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ALL EQUIDAE were extinct from the Americas about 10,000 years ago. The first horses to come back to the American continent were the approximately 25 animals brought by Christopher Columbus on his second trip. These horses landed at the end of 1493 on DOMINICA Island, what is today DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. These horses were of BARB breed, apparently multi-gaited (trot and/or pace and/or gallop) because of the previous interbreeding and natural selection in North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. These first 25 horses, and others brought on future trips, produced offspring’s that, during the first two decades of the sixteenth century, were spread throughout the areas where Spaniards expanded their territory in the New World: islands such as Puerto Rico, Cuba and Jamaica; Mexico and in South America, Colombia and Peru.
It is important to note that, because there were no horses in the Americas when the Conquistadors arrived, most natives assumed that such a splendid duo of horses and riders were actual Gods; thus, horses played a very important role in SPANISH colonization efforts. Horses gave the SPANIARDS a significant military advantage by allowing them to conquer the different tribes that, in most cases, outnumbered them. In addition, horses gave the CONQUISTADORS the necessary mobility to colonize the vast territories of the South America Andes. These brave horses needed to be relatively small, very athletic and full of energy to be able to perform, and even survive long journeys.
Within the last five CENTURIES, these horses have evolved into the Paso Fino horses and many other breeds, such as the Peruvian Paso, the three Colombian diagonal Pso horse breeds. and the Argentinean Criollo, among others. This evolution occurred as part of a complex process that included the following:
* Natural Selection caused by living and working in a completely different topography, as well as a new climate and different types of grasses.
*Several crosses with some IBERIAN horse breeds, such as the Andalusian, Lusitano, and the already extinct Spanish Jennet.
*Human selection and training
The great Paso fino Breed, with an evenly alternated movement among the four hooves, emerged over 200 years ago after repeatedly crossing the pacing group of horses of the BARB BREED (two-beat, laterally-gaited
horses) with some of the IBERIAN horse breed ( Andalusian, Lusitano, and Spanish Jennet), and being selected for working and traveling many hours daily over mountainous terrains while maintaining a smooth gait.
The two most well known groups of Paso Fino horses were develope in Colombia and Puerto Rico. Other smaller, important groups were develope in Cuba and the Dominican Republic.
On of the most recent important influences of the Iberian horse breeds on Colombian horses is DANESA, who was born in 1950. This mare was the product of crossing a Colombian Paso Fino mare, named DIANA, with a LUSITANO stallion owned by the female horseback bullfighter, Conchita Cintron. DANESA, who performed TROTE and GALOPE, was bred with different Colombia stallions (who performed Paso Fino, Trocha, Trote and Galope, or Trocha and Galope), and produced at least ten outstanding quality offsprings of different gaits, most of which were multi-champions in Colombian horse shows. Those were:
DALILA, DANES,DANTE, DON DANILO, (who was able to perform Paso Fino, Trote Trocha and Galope gaits), FANTASIA, PACHECO, RELIQUIA, ROSALINDA, TANGO and TORMENTO. Their offsprings are now part of the COlombian horse bloodlines.
Text from book "Science and Art of the Paso Fino Horse" by Diego Bravo http://www.everythingpasofino.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FATfYf7_tNs
Name reference: Bullfighter CONCHITA CINTRON
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conchita_Cintr%C3%B3n
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Here are also some important links! On this book author Deb. Bennett writes about the Spanish Jennets, very interesting! I highly recommend everyone to read it! since is also part of our BREED! history!
http://books.google.com/books?id=...La0EXvVeQEgxUcr8m9KE4G8#PPA157,M1
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