Missouri Fox Trotter

The Missouri Fox Trotter is a breed of horse known for their ability to achieve greatness in almost every equestrian sport there is. They achieve this with a smooth ride that many riders call a "rocking chair" gait. This gait, known as the Fox Trot, is often enjoyed by people with arthritis and other joint issues. The Fox Trotter's natural ability to do the Fox Trot also gives them remarkable footing on most any terrain. They are also naturally gentle natured and so have often been used as a family horse in the past. You can find Fox Trotters competing in events from barrel racing to dressage and even jumping. However, they are at their peak performance when used in specialized shows put on by the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association (MFTHBA). These shows put the horses to the test by judging their walk, trot, and canter. Horses entered in these shows are registered with the MFTHBA and meet standards of care and conformation before entering the ring. The biggest of these shows is hosted in Ava, Missouri during the Spring and Fall of each year. The show holds divisions for both youth and seniors. Classes include 2 gaits, 3 gaits, equitation, western pleasure, barrel racing, and halter, as well as a costume contest. Lately the Association has included a dog show which tends to be quite entertaining. There is also a program called Fox Trot America that collects points by both rider and horse (counted by the number of hours spent of trail rides). This features a rewards system, giving better rewards as you gain more points. Fox Trot America also hosts National Trail Rides for Missouri Fox Trotters. There are several tiers based on how many National Trail Rides you attend and complete with rewards at each tier.

Through efforts made by the members, we have managed to bring more interest to the breed. A lot of this interest has been geared toward the elderly due to the famous smooth riding of each horse. People have started to say riding a Fox Trotter is almost therapeutic to aching joints.

History of the Breed

The creation of the breed began in the beautiful Ozark Mountains of southern U.S.A.. Much like their homeland, the body of the Fox Trotter seems to flow beautifully. Most of their heritage comes from the Tennessee Walking Horse, giving them their famous gait. When the MFTHBA founded their registry in 1948 they had began with an open stud book. This allowed unregistered horses to be considered as a Missouri Fox Trotter so long as they were able to perform the desired Fox Trot and held certain physical appearances. These stallions were considered a foundation for the breed. During the 1950s, the Missouri Fox Trotter picked up popularity. They even managed to catch the eye of the Queen of England, who imported Europe's first Missouri Fox Trotters. This led to the foundation of the European Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Association (EMFTHA). Soon they spread across Europe and were shown across the continent. In 1982, the stud books were closed, leaving only offspring of already registered horses eligible for registration. In 2002 the Missouri Fox Trotter became Missouri's state horse. In recent times a pony registry has been made. This includes horses out of registered stock that are under 14.2 hh (hh, or hands, are a measurement used for equine. One hh measures 4 inches).

Today many have lost interest in the breed, some losing interest in horses all together. Many people speculate that the MFTHBA is facing its end with the dropping numbers of riders, members, and breeders. Currently efforts are being made to prevent this, and hopefully it will be successful.