Everything about The Peruvian Paso totally explained
The
Peruvian Paso is a breed of pleasure saddle horse known for its smooth ride. It is distinguished by a uniquely natural
gait called the
paso llano which is a lateral four beat gait. The breed's ancestors has roots to the once populous naturally gaited horses of early Spain known as
Kingdom of Castile and included a mixture of
Barb,
Spanish Jennet, and the
Andalusian.
History
The breeding stock for the Peruvian Paso link back to the horses brought over during the
Spanish Conquest but mostly after 1542 when the Spanish created the Viceroyalty of New Castilla, that shortly afterwards would be called the
Viceroyalty of Peru. It would became the richest and most powerful center of
Spain's
New World colonies in the eighteenth century. With this came some of the finest horses for transportation and breeding stock.
Once in Peru, horses were used primarily for transportation. In the north of Peru, the vast size of sugar and cotton plantations meant that overseers needed to travel long distances, often taking days to cross the plantation. In the south of Peru, the arid deserts that separated settlements required sturdy, strong horses. Peru didn't develop a livestock-based economy, such as in
Argentina, and thus didn't need to breed horses for the speed or agility needed for those purposes.
Over time the Peruvian breeders kept the bloodlines clean and selectively bred primarily for gait, conformation, and temperament. They wanted strong, hardy animals that were comfortable to ride and easy to control. Over four centuries, their dedication to breeding only the best
ambling bloodstock resulted in the modern Peruvian Paso.
A decline in the use of the Peruvian Paso horse was seen in the southern part of Peru in the early 1900s, following the building of major highways that allowed motor travel to replace the use of the horse. Many of the major breeders in the area gave their best horses away to peasants living in the nearby
quebradas (valleys). It was in one of these quebradas that breeder Gustavo de la Borda found
Sol de Oro (Viejo), the horse that was to become the most important modern sire in the breed.
The Peruvian Paso continued to flourish in the northern regions because it was still needed for transportation on the haciendas. This changed with the harsh Agrarian Reforms instituted by the government of
Juan Velasco Alvarado in the late 1960s. They had a devastating effect on the Peruvian Paso horse within Peru. Major breeding operations were broken up and breeding stock was lost. Because interest in the Peruvian Paso horse was growing in the United States and Central America at the same time, many of the finest Peruvian Paso horses were exported, leading to a period where it appeared the Peruvian Paso horse would fade in its homeland.
The past thirty years have seen a resurgence in the Peruvian Paso horse's fortune in his homeland. The annual National Show in Lima is a major event in Peruvian cultural life. The Peruvian Paso has been declared a
Patrimonio Cultural (Cultural Heritage) of Peru in an attempt to shore up the breed within the country. There are now laws in place that restrict the export of national champion horses.
Appearance
The horse is medium sized, usually standing between 14.0 and 15.1 hands tall, with an elegant yet powerful build. Breeding has focused on preserving the natural gait, and champions are selected for gait,
brio and their appearance. The Peruvian horse has a deep chest and heavy neck contributing to their remarkable endurance.
Stallions have a broader chest and larger neck than mares. The coat color can be varied; and is seen in chestnut, black, brown, bay, buckskin, palomino, gray, roan or dun colors; with solid colors, grays and dark skin considered most desirable. The mane and forelock are lustrous, fine and abundant.
Gait
Instead of a
trot, the Peruvian Paso performs a
ambling four beat
gait between the walk and the canter. It is a lateral gait, in that it has four equal beats and is performed laterally - left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore.
The Peruvian Paso performs two variations of the four-beat gait. The first, the
paso llano (a contraction of Paso Castellano), is
isochronal, meaning that there are four equal beats in a 1-2-3-4 rhythm. This is the preferred gait. The second gait, the
sobreandando, is faster. Instead of four equal beats, the lateral beats are closer together in a 1-2, 3-4 rhythm, with the pause between the forefoot of one side to the rear of the other side is longer.
This characteristic gait was utilized for the purpose of covering long distances over a short period of time without tiring the horse or rider. The gait is natural and doesn't require extensive training. Purebred Peruvian Paso foals can be seen
gaiting alongside their dams within a few hours of their birth.
The gait supplies essentially none of the vertical bounce that's characteristoc of the trot, and hence posting (moving up and down with each of the horse's footfalls) is unnecessary. It is also very stable, as the
Peruvian Paso's execution of the gait
means there are always two, and sometimes three, feet on the ground. The rider's back feels no strain or jolt. Hence, this is a favored mount for riders with back trouble.
Horses with ambling gaits were referred to in antiquity as
Palfreys.
Termino
A unique trait of the Peruvian Paso is
termino — a spectacular leg action, originating from the shoulder, in which the front lower legs roll to the outside during the stride forward, similar to a swimmer's arms. Individual Peruvians may have more or less
termino.
During the execution of the gait, with termino, the horse has a singular and exceptionally smooth horizontal balance. 'Trotting' horses achieve their balance both horizontally and vertically and this causes a ride that's jarring. The unusual smoothness is the most appreciated virtue in this horse.
It is important to note that, in the four-beat timing of its hoof placement the Peruvian horse always has at least 3 of its feet on the ground; consequently he gives smoother propulsion with less inertia transmitted to the rider at each step.
Brio
In selecting for temperament, Peruvian Paso breeders are searching for
brio.
Brio is often translated as "spirit," but this doesn't capture the complexity of the term.
Brio is a somewhat contradictory temperament, which combines arrogance, spirit, and the sense of always being on parade, with a willingness to please the rider. If a horse has a bad temperament, it won't be bred, lest that trait be passed to further generations.
The Question of Paso
Due to the word
Paso (which simply means "step" in Spanish), a close relationship between the Peruvian Paso and the
Paso Fino breed is often assumed. Although the two breeds share ancestors in the Old World, and have some similarities in their gait, the two breeds are different and distinguishable.
The Peruvian Paso developed exclusively within the nation of
Peru and has been called that country's "national horse." On the other hand, the Paso Fino was developed from bloodstock throughout northern Latin America and the Caribbean, with major centers of development in
Colombia and
Puerto Rico.
Today
Peruvian Paso horses are growing in popularity in the US and elsewhere due to their nature and comfortable ride. The estimated 25,000(est. 2003)horses worldwide are used for pleasure, trail, horse shows, parades, and endurance riding.
The Peruvian Paso is also referred to as the Peruvian Horse. The name change is an attempt to show that there's a difference between the Peruvian Paso and the Paso Fino.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Peruvian Paso'.
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