General Info

About The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is known best for the comfort it affords it's rider. Loved as a trail horse, the majority of registered Missouri Fox Trotters are owned by people who use them for trail riding, competition, endurance, and pleasure riding. The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse is also recognized for its beauty and style in the show ring. Used by hunters and forest 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 breed has quickly earned its reputation as a horse for all situations. Developed from horses in the Missouri Ozarks, the breed is characterized by a gentle demeanor and its signature gait, the fluid, diagonal 4-beat fox trot. In 2002, the Missouri Legislature recognized the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse as the Official State Horse, and while we are extremely proud of this honor, the Missouri Fox Trotter is at home in all 50 states, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. Surefooted 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. Each September, Missouri Fox Trotter owners from around the world descend on Ava, Missouri, the international headquarters for the breed, to participate in the MFTHBA Show and Celebration. Throughout this annual event Foxtrotters participate in versatility events, model classes, performance classes and trail rides.