Horse breeding complies to a well thought-out process of reproduction of horses, with the aim of maintaining or improving health, performance and willingness to perform with certain breed characteristics. Only horses that correspond to the established Breed Standards and Goals of the respective Breed should be used as a breeding stock. Pre-selection must always take place first, and is based on the following criteria:
The Missouri Fox Trotter is a horse breed from the state of Missouri in the United States. At the beginning of the 19th century, the settlers in the Ozarks, a very rough, mountainous terrain, began to breed this type of horse. The settlers recognized very quickly the special advantages of the Fox Trotter’s gait. Also, the surefootedness of these horses quickly became known, as well as their ability to be used as ranch-horses because of their endurance and the soft comfortable walk.
Miller-Ranch has acquired an international reputation as a successful breeder of Missouri Fox Trotters. Since 1992 Lothar & Monika Rowe have built up the reputation of The Miller-Ranch, constantly improving upon the demands of breeding requirements by using better breeding stock, selected bloodlines of stallions and mares, and healthy horses without genetic defects. The Miller-Ranch proven reputation is based on performance through breeding that is fully committed to the Standards of the Breed.
Only the best horses are selected for breeding. All breeding horses at Miller-Ranch have passed DNA, negative PSSM test, OCD test, Breeding Suitability Test( ZTU) and a Breed Show ZBO. They have also been evaluated by approved Breed Judges of the MFTHBA and EMFTHA and then entered in specific classes of the original Missouri Fox Trotter Studbook.
It is the philosophy and priority of The Miller-Ranch to keep breeding, horse-care, and training at the highest levels possible. Success is guaranteed because the offspring prove themselves as the finest specimens of Missouri Fox Trotters with unbeatable versatility, beautiful conformation, charisma, extraordinary endurance, flexibility, cow sense and exceptional natural gaits and rhythm.
The Ranch supports natural breeding, embryo transfer and artificial breeding (A1). Frozen semen from our stallions are stored in Germany at a recognized Breeding Station of the EU. The horses that live on Miller-Ranch enjoy their life in a very horse-friendly environment. They are kept in compatible groups in large pastures. The stalls are extra-large inside with large outside paddocks and are only used as an infirmary and for foaling.
The Ranch has designated areas for all of the horses. There are individual pastures allocated to each herd of broodmares, geldings, mares and offspring. In addition, there are four large stallion paddocks centrally located so that the stallions always feel part of the daily ranch life – they are not isolated. The horses have hay 24 hours a day. They are raised and trained according to a set curriculum. Large, covered paddocks are also available for horses in training.
The Miller-Ranch is specially designed for breeding, raising and training the Missouri Fox Trotter. The facilities stand on 20 acres. There is a large covered riding arena, 2 round pens, one covered round pen with a freestyle walker and 2 playgrounds. All ranch areas support horse-appropriate keeping and training in entirety.
Missouri Fox Trotter
14 – 16 hands
900 – 1200 pounds
The horse’s Coat should be shiny with a healthy luster
All color combinations are acceptable
Should be sufficiently long, approximately 1/3 of the body.
The head should be symmetrically shaped and of moderate length (equal or shorter than 1/3 of body length). The distance from the outside of one teye to the outside of the opposite eye should be equal to one-half the length of the head. The eyes should be large, wide set and soft conveying a tractable demeanor. Jawbones should be prominent with adequate width between jawbones where they join at the throat. The head should taper to a refined muzzle.
The body should be balanced and have long sloping shoulders with an angle of 45 – 50 degrees, a short (to moderate length) back reaching into the withers, an adequate length croup with a slight downward tilt, a wide deep chest and moderate, not too long legs with moderate muscling.
The Foundation should have correctly formed limbs with adequate size bones and joints. Hooves must be adequate for the size of the horse, well shaped and hard. The toe direction of the hind legs may be slightly pointed outward (as long as the outward turn comes from the hips and not the hocks or below).
The Breed Show held at Miller-Ranch in March 2018 was the first event in the USA, where Missouri Fox Trotters were evaluated to see if they met the necessary criteria for entry into the Stud Book of Origin for the Missouri Fox Trotter Breed. The first time a breed show occurred in the USA, was specifically held to assess the entire breeding stock of Miller-Ranch. MFTHBA and EMFTHA approved BreedJudges and the Breed Manager from Germany came together to the Miller-Ranch to evaluate their Missouri Fox Trotter horses. The horses must be 3 years old before they can be checked and evaluated, to see if they are suitable to be admitted for breeding and they must pass all credentials to be registered in the Stud Book of Origin managed by the EMFTHA on behalf of the MFTHBA. Within the European Union, all state-recognized Breeders Associations are controlled for compliance with the Principles of Breeding for the “Missouri Fox Trotter” Breed according to Decision KOM 92/353/EWG
The horses must also pass a ZTU before the judge’s qualification test. The ZTU is a Breeding Suitability Test by recognized veterinarians. This guarantees that no hereditary diseases and genetic malformations are passed on in breeding.
The Test GHP in this competition requires a horse to pass obstacles without shying away or refusing them. This is a part of the interior I-check. The Missouri Fox Trotter should show attention but not fear.
After the completion of the tests listed above, the judges complete an overall report with a score ranging from 1-10.
The EMFTHA e.V. (European Missouri Fox Trotter Horse Association) as an Affiliate of the MFTHBA is the only officially recognized Breeders’ Association, that administers the Missouri Fox Trotter Stud Book of Origin in the EU on behalf of the MFTHBA, Ava, Mo. The guidelines for the Breed from the MFTHBA, the Standard of the Breed, are fully adapted in the Principles of Breeding for the “Missouri Fox Trotter” Breed according to Decision KOM 92/353/EWG
Since November 2018, the European Union (EU) will only permit the import of breeding horses from non-EU countries into the EU (forms for the import of horses according to Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020,/602 of April 15,2020) if they are registered in the Stud Book of a recognized Breeder´s Association. They must be approved for breeding by this organization. All breeding horses of Miller-Ranch are registered in the stud-book of the Missouri Fox Trotter of the EMFTHA. Because of this registration the horses of Miller-Ranch and their offspring can be imported duty free into the EU as Missouri Fox Trotters for breeding. The import of semen or embryos from registered breeding stallions of Miller-Ranch to Europe is also permitted. Any MFT, imported without these complete EU forms, will be imported as a ” horse” – a later change of registration as a breeding horse is not permitted.
