The Foxtrot Gait

The Missouri Foxtrotter is unique amongst gaited horses because the foxtrot is a
diagonal gait.   It differs from an even 2 beat trot in that the diagonal feet (RH, LF and
LH, RF) come up and down at a slightly different time.  Consequently, this makes a
rhythmic 1-2--3-4 sound.  If you take your foxtrotting horse onto hard ground, he or she
will sound similar to the phrase "a hunk o' meat and 2 potatoes" as he goes.  Speeds in the
foxtrot range  from 6-10 miles per hour.  It is a very stable gait for mountain riding
because the horse (and rider!) are  always supported on either two or three feet at a time.

These horses were originally bred in the Ozarks to work and round up cattle in the
hollows.  They're "cow savvy" and extremely smooth while doing team sorting, driving
cattle or going down the trail.  At Omni Mountain Horses, we prefer the old style
foxtrotting horses, who have a smooth traveling fox trot with an economy of motion that's
well suited to trail riding and ranching activities.

Check out www.gaitedhorses.net/BreedArticles/Foxtrotter.htm

There's a great article about by Liz Graves analyzing the foxtrot at:
http://gaitedhorses.net/Articles/FoxT/FoxTrot.shtml

For more information about Missouri Foxtrotters and their gait, see:

The wonderful book "Easy Gaited Horses" by Lee Ziegler, available at
www.LeeZiegler.com
or at
www.amazon.com

The Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association at
www.mfthba.com

The Big Sky Foxtrotter Association in Montana at
www.bigskyfta.org

See Alma deMille's perfectly wonderful videos and articles at
http://www.foxtrotters.org/demille_foxtrotters_home.htm
Go to the "Educational Articles" link, then the "Undertanding Gaits" link.

More can be found about the fox trot, or foxtrot, from "Uncle Albert" at
www.mofoxtrot.com/albert/

More info on gaited horses and Missouri Foxtrotters is available at Brenda Imus' page at
www.gaitsofgold.net/

For additional gaited horse info, see
www.gaitedhorses.net