CHRISTIANE SLAWIK
Horse breeds reflect the land where they were developed, and the Missouri Fox Trotter is no exception. Native to the Ozark Mountains, which traverse the states of Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas, the Missouri Fox Trotter is a hardy, sure-footed horse that can handle the roughest trails and the harshest mountain environments. As a bonus to its hardy constitution, the Missouri Fox Trotter has a smooth, four-beat gait that can comfortably support a rider for many miles.
The Missouri Fox Trotter is a culmination of the breeds Southern settlers brought to the Ozarks with them in the early 1800s. Arabians, Morgans, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walkers and Standardbreds all accompanied the farmers that settled in these mountains. They used their horses to clear forests, sort livestock, and work the fields they planted on the plateaus common in the Ozarks.