Izzy foxtrots from pure joie de vivre (joy of living). Shouldn't our goal be to maintain this natural beauty and enthusiasm even under saddle? - Izzy is owned by Joyce Swope. Photo courtesy of Zorro Farms (www.zorrofarms.com).

If you want to achieve truly natural and harmonious gait on your Missouri Fox Trotter this site is for you. Many fallacies exist regarding how to train Missouri Fox Trotters. These include the need for gag bits to get the head in the proper position, trip ropes to get a canter, and constant pressure on the bit and spurring to achieve collection. Sure, it may get the look currently rewarded in the MFTHBA show ring, but none of it is natural and only causes great discomfort for the horse.

The techniques promoted on this site are based on classical methods used to train horses for centuries. They are not quick fixes and require dedication on your part to achieve the desired outcome. However, none of it is rocket science and can be learned by anyone. Both you and your horse will benefit from the experience.