Peruvian Paso

The Peruvian Paso or Peruvian Horse is a breed of light saddle horse known for its smooth ride.  It is distinguished by a natural, four-beat, lateral gait called the paso llano. This breed is protected by the Peruvian government through Decree number 25919 of Peru enacted on November 28, 1992, and has been declared a Cultural Heritage of the Nation by the National Institute of Culture (INC). Due to the isolation suffered for about 400 years and the selection made by their breeders, this breed is very particular in their body proportions and an ambling gait or "paso llano" that is characteristic. It is typical of the northern Peruvian regions of the country from which it originated. Trujillo city is considered the "Cradle of typical Peruvian Paso Horse."

History

Smooth-gaited horses, generally known as Palfreys, existed in the Middle Ages, and the Jennet in particular was noted for its ambling gaits. Peruvian Pasos trace their ancestry to these ambling Jennets; as well as to the Barb, which contributed strength and stamina; and to the Andalusian which added style, conformation and action.

Horses arrived in South America during the Spanish Conquest, beginning with the arrival of Pizarro in 1531. Foundation bloodstock came from Spain, Jamaica, Panama and other areas of Central America. Importations increased after 1542, when the Spanish created the Viceroyalty of New Castilla.  This later became the Viceroyalty of Peru, an important center of Spain's New World colonies in the eighteenth century.

Don Pedro Venturo Zapata was a major breeder of the Paso horse in his "Hacienda Higuereta y Anexos - Negociacion Vinicola Pedro Venturo S.A." from 1925 to 1952.

Once in Peru, they were used primarily for transportation and breeding stock. 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.  In both cases, smooth-gaited horses with good endurance were required.  On the other hand, Peru did not develop a livestock-based economy, and thus did not need to breed for the speed or agility characteristic of stock horses.

Over time, Peruvian breeders kept the bloodlines clean and 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 gaited bloodstock resulted in the modern Peruvian Paso.

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 the horse that was to become the most important modern sire in the breed, Sol de Oro (Viejo).

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 that 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.

The past thirty years have seen a resurgence in the Peruvian Paso horse's fortune in Peru. The annual National Show in Lima is a major event in Peruvian cultural life. The Peruvian Paso has been declared a Patrimonio Cultural (Cultural Heritage) 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.

Peruvian Paso horses are noted internationally for their good temperament and comfortable ride.  As of 2003, there are approximately 25,000 horses worldwide, used for pleasure riding, trail, horse shows, parades, and endurance riding.

Characteristics

Appearance
The horse is medium-sized, usually standing between  tall, with an elegant yet powerful build.  The Peruvian horse has a deep chest, heavy neck and body with substance without any trace of being hound gutted in the flank area.   A low set, quiet tail, clamped tightly between the buttocks is a vital quality.  Stallions have a  broader chest and larger neck than mares, and are known for their quality temperament. The coat color can be varied; and is seen in chestnut, black, bay, brown, buckskin, palomino, gray, roan or dun. Solid colors, grays and dark skin are considered the most desirable. The mane and forelock are lustrous, fine and abundant.  White markings are acceptable on the legs and face.

Gait

Instead of a trot, the Peruvian Paso performs an ambling four beat gait between the walk and the trot. There are two official gaits, called the "Paso Llano" or "even step", and the "sobreandando" which is a bit closer in timing to the pace. Both gaits can be performed at a variety of speeds. The fast sobreandando is often the speed of a canter. Both acceptable gaits are lateral, having four beats and is performed in a lateral sequence — left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore. The Peruvian Horse can also canter, will trot and pace at liberty, and do a natural relaxed walk. 

The Peruvian Paso performs two variations of the four-beat gait. The first, the paso llano, is isochronous, meaning that there are four equal beats in a 1-2-3-4 rhythm.  This is the preferred gait. The second gait, the sobreandando, is often faster. Instead of four equal beats, the lateral beats are closer together in a 1-2, 3-4 rhythm, with the pause between the forefoot of one side to the rear of the other side is longer.

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

The gait supplies essentially none of the vertical bounce that is characteristic of the trot, and hence posting (moving up and down with each of the horse's footfalls) is unnecessary. It is also very stable, as the execution of the gait means there are always two, and sometimes three, feet on the ground. Because the rider feels no strain or jolt, gaited horses such as the Peruvian Paso are often popular with riders who have back trouble.

Termino
A unique trait of the Peruvian Paso gait is termino — an outward swinging 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 horses may have more or less termino. High lift or wide termino is not necessarily a sign of a well gaited horse; in fact it may be detrimental to a good gait.

Brío
Brío refers to a horse’s vigor, energy, exuberance, courage and liveliness; it automatically implies that these qualities are willingly placed in the service of the rider.  Horses with true brio are willing workers. Their attention does not wander but is focused on the handler or rider, and thus they are quick to react and fast to learn. Horses with brio attract attention, and combined with the stamina of the breed have reserves they  can tap to travel long distances for many hours.

Breeders and judges look for Brío, often translated as "spirit," but this does not capture the complexity of the term. Brío describes a somewhat contradictory temperament, which combines arrogance, spirit, and the sense of always being on parade, with a willingness to please the rider. Brío is an intangible quality of controlled energy that creates a metamorphosis in ordinary-looking horses and is an important trait of the Peruvian Paso.

Genetic conditions
Degenerative suspensory ligament desmitis (DSLD) is a connective tissue disorder akin to Ehlers–Danlos syndrome now being researched in all breeds of horse, but was originally noted in the Peruvian Paso.  Originally thought to be a condition of overwork and older age, the disease is now recognized as hereditary and has been seen in horses of all ages, including foals.  The latest research has led to the renaming of the disease after the possible systemic and hereditary components now being delineated by the University of Georgia.  Equine Systemic Proteoglycan Accumulation.

Peruvian Paso shows
Competitions are organized by the Association of Breeders and Owners of Peruvian Paso Horses. The two best-known and most important events are The National Horse Competition Caballo de Paso Peruano held in Pachacamac and at the Internacional de la Primavera during the months of September and October in Trujillo city and during the international Marinera Festival in January. Peru's National Institute of Culture has declared that the horses are part of Peru's national cultural heritage.

Name
Because of the shared word Paso, a close relationship between the Peruvian Paso and the Paso Fino breed is incorrectly assumed. "Paso" simply means "step," in Spanish, and does not imply a common breed or origin.  Although the two breeds share ancestors in the Old World, and have some similarities, they were developed independently for different purposes.  The two breeds are different and easily distinguishable.  The Peruvian is somewhat larger, deeper in the body and wider. The Paso Fino is not bred for "termino" in its stride.

The Peruvian Paso has been called the "national horse" of Peru.  On the other hand, the Paso Fino was developed from horses throughout northern Latin America and the Caribbean, with major centers of development in Colombia and Puerto Rico.  The Peruvian Paso is also increasingly referred to in North America as the "Peruvian Horse" in an attempt to differentiate its breed from that of the Paso Fino.

See also
Association of Breeders and Owners of Paso Horses in La Libertad
Competition of Paso Horses in Trujillo

References

External links

Registries and related Organizations

North American Peruvian Horse Association - http://www.napha.net
National Association of Breeders and Owners of Peruvian Paso Horses (Peru-Spanish language) http://www.ancpcpp.org.pe/
Peruvian Horse Association of Canada (Canada) http://www.phac.ca/
Guatemala Peruvian Paso Horse Association (Guatemala-Spanish language) http://www.agcpcpp.com
Paso Peruano Europe (Europe) - http://www.paso-peruano.de/Seiten%20englisch/home_englisch.html
Paso Club International (Europe) - http://www.pasoclubinternational.com/de.aspx

Educational Materials
History of the Peruvian Paso Horse - http://www.therapyhorsesandhealing.com/history.html
Riding the Peruvian Horse (Equitation Guide) - http://www.perolchico.com/english/ridingperuvianpaso.html
Proper Peruvian Show Ring Equitation - http://www.friendsoftheperuvianhorse.com/equitation/proper_peruvian.htm

Publications
Peruvian Horse Quarterly (magazine) - http://www.phquarterly.com/
Made in Peru (magazine) - http://www.madeinperumagazine.net
Orgullo del Peru (magazine) http://www.orgullodelperu.com/home.html
Paso Llano (magazine) - http://www.pasollano.com

Category:Horse breeds
Category:Horse breeds originating in Peru