If you enjoy Horse Shows, we promote several each year throughout Texas.
If you enjoy riding trails, we organize several exciting trail rides for our members and their guests.
If you are looking for a Fox Trotting Horse, our membership includes many notable breeders, as well as hobbyists that sometimes have horses for sale.
If you have questions or want more information about Fox Trotters, our membership can offer a wealth of equine knowledge and experience.
Regardless of your reason for interest in the Fox Trotting Horse, we think Texas is a great place to celebrate this gentle breed of horse
The
Missouri Fox-trotting horse is fastest growing gaited horse breed in the
country. "To ride one is to own one" is being stated all across the country.
Texas has one of the fastest growing chapters in the country. The Southwest
Chapter of the MFTHBA welcomes you to their web site.
The Southwest Chapter was organized on June 28, 1978 in Houston, Texas. Its main
purpose is to promote the Fox Trotter in Texas and in surrounding states. The
Southwest Chapter has grown from twenty members in 1978 to nearly 180 members in
1997. In 1980, at a show in Wylie,Texas, the Southwest Chapter had 30 show
entries; in May of 1995 at a show in Klondike,Texas, there were nearly 200
entries. In 1998 membership is nearing two hundred and growing steadily.
The Southwest Chapter invites you to join our association and become involved in
the promotion of the Fox Trotting horse. The Southwest Chapter's activities
include Fox Trot Shows, trail rides and trail mileage award program, seminars,
and youth programs. There is a continuing effort to educate our members in the
care, use and development of the Fox Trotting horse.
The Southwest Chapter publishes a monthly newsletter that is read throughout the
fox trotting horse breed community. This newsletter, Texas Trails, is noted for
it's style and information. Its purpose is to promote the Missouri Fox Trotting
horse and the Southwest Chapter's activities
The Fox Trot gait is basically a diagonal gait. The horse will perform this gait by walking in front and trotting behind with reach in each stride. He may disfigure or overstep his track, provided he travels straight on all four legs and does a true Fox Trot. The Fox Trotting Horse is not a high stepping horse, but an extremely sure footed one: and, because of the sliding action of the rear feet, rather than the hard step of other breeds, the rider experiences little jarring action and is quite comfortable in the saddle for long periods of time. The head and tail are slightly elevated, giving the animal a graceful carriage; and the rhythmic beat of the hooves, along with the nodding action of the head, give the animal an appearance of relaxation and poise. The ideal characteristics of the Fox Trot shall be that the animal will travel with animation, Fox Trot rhythm, and style. The horse will travel in a collected manner. The Fox Trot should carry with it rhythm. The head should nod, the ears should indicate the step and the tail should be part of the rhythm. The step should be springy, consistent and smooth. The up and down motion should not be noticeable, but rather a smooth gliding gait without swinging.
The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse should stand 14 to 16 hands in height, be of good conformation, and able to carry weight. The animal should stand well on its feet, be erect, wide awake and alert. The neck should be graceful, in proportion to length of body, and well-joined to body. The Fox Trotting Horse should have a neat, clean, intelligently-shaped head; pointed ears that are well-shaped; good, large, bright eyes; and a tapered muzzle. The back should be reasonably short and strong; the body deep and well-ribbed. The flank should be full; and the chest deep and full. The shoulders should be properly sloped and well-muscled. The legs should be muscular and well-tapered. The foot should be well-made, strong and in proper proportion to size a horse. The hair should be soft and silky.
The Fox Trot will be performed in stylish collected manner by walking in front and trotting behind with reach in each stride (front and rear). The back feet must exhibit a sliding action in order to keep beat of the gait. The horse will carry its head slightly elevated having as much rhythmic head motion as possible. This head motion should always be in time with the movement of the feet. The ears should be relaxed. The tail will be carried naturally elevated and should be in rhythm to the Fox Trot beat. The natural rhythm of the horse starts at the tip of the nose and goes back to the tip of the tail in one continuous motion.
The Fox Trotting Horse is known best for the comfort if affords its rider.
Loved as a trail horse, 90 percent of registered Missouri Fox Trotters are owned
by people who use them for trail riding, competition and endurance riding, and
pleasure 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 forest rangers for it's endurance and surefootedness in
rugged terrain, by ranchers for it's versatility and intelligence, and on
Hollywood movie sets for its gentle nature the breed has quickly earned its
reputation as a horse for all situations.
The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse has three naturally gaits: the long and
easy-going flat foot walk, the smooth and comfortable fox trot characteristic of
its name, and the "rocking horse" canter. No special shoeing or training is
required for these horses to perform their gaits and their good disposition and
trainability are among their many desirable characteristics making them one of
the most versatile and loved of horse breeds within the equine registries.
Developed from horses in the Ozarks, the breed is characterized by a gentle
disposition and an easy, fluid 4-beat diagonal gait. Bloodlines can be traced
from early settlers coming into the Missouri Ozarks from neighboring states of
Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, and Arkansas. Their horses were depended upon for
their surefootedness in this mountainous region and their ability to do whatever
was needed around the homestead, ranging from plowing, hauling logs, and working
cattle, while at the same time able to double as a stylish buggy horse or riding
horse for the family. Whatever the need this using horse from the homestead
which eventually became known as the Missouri Fox Trotter proved capable and
adaptable.
By 1948 a Breed Association was formed for this talented horse and in 1958 the
Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed Association, located at Ava, MO was reorganized
and reincorporated. Since then breeders have worked to develop this
multi-talented breed of horse into the much sought after pleasure horse and show
horse of today.
Surefooted in mountainous terrain, gentle in disposition, and smooth of gait for
the comfort of both horse and rider the Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Breed motto
today is "Every rider's pleasure horse".