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Puerto Rican Paso Fino Federation of America

All Paso Fino horses are the same. A Paso Fino is a Paso Fino. Right? Not true, say fans of Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses. They believe that Pure Puerto Rican Paso Finos are a separate, unique breed and the smoothest naturally gated riding horses in the world.

Although all Pasos had a common origin, in other countries the availability of other breeds with which to cross and the desire for other uses led to the development of clearly different types of horses. Sr. Josef M. A. Pons, accredited judge and breeder of Puerto Rican horses explains the difference this way. "There is no doubt that both had their common origin in the horses brought to the New World. Evidence found in the Archives of the Indies indicates that the first group of mares and two stallions shipped to Colombia came from Puerto Rico. Through many years the Puerto Ricans developed a taste and preference for the smooth gaited fino horse while in Colombia, the more spirited horse with its trocha gait (an uneven diagonal movement) became popular. Thus each country bred its own way and according to its needs. New genetic configurations were evolving in each country and two different breeds were being developed: the Paso Fino in Puerto Rico and the Colombian Paso in Colombia."

History of the Puerto Rican Paso Fino
On November 27,1493, Christopher Columbus (on his second voyage to the New World) introduced the ancestors of the Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses to La Espanola (the Dominican Republic). These horses were descendants from the Spanish Jennet saddle horse, the Cartujano horses bred by Spanish monks, the Guzman strain descended from the Barb horses, the Zapateros, the Valenzuelas and the glamorous Andalusian horses. These horses were bred for saddle riding purposes, and some were blessed with a smooth lateral gait, beauty and an excellent disposition. In 1509 Juan Ponce de Leon, then governor of Puerto Rico, brought the first horses from La Espanola to Puerto Rico. This act marked the beginning of the Puerto Rican's love affair with these horses that persists today.

Island plantation owners blended the Spanish strains to create a criollo horse (horses born in Puerto Rico and shaped by the unique island environment) that was better than its forebearers and unique in gait. The careful and discriminating selection and breeding of the best criollo horses with horses that arrived later from Spain, together with the vision and breeding principles of Puerto Rican cattlemen, contributed to the foundation of a new breed of horse, the Puerto Rican Paso Fino.

The Puerto Rican Paso Fino is a wonderful horse with a gait that is rapid, steady and unbroken. The Fino gait is a rhythmic step with a cadence that produces a slow forward speed. The cadence is executed with a lateral gait performed in a 1-2-3-4 beat, or movement of the legs and hooves, starting usually with the right front leg, followed by the right hind leg, then the left front leg, and last, the left hind leg. During the execution of the Paso Fino gait, three hooves touch the ground at the same time, and one is in the air; the one in the air touches the ground and a new four-beat cycle starts again. Paso Finos touch the ground gently, usually the hooves are not raised too high, and they never execute a diagonal gait.

Toward the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, an extraordinary Andalusian stallion named Faraon gave the Paso Fino movement a sense of orientation and set the wheels in motion for the modern Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horse. Faraon was bred to a mare named La Cora, producing Faraon II. Faraon II was bred to a mare named La Vazquez, producing Caramelo. Caramelo was bred to Masqueada, and the archetype of the Paso Fino breed was born-- Dulce Sueno. Almost all the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses in existence today are descendants of the sire Dulce Sueno.

As early as 1849 Paso Fino competitions were established for the purpose of improving the local horses. Puerto Ricans prized their Paso Finos and breeders concentrated on selectively breeding these unique, versatile horses better than its forebears and unique in gait.

The Story of the Colombian Paso
In Columbia, South America, the terrain influenced the development of its horses. Two types of horses were bred in Colombia. The first type was bred in the plains (llanos) and in the swampy areas. These horses had wide hooves and executed a front leg action called pinceleo (the movement of a hand brush), which is called termino in the Peruvians. This way of moving allowed for easier travel in the water and swamps. The second type was developed in the mountains. These horses executed a smooth pistoneo gait. This is a front and hind leg action resembling an engine's piston like up and down movement and was desired so that a horse traveling on uneven ground could balance and continue to travel.

Also developed in Colombia was the trote y galope, a mixture of the two beat diagonal gait (trot) and the canter. In the beginning Colombian Pasos would trocha (an uneven four beat diagonal gait) at rest or when the reins were relaxed and paso with collection. In the 1950s a horse named Don Danilo appeared who had 1/4 Lusitano blood. Breeders bred extensively to him to produce highly raised feet and a more spectacular trocha. Columbia began to develop better roads for travel and horses for riding were less important. Appearance became more important than comfort, the trocha rage was intense and the fino gait almost completely disappeared. In the 1930s and 1940s polo was a popular sport, and in many circles thoroughbreds were bred to all Paso mares. Horses were often crossed, depending on the popularity of a horse at the time, without regard to differences in gait.

The American Paso Fino
The American Paso Fino is a mixture of Colombian, Puerto Rican and, in some cases, Peruvian Pasos before they established themselves as a separate breed. In the beginning the goal was to breed together the best of both worlds to produce a beautiful four beat laterally gaited Paso Fino. However, when Pasos from Colombia were imported many of these horses were trocha, trote y galope (trot and gallop) or a mixture of the two diagonal gaits. These horses were promoted and bred as Paso Finos. Therefore, an American Paso may exhibit and produce any gait in its genetic pool.

So What Is the Difference?
Paso Fino, which means "fine step or delicate walk" in Spanish perfectly describes a Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino's natural gait which is performed laterally in four beats. A Pure Puerto Rican Paso's natural gait is a short, low gait performed with elegance, poise and swiftness resulting in a shock absorbing action and a very smooth gait with a distinct four beat taca-taca-taca-taca sound. A Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino's gait is a gliding, forward movement, not a rocking or bumping movement of other saddle horses. People who can not ride other gaited horses because of back or other physical problems find that they are often able to ride again due to the extremely smooth ride of the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino.

A Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino's gait is performed at three speeds. Fino is a gait fully collected with incredibly fast footfall, The corto gait is executed when the horse is moving forward at a speed similar to a trot with medium extension and collection. The corto is an excellent trail gait and, in condition, Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses can execute this gait with ease all day long. Largo is a ground covering gait with bold, animated and long strides. Some horses can largo at a speed up to 25 miles per hour.

Many Colombian Pasos perform a variety of gaits: paso, trocha, and trote y galope. A Colombian Paso's up and down piston like movement, is usually executed without much flexion of the pasterns. Their footfall may be quick with a short step but results in little shock absorbing action and in a choppy ride. On a hard surface no definite sound of gait can be distinguished. While in movement, they rest in their natural gait (trocha) and can be collected in gait. Don Fabio Ochoa, a famous Colombian horse breeder once expressed the following in an article in a well-known Paso Fino publication: "Nuestros caballos, en su mayoria, trene ascendencia de varios pasos, muy pocos puros; asi que es comtin que cambian de paso a cualquier edad." Translation: the majority of our horses have descended from a variety of gaits, only a few are pure; so it is normal that they change gait at any age.

Dr. Carolos Gaztambide Arffllaga, a well known doctor of Animal Science states in his book, Breeding Better Paso Finos, noted that Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses are the only Pasos who meet specific criteria to be considered a true paso breed with fixed genetics which consistently pass their natural gait on to their offspring. The six criteria are:

Consists of a large population of similar individuals.
Be different in type and performance from other breeds.
Should breed true to type.
All individuals look alike.
A number of different well-defined families should exist.
A studbook with enough information on all individual horses must exist.
In the pasture, Puerto Rican Paso Finos walk, canter and execute their natural gait. When foals are born they immediately exhibit this natural gait. Puerto Rican Pasos never have to be taught to gait, perhaps only enhance it with riding. In contrast, not all South American Pasos horses are born with the ability to perform the Paso gait from birth. Training techniques, artificial devices and proper riding that only highly knowledgeable Colombian trainers possess can be very important in making these Pasos to gait. Training has to be constant to keep the induced Paso gait. A few months of rest to these horses may mean that the training must be initiated again. This process requires a great deal of financial support. At the end you will never own a four beat natural Paso gaited horse. Some of these horses, even with all the expensive training, will chronically exhibit a three beat gait, and will tend to be pacey or trotty. Also, because of their mixed genetics, South American Pasos can execute one gait but may produce offspring that perform paso, trocha, or trot. The ability to breed true to type and transmit their unique gait separates Pure Puerto Rican Paso Finos from other Pasos.

Phyllis Gaudreau, distinguished Paso Fino Judge and long time owner and breeder of Paso Fino horses, was asked in an interview, "What does a judge look for in judging a Paso Fino?" Her reply was "We look at many things, but the most important thing is gait and smoothness." These are the special qualities that the owners and breeders of Pure Puerto Rican Paso Finos prize most in their animals. Natural gait and smoothness are what set them apart from other horse The Pure Puerto Rican horses have excellent dispositions, great strength, cooperation, intelligence, stamina and courage. They are people horses and are beautiful and proud. Most have long flowing manes, forelocks and tails. Puerto Rican horses come in a variety of colors with and without markings and range in size from 13 to 15 hands. They are remarkably versatile. Contrary to popular stereotype,they are not just wonderful show and parade horses. They can learn to jump, excel on competitive trail rides, in barrel racing and gymkhanas or on the ranch with their natural born instinct for working cattle. Any of you can gallop a Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino without spoiling its gait! Pure Puerto Rican horses can do anything any other horse can do, do it well and do it with extreme comfort for the rider.

In 1987 in Columbia, S. C. the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Federation of America, Inc. was incorporated to preserve, protect and promote the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horse. When Paso Finos were first introduced in the United States, a Paso Fino was known to be a natural four beat laterally gaited horse. In the showring today Paso Finos who exhibit quick footfall or a lot of brilliance are often awarded over horses who perform a true gait. Federation members believe that this trend is a deterrent to the preservation of naturally gaited Paso Finos. They also believe that everyone should be aware that there is a difference in the horses and be able to know and choose which type of Paso they want that will fill their need. According to a survey done by the Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture, due to the blending of other Paso horses with the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Finos, these horses today number only about 2,500 live worldwide. Members of the Federation are working with the Puerto Rican Department of Agriculture's Commissioner of Paso Fino to make sure that these irreplaceable horses are not lost.

There are fewer than 500 Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses registered with the Federation and only a few breeders who have not diluted their bloodstock with horses of outside origin. These scarce and valuable horses may be hard to find, but members of the Federation believe that these horses are well worth the effort and should be treasured.