Trotter or are simply an trail rides and other venues. It also equine lover, the MFTHBA provides beneficial services for offers something for members to encourage ownership of everyone. Your $40 annual Missouri Fox Trotters. membership brings you many benefits and helps Background: In 1948, a group of support the growth of the Missouri Fox horse breeders, wishing to preserve the Trotting Horse family. Some of these benefits type of horse that had for many years been include access to the MFTBA’s official selectively bred in the Ozarks, incorporated publication, The Journal, as well as the Annual and secured a charter for the purpose of Show and Celebration Catalog, and the online maintaining an accurate stud book. The registry database. Membership also gives Association kept its registry open and you discounted rates at MFTHBA sponsored continued to accept horses that could qualify events and on many equine-related products as characteristic foundation stock until 1982. and services. That year, all horses approved under saddle to be registered were required to have at Stay Connected with the MFTHBA least one parent permanently registered in There are many ways to stay connected the MFTHBA. Beginning in 1983, any horse with the world of Missouri Fox Trotters: approved under saddle for registration was • Visit mfthba.com for the most required to have two registered parents. From comprehensive and up-to-date then on, the registry’s books were closed. information • Sign up to receive our free email The world headquarters for the newsletter MFTHBA is in Ava, Missouri. (mfthba.com/newsletter-signup) Missouri Fox Trotting Pony Registry • Subscribe to the Journal, the MFTHBA’s official publication In 2004, the MFTHBA recognized the (mfthba.com/publications/about-the-journal) need for a registry specifically for Missouri • Check out our annual Show and Fox Trotting horses between 44 and 56 inches Celebration Catalog in height. In May of that year, the Missouri (mfthba.com/2014_Celebration/#2). Fox Trotting Pony registry was launched under the auspices of the MFTHBA. MFTHBA Member Programs Youth Organization recognizes participation in equine activities outside of traditional competitions. Whether “It’s not about me, it’s about the your activities include pleasure trail riding, horse.” This slogan drives the purpose of parades, ranch work, natural horsemanship, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Youth training, pleasure driving or any other activity Association (MFTHBYA). you enjoy with your Missouri Fox Trotter, The youth program provides fun and each hour will count toward your lifetime educational activities for members 17 and achievement record and enable you to receive under. Its purpose is to give young people the recognition and awards from the MFTHBA. opportunity to learn and practice business skills in the horse industry, help worthy causes and events, and engage in leadership National High Point Awards positions. The program emphasizes good The National High Point program horsemanship and recognizes those who show recognizes members who promote Missouri initiative and interest in owning, riding and Fox Trotters in the raising Missouri Fox Trotters. show ring. Any MFTHBA member National Trail Ride Program is eligible and the You can earn prizes by participating in qualification is the National Trail Ride Program riding your simple: participate registered Missouri Fox Trotting Horse. The in three or more National Trail Ride program welcomes people MFTHBA-pointed Photo: Kim Harmon riding all breeds of horse, but if you’re a horse shows in a member in good standing of the MFTHBA and calendar year on a registered Missouri Fox are riding a registered Missouri Fox Trotting Trotter - that’s it! The exhibitor pays no Horse, you can earn credit toward your award additional fees to compete for a National High for each ride you go on. All you need to do is Point Award. ride! The prizes are a Montana Silversmith buckle or a customizable embroidered jacket. Fox Trot Service Net The Fox Trot Service Net is designed to help Missouri Fox Trotter people connect with Fox Trot America each other. The Service Net is our fox-trotter- Few things related listing of products and services, which in life are better are grouped by state so people can easily find than being a provider local to them. If you have a product rewarded for or service to offer, the Service Net is a great doing something way to reach Missouri Fox Trotter enthusiasts. you love! That’s You can sign up on our website. what the Fox Trot America program is all about: It Missouri Fox Trotter Events and Activities World Show and Celebration Missouri Fox Trotters compete for a share of $25,000 in cash prizes.