You may have seen them on RFDTV, or maybe you turned your head to the sound of a horse going by, its feet striking an unusual rhythm. You hear a rapid "tic-a-tic-a-tic-a-tic-a" sound and wonder, "What kind of horse IS that?" Perhaps you noticed this beautiful horse with its long, flowing mane and tail, its way of going, proud, strong, and covering the ground effortlessly and smoothly. Its rider appears as one, sitting virtually motionless in the saddle.
What you have just seen is "El Caballo de Paso Fino;" translated from its proud Spanish heritage to mean, "The horse with the Fine Step." It is not a new breed of horse. However, with only 40,000 of them in the United States, an explosion of popularity has followed as more and more people have "discovered" the benefits of their uniquely comfortable, no bounce ride.
The Paso Fino horse has actually been around for 500 years, when Christopher Columbus brought ancestors of the modern day Paso Fino horse to the Americas on his second voyage. The combination of Andalusian, Spanish Barb and the now extinct Spanish Jennet were responsible for producing a horse full of endurance that covered distances quickly and best of all, delivered mile after mile comfort and a smooth ride.
The Conquistadors valued their strength and stamina as they donned their heavy armor carrying considerable weight to traverse dense jungles as they furthered their quest for domination. Later, Paso Finos were used as ranch horses in South America (Colombia, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic) and became prized for their versatility, endurance, beauty and smooth natural gait. Paso Finos today are used for trail riding, jumping, mounted shooting, working cattle ranches, pole bending, endurance and competitive trail riding, driving, showing and a long list of other equine activities.
Their introduction into the United States would not be until after WWII, when returning servicemen stationed in Puerto Rico who had come in contact with the stunning Paso Fino horse began importing them to the United States. Since then, Paso Fino horses have become like a top ten hit, with a meteoric rise in interest and popularity.
The Unique Gait of the Paso Fino Horse
The Paso Fino horse is born with a gait unique to the breed. There are no artificial enhancements to bring out this gait. The gait is totally natural and normally exhibited from birth. It is an even spaced, four-beat lateral gait with each foot contacting the ground independently in a regular sequence at precise intervals creating a rapid, unbroken gait. The sequence of the hooves are: right rear, right fore, left rear, left fore; the third foot touching the ground a fraction of a second before the front foot. It is essentially a broken lateral gait, not diagonal. A person can hear the 1,2,3,4 beat. This sequence serves to eliminate the jarring effects of a true pace and causes the rider practically no up and down movement. The motion of the horse is absorbed in the back and loins giving the rider comfort. Quite a few people with sore backs, shoulders or injuries to their knees and who refuse to give up riding, have found they can ride a Paso Fino horse.
The gait is performed at varying speeds. The Fino gait is the classic show ring gait. It is extremely rapid, steady, very short in stride and has very little forward extension. While it has no practical purpose for trail riding, it is beautiful to watch or ride and is cherished within the breed, as the horses that are naturally fino gaited are the least common, thus highly prized.
The Paso Corto is a more relaxed form of the gait. It is classified as the natural Paso gait. Paso corto is ideal for trail riding, and is executed with medium collection and light contact on the bit. The forward speed of the gait is moderate, and the steps are ground covering but unhurried, with medium extension and stride. It is equivalent in speed of the trot or extended trot, but maintains the four beat lateral rhythm, as opposed to the traditional diagonal gait of stock breeds.
Paso Largo is the fastest speed of the gait, with a longer extension and stride, and minimal collection. It is smooth and ground covering, with speeds equivalent to the gallop. The Paso Largo in some horses can achieve speeds up to 22 miles per hour.
In addition to these gaits, the Paso Fino also walks and canters.
Characteristics of the Breed
The Paso Fino horse reflects its Spanish heritage through its proud carriage, grace and elegance. In addition to being born with the natural ability to perform the Paso Fino gait, selective breeding had produced other basic characteristics in today's Paso Fino horses.
The Paso Fino horse is "people oriented," enjoying his human companions and striving to please. He is willing and spirited, yet gentle at hand and easily managed. His lung capacity gives him endurance and he is surefooted and athletic. Every color can be found, except Appaloosa patterns. Size varies from 13 hands to 15 hands, with the average around 14 hands. Don't let their let their smaller stature fool you. An 800-pound Paso can carry a 6'+, 250 pound person up and down the worst trails without thinking twice about it. The trick is in how they move. The Paso pulls his rear end carriage up underneath himself to support himself and any weight he may be carrying.
There are a variety of reasons why Paso Finos have become so popular, but the one enduring truth and bottom line is that it always comes down to this-- their incredibly smooth ride! It is always the RIDE. It is a breed of horse completely different than many people have ever encountered. The only way to believe it is to experience it for your own. It seldom takes more than once to discover what can only be felt and which words are so inadequate to describe.
This article was written by Cindy Oswald and donated to Horse Previews. She is the owner of Westwind Ranch Paso Fino Horses in Athol, Idaho
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