National Show Horse

History
 In the late 20th century, saddleseat riders wanted to competitive horses that could compete in the half-Arabian classes. Arabian breeder Gene LaCroix noticed that Saddlebred-Arabian crosses seemed to win  consistently, so in 1980 he decided he would start crossing the two breeds. The result was a flashy, graceful horse with lively gaits and a lot of stamina. In August of 1981, the National Show Horse Registry was founded.

National Show Horse doing the hack. credit

 Over the past thirty years, the horse has gained popularity among saddleseat riders, earning it the title the National Show Horse(NSH). Now, more than 15,000 National Show Horses are registered. Though at first it was a cross-breed horse, several generations has caused it to develop into it's own unique breed.

Breed Description and Uses
 The National Show Horse has traits from both the Arabian and Saddlebred. It's stamina comes from the Arabian, while it inherits it's flashy, animated gaits from the Saddlebred. The NSH's face is often slightly concave, like an Arabian's, and comes complete with large, expressive eyes. The neck is crested and almost upright, which comes from the Saddlebred. The withers are prominent and the shoulder is sloping. Also like the Arabian, the tail is usually high-set. National Show Horses come in every color, even pinto.

 The National Show Horse excels at saddleseat, which it was bred for, and can execute the rack, a fast, four-beat gait with lots of knee action. In addition to saddleseat, the NSH does well in equitation classes, Western pleasure, and dressage.

Missouri Fox Trotter

History
 In the early 1800s, when it was popular to use your regular work horse as a race horse over the weekends, people needed horses that were strong with enough stamina to work all week and run during the weekends.

 Just after the Louisiana Purchase, many people travelled south, some to the foothills of Missouri's Ozark Mountains. They took with them horses they already owned, namely Arabians, Thoroughbreds, and Morgans, with the intent of crossing them with horses already in the area to create a perfect work-race horse. They were successful. The resulting horses were hard workers, willing to do what they were asked, whether that be working the farm, pulling a buggy, racing, or riding out on the trails. Settlers also noticed that the horse had developed a broken gait, which made them easier to ride.

The fox-trot. credit

 Later, Tennessee Walking Horses, Saddlebreds, and Standardbreds were added to the mix, further refining the Ozark horses. The broken gait developed into what is now called the fox-trot, thus the name Missouri Fox Trotter. Breeders selective bred to pass the gait on, and now the breed is synonymous with that unique gait.

 The breed was popular among doctors, police officers, and post men due to its smooth gait.

 In 1948, the Missouri Fox Trotting Horse Breed Association was founded and opened to any horse that met the requirements. It wasn't until 1983 that the studbook was closed to all except those that had two registered parents. In 2002, the Missouri Fox Trotter became Missouri's state horse.

Breed Description and Uses
 Missouri Fox Trotters are compact and muscular, standing 14 to 16 hands high on average. They have wide barrels, sloping shoulders, rounded withers, and a powerful neck. The head has a straight profile, small ears, and expressive eyes. Fox Trotters come in many colors, including bay, chestnut, black, grey, and pinto.

 The breed is willing and usually easy to control, making them excellent workers, as well as partners. Today, they are used as endurance horses, ranch horses, or just as pleasure horses.

 The fox-trot is a unique and unusually gait in which the front legs walk and the hind legs trot. In addition to the fox-trot, the Fox Trotter has a gentle canter and a smooth, flowing walk.