Missouri FOX TROTTING HORSE BREED Association 2014 EDUCATION PACKET Ride O To ne...Is To O wn O ne... Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association | 2014 | www.MFTHBA.com | 417.683.2468 Welcome to the wonderful world of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Steve Mayfield Photography Royal Ridge Designs The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA) is proud to represent and promote this amazing breed of horse. We are even more honored that the owners and lovers of this breed support us through their memberships and contributions. Sure-footed in mountainous terrain, gentle in temperament, and smooth of gait for the comfort of both horse and rider, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed’s motto today is “To Ride One Is To Own One.” If you have not experienced the rhythm of the fox trot, we hope you will connect with a local breeder or enthusiast to give it a try. While we will describe the fox trot in these pages, it can be difficult to articulate. We are confident that once you ride a Fox Trotter, you will want to own one. This ultimate family horse will offer you limitless opportunity. Whether you are a Missouri Fox Trotting Horse owner, considering purchasing a Fox Trotter or just want to learn more about this all-around, smooth-gaited horse, we hope you will find the information within these pages helpful. If you have additional questions please contact the MFTHBA office. They can answer your questions, connect you with a local affiliate and refer you to farms, breeders and trainers participating in FoxTrot Service Net. Additional information is also available at MFTHBA.com. MFTHBA • PO Box 1027 • Ava, MO 65608 • (417) 683-2468 JOYCE GRAENING, President, Lincoln, AR ALBERT COOK, JR., Vice President, Peace Valley, MO DONNA BROWN, Secretary-Treasurer, Mansfield, MO MICKEY FOURNIER, Director Region #1, Mira Loma, CA CRAIG DANSIE, Director Region #2, Cody, WY 2014 PAM LYNN, Director Region #3, Whiteright, TX LARRY KILROY, Director Region #4, Bucyrus, KS MISSOURI FOX TROTTING HORSE Board of TED NICHOLS, Director Region #5, Ozark, MO Directors CECIL HUFF, Director Region #6, Ava, MO SHAWN MARHEFKA, Director Region #7, West Plains, MO JENNIFER WEST, Director Region #8, Shelbyville, IL RONNIE DAVIS, Director Region #9, Farmington, AR JOHN BRANDRETH, Director Region #10, Canton, GA Gaited Horse Steve Mayfield Photography What is a Gaited Horse? Technically speaking, every horse is gaited. The word “gait” simply means the sequence of footfalls that get an animal from point A to point B. In the “regular” breeds such as a Quarter Horse or Arabian, the gaits include the walk, trot, and canter (or gallop, if you will). With the growing popularity of the smooth gaited breeds however, the term gaited has come to describe those breeds who do a smooth intermediate gait other than the trot, and the term “non-gaited” to describe those whose gaits are limited to the walk, trot, and canter. The trot is the most common intermediate (middle speed) gait of a non-gaited horse. The trot is a diagonal gait, in which the horse moves its legs in a two beat manner. The left rear and right fore are moved in unison, then the right rear and left hind, with the horse springing from one diagonal pair to the other as they cover ground. There is a brief moment in time as this springing occurs that results in “fly time” when there is no part of the horse touching the earth. The jarring that the rider feels in the trot is when the horse crashes back to earth. All gaited horses move their feet in such a manner that there is never a time when at least one hoof is not touching the ground. The reason for the smooth ride is simple- there is no jarring back to earth because he never completely left it in the first place! A gaited horse is much more efficient than a non-gaited horse because there is no energy wasted fighting gravity and free fall. This is one reason the gaited horses seem to have more natural stamina than his rough trotting counterpart. The smooth ride produced by the gaited horse is another advantage to these efficient movements. Some gaited horses have lateral gaits, i.e. they move the front foot and then the rear foot on one side and then the front foot and the rear foot on the other side. The Walking Horse and the Racking Horse are two of the most common gaited horses having lateral gaits. The only diagonal gait of the gaited horses is the fox trot. The fox trot is a broken, four beat diagonal gait with the leg support on opposite corners and therefore is a more sure-footed movement than a lateral gait. Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association | 2014 | www.MFTHBA.com | 417.683.2468 History History of the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse More than a century and a half ago the urgent need for a sure-footed, easy traveling horse was recognized by the settlers and pioneers of the Ozarks. These horses were depended upon to do whatever was needed in the rugged, rocky terrain of the region. Around the homestead this ranged from plowing, hauling logs and working cattle to also doubling as a stylish buggy horse or riding horse for the family. As people migrated west from the hills and plantations of Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, they brought with them their finest possessions including their best saddle stock. The breeds of this stock were largely combinations of Arabian, Morgan, and plantation horses from the Deep South. Later, more American Saddlebred, Tennessee Walker and Standardbreds were added to give the Fox Trotting Horse a more pleasing appearance and disposition. The ability to travel long distances at a comfortable speed of five and eight miles an hour made the Fox Trotting horse a favorite of the country doctor, sheriff, assessor and stock raiser. Today, the breed is in demand as a pleasure horse, show horse, versatility horse, trail riding and cross–country endurance riding. It is often described as every person’s pleasure horse because of its gentle disposition and the comfort it affords its rider. Loved as a trail horse, ninety percent of registered Fox Trotters are owned by people who use them for trail riding, pleasure riding, and competition or endurance 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 the National Forestry Service rangers for its endurance and surefootedness in rugged terrain, by ranchers for its versatility and intelligence, and on Hollywood movie sets for its gentle nature, the Fox Trotter has quickly earned its reputation as a horse for all situations. In 2002, the Missouri Fox Trotter was named the official state horse of Missouri. Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association | 2014 | www.MFTHBA.com | 417.683.2468 The Gaits The Gaits of the Missouri Fox Trotter Although the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is capable of doing many different gaits, there are three distinct gaits that are considered the standard gaits for the breed: The Flat Foot Walk A true flat foot walk is a four-beat gait in which each foot is picked up and set down in an even cadence. The rear end movement should be smooth and close to the ground without any snap or pop. Each stride should reach forward and slide in as it is set down, over striding the track of the front foot. The head shake is in time with its rear feet and should be smooth. The tail should sit still and flow. The Fox Trot The fox trot is a broken diagonal gait with a distinctive rhythm that is created by a horse moving its front foot a split second before its opposite rear foot. The fox trot is a smooth gait because the horse is in contact with the ground at all times. A horse that is fox trotting correctly will never have more than two feet off the ground at any given time. On both the front and back ends, the horse will sit one foot down as it picks the other foot up and for a moment both feet will be touching the ground. The exceptional rhythm of the fox trotting horse begins at the tip of the nose with the characteristic headshake and continues back through the ripple of the tail. Old timers often describe the rhythm as “a hunk of meat and two potatoes.” While a strange saying, when said the saying has the rhythm of the gait. The diagonal nature of the gait is also what makes the Fox Trotter extremely sure-footed The Canter The canter is a broken, three-beat gait, and should be performed with collection. The horse should be relaxed and under control, should not crossfire, and should be in the correct lead. In the canter, the outside rear foot hits the ground first, the inside rear and the outside front feet hit the ground simultaneously and the inside front foot hits last. This produces the broken three-beat cadence. Because of the rocking motion of the canter, the saddle should move smoothly without surging and bouncing. This rocking chair canter allows the horse to have a showy head movement as the head is used as a counter balance to the broken gait. The head will reach its highest point when the outside rear foot hits the ground, and its lowest point when the inside front foot hits the ground. The horse gathers itself on the off-beat and takes another step.