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History of the Fox Trotter
The Fox Trotting Horse, a pleasure and using horse, was developed in the rugged Ozark Hills to answer the needs for a
horse that could carry a heavy load for long hours at a ground consuming gait and, at the same time, a gait that was easy
for both horse and rider. This was a favorite horse for cattlemen, assessors, sheriffs and others who made long rides before
the advent of good roads and cars; he was a using horse with an easy gait. He remains such, but too, he became a great pleasure,
trail riding, endurance and show horse.
The distinguishing characteristic of the Fox Trotting Horse was a broken gait, the horse walking with the front
feet and trotting with the back feet. The back foot disfigured the track made by the front foot.
The Fox Trotting Horse was not a high-stepping horse but an extremely surefooted one because of his shuffling gait. Further,
because of the sliding action of the rear feet, rather than the hard step of other breeds, the rider experienced little jarring
action and was quite comfortable in the saddle for long periods of time.
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Background of Dream Acres
We moved to Dream Acres in June of 1995. We purchased two Tennessee Walkers and a pony. Soon after
we moved in to the new house our neighbors, who also had horses, rode down to meet us. At that time there were
three of us and only two real horses, Alyse was stuck on a pony, that she could not get to do anything [aka Pokey Pony]. These
new neighbors of ours, came up and put Alyse on a "REAL" horse, a Missouri Fox Trotter... From that moment on,
life began to change.
Jim and Judy McNail became very good friends of the family, getting Alyse into showing, BIG TIME. For the first
few years she has ridden their show horses and been coached by them. They are ultimately responsible for the addiction
that Alyse has to great horses and the show ring AND her desire to own her very own show horse. Her dreams finally
came true when her mom and dad purchased Dream Catcher for her in 2005. He keeps bringing home the blue for
her as only a World Champion can do! All the while Jimmy and Beth have enjoyed spectating at the shows and trail riding
on a regular basis. Jimmy finally got into showing in the 2006 Three Year Old Futurity, his first big show.
We are all cheered him on to place proudly on his amateur owned and trained mare, Cleo.
We have come a long way from the two horse and a pony days, now we keep at least ten horses at all times. But
really, what would we do without them...
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