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(Paso gait sound files courtesy of Fernando Montealegre)
On the second day, God created Man to serve the Horse. On the third day, God created all the animals of the earth to spook the Horse when Man was upon his back. On the fourth day, God created an honest day's work so that Man could labor to pay for the keeping of the Horse.
On the fifth day, God created
the grasses in the field so that the horse
On the sixth day, God created
veterinary science to keep the Horse healthy On the seventh day, God rested and said this is good. This will teach Man humility; it will tire him out and keep him striving ever forward to meet the needs of the Horse. source unknown
The gait of the Paso Fino horse is totally natural and normally
exhibited from birth. It is an evenly-spaced four-beat lateral gait with
each foot contacting the ground independently in a regular sequence at
precise intervals creating a rapid, unbroken rhythm. Executed perfectly,
the four hoof beats are absolutely even in both cadence and impact,
resulting in unequaled smoothness and comfort for the rider. To see an animated version of this gait...Click here.
Paso Gaits:
The History of
the Paso Fino Early settlers in North America found it difficult to keep and breed horses as the Indians and climate took their toll on the early equine imports. It is little known but a matter of record that the Paso Fino was among the first horses to survive and reproduce in North America (east of the Mississippi). Sir Walter Raleigh was so impressed with the natural gait of the Spanish horses "on the islands" that he imported many from what is now the Dominican and Puerto Rico. It is presumed that the mountains provided them with isolation so that their blood was not diluted enough to affect the four beat gait. Today their descendents are still in Virginia and known as the Single Footer and the Virginia Pocket Horse. Other descendents of the Conquistadors' horses are believed to have spread into North America after the Spanish soldiers forayed for a brief time into this territory. The modern-day mustang has traces of his Spanish forbears. The Nez Perce Indian tribe, renowned for their expert horsemanship and sophisticated knowledge of breeding spotted horses, may have used some Spanish stock to develop their famous Appaloosas, whose name is derived from the Palouse River region of the Nez Perce's tribal homeland in Oregon. See More History -- Paso Finos, Pinto Paso Finos, Spanish Jennet (including pictures), Andalusian, Spanish Barb, and horses in North America. Click "More History" or select Pinto Paso Fino from the home page.
From the PFHA Web Site: Although
the Paso Fino was imported into the Virginia colony by Sir Walter Raleigh
early in our national history (see Virginia Pocket Horses or Single
Footers), awareness of the Paso Fino, as we know it today didn’t spread outside Latin
America until after WWII, when American servicemen came into contact with
the stunning Paso Fino horse while stationed in Puerto Rico. Americans
began importing Paso Finos from Puerto Rico in the mid-1940s. Two decades
later, many Paso Fino horses began to be imported from Colombia. For a
while, there was some contention as to which country produced the "true"
Paso Fino. Though there are still some self-professed "purists" who
advocate for one or the other country, the American Paso Fino - true to
our "melting pot" tradition - is often a blend of the best of Puerto Rican
and Colombian bloodlines.
The ancient history of the Paso Fino is fast becoming the future of show
and pleasure horses in the U.S. and beyond. They continue to grow in
popularity, as one-by-one, converts are won over through experience. |
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