Safe Trail Gaited Ranch Missouri Foxtrotter Mare

Amazing Grace of Rocky Point Ranch
MFTHBA 20-105379
14.1 Hands
5 years old

Grace is about as close to the perfect all-around trail horse partner as they come. One of the most important qualities I appreciate about Grace is that she is confidently observant of her surroundings and a thinker, not an overreactor. A good trail horse needs to be paying attention all the time to keep from stepping in a hole or off a ledge, etc. You will see in the video how Grace is very well trained, surefooted, highly intelligent, confident, willing, capable, respectful & trusting of her people partners. I have been helping write Grace’s life story from the day of her birth, when I looked into her big brown eyes. She was bred, born, imprinted, ground trained & started right here at Rocky Point Ranch.

Grace comes from a long line of foundation Foxtrotters bred for a smooth, natural gait, a confident, trainable mind & a strong build. I have had the pleasure of developing a strong foundation of human trust & connection using Natural Horsemanship training methods. That’s why she not only trusts humans but actually enjoys being in your presence. If Grace can hear you calling her name, then she will literally come running from wherever she is, even leaving the other horses behind. She thrives off of your love and praise. With a little praise, she’ll do just about anything for you. She does the “pick me up,” so that comes in handy for a mounting block or, on the trail, for using a log or rock to give you a mounting boost. She will stand quietly until you ask her to move out.  I ride her bareback from time to time, and at my age, I don’t jump as high as I used to, so the “pick me up” skill is vital. She has had a vast array of life experiences growing up with young children, as well as cattle, dogs, cats, chickens, pigs, goats & sheep. Tractors & 4 wheelers are just a normal part of her life.

Grace has excellent ground manners and is softly responsive to cues. She will quietly walk beside you without getting in your space. Not only does she respectfully lead with a halter, but she also does so without one, as you will see in the videos. On cue, she will drop her head as low as you need to halter or bridle her, which is so useful for us short people or kids to reach her head. I can move her front end with just a gentle cluck and a touch on her shoulders. As shown in the video, Grace is very responsive to cues. I can move any part of her body with just a light touch and cluck. From the time Grace was a foal, not only did I teach her normal leading and ground manners, but I also taught her to lead by her tail.   For saddling, Grace quietly stands even though I have to heave the saddle onto her back.

Grace has grown up in our small herd of horses & mules.  She gets along well with the other horses and tends to be in the middle of the pecking order. She will confidently ride out alone, in a group at the front, middle, or back, as she gets along well with other horses on the trail.

In the fall of 2024, Grace delivered a beautiful Grulla stud colt that we named Dusty. She was a wonderful mother and allowed me and my young children to bond with him daily. In the video, there is a picture of him lying asleep in my young daughter’s lap while Grace peacefully watched over them. That pic brings back memories when Grace was a new filly, that same daughter used to snuggle with her.

I want to thank Jerry Bontrager for his natural-horseman training style in putting the finishing touches on Grace. He did a great job of teaching her to be soft & responsive. She knows leg cues, how to slowly spin, stops on a dime, side passes to open gates, and stands quietly while you close the gate. She has a dreamy, natural, smooth gait on a relaxed, loose rein. We train our horses to smoothly gait with their neck & head in a more relaxed & level position, like a quarter horse. This more natural neck & head position is more functional & comfortable, giving the rider an unobstructed view of the trail ahead. Grace naturally & smoothly gaits even bareback with just a neck rope. For the record, she has never bucked, had a runaway, kicked, or bit anyone.

I hope you understand that Grace has been truly loved and a part of our family. She is being offered only because it is for her best interest. In southeast Oklahoma, we have swarms of this little black fly that irritate our sheep & horses, but for Grace, they are especially irritating from about June to October.

Grace has brains, beauty, athletic ability, a gentle disposition & a training foundation necessary for whatever your heart desires, whether it be competition events, ranch, trail, or pleasure riding.

You are invited to come to our ranch to meet Amazing Grace for yourself and let her show off the amazing horse she is. She will steal your heart.

Pouring so much time, attention & love into Grace has been one of the great joys of my life. I am excited to see her bring a lifetime of love & joy to a new family partner.