This is the time of year when many horse lovers choose to purchase a weanling to either begin their MFT horse ownership or compliment their existing herd. Through this article I will share my views on how to purchase a weanling and share the answers I have given in the past to questions I have been asked in workshops and through this Newsletter.

Before I look at a weanling I look at the papers. Is there enough oldtime breeding to insure good rythmn and a good and natural foxtrot gait? This is very important since a natural horse requires a lot less training.

Next, if possible, I want to see both parents. This way I can check the dispositions of both. I also want to see both parents ridden in order to see for myself if they gait naturally or have to be made to do the fox trot gait. Here at our farm we ride and show our brood stock bareback in a halter, including our stallion. (Our stallion has been our baby sitter for both horses and people. He has watched over the babys our mare's leave with him while they are napping and has been ridden by many visiting our farm.

If I am told by a seller that the mare is a broodmare and not broke to ride I have to wonder why and will probably go elsewhere to buy. The same is true for the stud. I believe that ALL breeding stallions, regardless of the color of their papers, should be inspected under saddle before being allowed to breed.

If both parents check out to my satisfaction, then I look at the colt. I want a colt that fox trots naturally in the field. A naturally gaited horse is a real pleasure to train. This is how the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse started out. They did not require special trainers or exotic shoeing to perform the fox trot gait. For this very reason the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse became both desirable and popular as a breed.

I want a colt to be bright eyed and inquisitive, not nervous or spooky. A nervous, scared type colt will likely grow up to be a nervous and easily scared horse. An animal with these characteristics is very hard to turn into a reliable saddle horse.

I want good conformation in a colt. The colt should be short backed with a flat hip and a high tail which looks asthetically appropriate for the horse. I like good angle to the shoulder so that the horse is physically capable of good reach. I want straight front legs with good bone and distance between them. In hind legs I don't like "cow-hocks", but a good weanling can be slightly "sickle-hocked" so that it can reach up under enough to achieve good speed and rythmn. A "post-legged" horse can't reach under enough to over-reach or even cap their track.

If we as the buying public will use this criteria and insist on a weanling that meet these standards, the breeder would have to supply it or go out of business. The next time you buy a weanling remember that if you buy a horse that doesn't meet these standards you may be a part of the problem instead of the solution when it comes to improving our breed.

Copyright © 1998 Missouri Foxtrotter News

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