Photo courtesy of Pleasure Gait Farms
The Missouri Fox Trotter, one of the oldest American breeds and today extremely popular in the U.S., completes the trio of gaited horses. It was beginnng to be established as early as 1820, when the settlers moved westward across the Mississippi from the hills and plantations of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia to the Ozark Hills of Missouri. Clearly, they were a sporting people, and they took with them Thoroughbred horses as well as Morgans and Arabians. The mares were bred to the fastest sires available, and a number of famous families developed, most of which are named after the founding stallion. A studbook was opened in 1948 and within 30 years it contained more than 15,000 registrations.
One of the earliest and most prominent family was Brimmer, which was descended from a racehorse of that name, who traced to the improted Thoroughbred Jolly Roger. The Brimmer horses were bred by Moses Locke Alsup, whos family had settled in the Ozark Hills before the Civil War. The Kisses were another family famous for their horses. The established the Diamond and Fox strains, while William Dunn, using good Morgan horses from Illinois and Kentucky, to which was added a Thoroughbred cross, produced Old Skip, who became a prepotent sire. Later, two great Saddlebred sires were used to improve the breed; Chief, who was from the founding Denmark strain, and Cotham Dare, a prolific sire of Trotters in Douglas, Wright, and Ozark counties. Some infusions of Tennessee Walker blood were also introduced into the breed.
Originally, horses such as the Brimmers, Colddecks, and the Copper Bottoms were bred to race, as well as be all-around utility horses. However, religious intolerance soon put a stop to what was regarded as a frivolous and thus sinful pastime. As a result, the Ozark horsemen concentrated their efforts on the production of a new type of horse suited specifically to their conditions and needs.
What was wanted was a strong, enduring horse with a smooth action that would take it lond distances over rough ground with a minimum of fatigue to itself and its rider.
As a result of fixing a type through skillful inbreeding and adding Saddlebred blood, a very smooth-moving horse evolved that enployed a unique, characteristic gait that proved ideal. The gait, called the fox trot, is a broken gait that ensures great surefootedness. In simple terms, the horse performs an active walk in front while trotting behind, the hind feet stepping down and sliding over the track of the forefeet. The sliding action, which must be entirely straight, reduces concussion in the lower limbs and reduces movement in the back, allowing it to remain peculiarly level. As a result, the rider is able to sit undisturbed in the saddle without feeling the effects of the action. The fox trot can be maintained over long distances at between 5-8 miles per hour, and over short stretches, speeds of 10 miles per hour can be reached. The gait is accompanied by an up-and-down movement of the head, similar to that of the Walking Horse, while the slightly elevated tail bobs rythmically.
The other gaits are the walk, performed with the hind feet distinctly overstriding the front track, and the canter, which is inbetween the low, fast, long lope of a cow pony and the high, slow gait of the Tennessee Walker or Saddlebred. Unlike the last two horses, the Fox Trotter is not a high stepper and no artificial appliances such as false tails or tail sets, are allowed. Similarly, excessive weighting of the hooves with with specially designed shoes is forbidden at shows, and if any horseis seen to have sores round the coronet or legs, indicating the use of chains, the will suffer immediate disqualification. In show classrs 40 percent is awarded for the fox trot and 20 percent each for the walk, canter, and general conformation. Unlike the Saddlebred and the Tennessee Walking Horse, the Missouri Fox Trotter is usually ridden in western tack.
Characteristics
The Fox Trotter stands at 14-16 hands. The predominant coloration is chestnut in all shades, usually wiht white markings, although any color is accepted. The Fox Trotter has to have a back of reasonable length to perform the fox trot gait, but is otherwise is a fairly compact, well-made horse. All horse shows in the Ozark area will feature classes for the breed but for most owners, whether adults or children, the Fox Trotter, with its easy gait and readduring surefootedness, is an ideal and very reliable trail riding horse that is economical to keep.
