What are the standards of the Fox Trotting Horse?
The fox trot is a broken diagonal gait performed by walking in front and trotting behind, with reach in each stride. The front hoof of the diagonal pair strikes the ground just before the rear hoof, and one front hoof is on the ground at all times in a correct foxtrot. 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 horse a graceful carriage, and the rhythmic beat of the hooves along with the nodding action of the head present an appearance of relaxation and poise. The movement should be smooth and consistent with no noticeable up and down motion. The ideal characteristics of the fox trotting horse shall be that the animal will travel in a collected manner with animation, rhythm and style. In each
