Peruvian Paso

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Peruvian Paso- The champion stallion Mantequilla being ridden.

The Peruvian Paso is a breed of horse considered to be the smoothest riding horse on earth. It is distinguished by a uniquely natural and efficient gait called the paso llano which is a lateral four beat gait. The breed's ancestors came from Spain and included a mixture of Barb, Spanish Jennet, and the Andalusian. The breed was refined and carefully bred in Peru over several centuries making for a purebred that has roots to the once populous naturally gaited horses of Spain.

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[edit] History

The breeding stock for the Peruvian Paso link back to the horses brought to Peru during the Spanish Conquest but mostly after Peru became the Viceroyalty of Peru ,the richest and most powerful center of Spain's New World colonies in the eighteenth century. With this came some of the finest Spanish 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 did not develop a livestock-based economy, such as in Argentina, and thus did not need to breed horses for the speed or agility needed for those purposes.

Because the use of horses in Peru centered on travel, and the existing breeding stock met that need, there was no need to introduce outside blood. Thus, while in most of the rest of the world, the dominant type of horse changed from the ambler (laterally dominant) to the trotting (diagonally dominant) horse, the Peruvians bred the amble deeper into their horse.

The Peruvian breeders 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 bloodstock resulted in the modern Peruvian Paso, which has been called the greatest triumph of selective breeding in the equine world.

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.

This has not happened. The past thirty years have seen a resurgence in the Peruvian Paso horse's fortune in his homeland. Many Peruvian Paso aficionados believe the best horses are once again being bred in Peru. The annual National Show in Lima is a major event in Peruvian cultural life. The Peruvian Paso horse is recognized as Patrimonio Cultural (Cultural Patrimony) of Peru.

[edit] Appearance

The horse is medium sized, usually standing between 14.1 and 15.2 hands tall, with a 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. The always tractable Peruvian Paso presents a noble, arrogant appearance that makes him a preferred entry for shows and parades.

[edit] Gait

Instead of a trot, the Peruvian Paso performs a gait between the walk and the canter that is broken pace. This means it has four equal beats and is performed laterally - left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore.

This characteristic gait was bred into the Peruvian Paso for the purpose of covering long distances over a short period of time without tiring the horse or rider. The gait is inbred and does not require training. Purebred Peruvian Paso foals can be seen gaiting alongside their dams within a few hours of their birth.

The Peruvian Paso performs two executions of the four-beat gait. The first, the paso llano, is isochronal (four equal beats). This is considered the preferred gait. The second, the sobreandando, is faster. Instead of four equal beats, the lateral beats are closer together than in the paso llano, and the pause between the fore of one side to the rear of the other side is longer. It is closer to a pure pace.

The gait supplies essentially none of the vertical jolt familiar to equestrians 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.

This tractable horse, paradoxically high in spirit and stamina, is also favored for family and children's riding, as well as long endurance rides.

Breeds with this gait are referred to as Palfreys.

[edit] 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 is 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.

[edit] Brio

In selecting for temperament, Peruvian Paso breeders are searching for brio. Brio is often translated as "spirit," but this does not 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 will not be bred, lest that trait be passed to further generations.

[edit] The Question of Paso

Due to the name ( paso 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 was refined exclusively in Peru and has even been called that country's "national horse", while the Paso Fino was developed widely in Latin America and the Carribean.

[edit] 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 has been declared a Patrimonio Cultural (Cultural Patrimony) 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.

[edit] See Also

Firestone Peruvian Ranch

[edit] External links

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