As one of the oldest breeds in the United States, the Missouri Fox Trotter is a very popular horse. Its special gait, the Fox Trot Gait, makes it well suited to Ozark country and trail riding. The Fox Trot is a brisk walk using the front legs while the rear maintains a trot. It's said to create a sliding action while keeping the back of the horse level so the rider doesn't feel the movement. This is particularly important over hilly or rocky terrain like the Ozarks.

Conformationally, the Missouri Fox Trotter's low step comes from its strong, sloped shoulders and rounded withers. The horse has a neat head with pointy ears and a tapered muzzle. Its back is long but the muscular body is wide and leads up to broad hindquarters. The back legs are noticeably heavier and the horse's pasterns and fetlock joints must be perfect to maintain the Fox Trot gait. The fetlock could be described as a horse's “ankle” and its pasterns as the area between the fetlock and where the hoof joins the leg.

It should be noted that the Fox Trot is a trained gait and if a horse in show is ever found to have evidence of the use of training chains or weights (a practice designed to force a gait on a horse), it will be immediately disqualified from showing. The practice is considered cruel and is therefore forbidden.

The Missouri Fox Trotter is normally ridden in a western tack style and it's a popular trail horse. It is surefooted and confident but also gentle and tractable, making it a nice choice for riders of all levels.

The breed began as early as the 1820s, but the stud book wasn't opened until 1948. By 1978, there were more than 15,000 registrations. Though it originates in the Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee area, the horse can be found all over the United States.

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Missouri Fox Trotter Breeders - Horses for Sale
Missouri Fox Trotter - Horses for Sale