Horses : PERUVIAN PASO

 Origin: Peru, South America.

Australian Status:

International Status: popular in its home country.

Arrived in Australia: early 1976.

Australian Population: 80 mares. – 2018

2022 numbers wanted. If you can please please email rarebreeds.equine@gmail.com

Breed traits: Gaited - the gait is a natural four beat lateral gait - right hind, right front, left hind, left front. It is very smooth and comfortable for riding, like many of the medieval and middle ages riding horses - said to be the most comfortable gait of all breeds for riding. 14hh to 15hh. Solid colours including roan and grey.

The gait is known as the Paso Lano (short for Paso Castellano), also called the amble. Intelligent and spirited while remaining good natured, giving a willing ride with flashy action. Sure footed - due to the gait, the height of the action and the method of placing the feet. High head carriage - a strong, handsome, upstanding horse. Solid build. Despite claims of the gait being natural, when ridden an odd harness piece like a low, loose, breeching strap is worn. Its effect would be to artificially discourage the hind legs getting back, and to bring them forward more quickly.

Peruvian Pasos are born naturally gaited. They also have a distinctive throwing of the front legs called termino, the only breed to have the termino action deliberately bred in - known as 'dishing' 'throwing the feet' 'winging' or' paddling' in other breeds - where the front hooves describe a parabola before striking the ground, regarded as a fault in other breeds. However many horses that have this action place their feet with great deliberation, so are sure footed.  Part of the reason for this action in the Peruvian Paso is allegedly so the hind feet can be brought up well under the body, thus do not risk hitting their own front legs, and gives that extra bit of time for the feet to come down in the right order. This style of getting along with the hind legs coming up well under, keeps their centre of gravity even, giving the smooth ride.

The gaits are all lateral, so cantering and trotting are undesirable, being diagonal gaits. This breed is different to the Paso Fino and is shown in different tack. It is a more solid, strong horse in appearance; the gait is also different and not as short.

Once, most horse breeds were gaited as riding was the method of transport before Mr MacAdam made roads better and harness vehicles came into use. It was only then that trotting began to take over as a desired gait.

History: Bred from horses brought to Peru by Spanish invaders. From the time of the Spanish imports, Peru became isolated for horse imports for over 400 years so bred their own type from the original Spanish horses, thus having a direct ancestral link to horses of the middle ages that few if any other breeds have. The gait can be slow or fast. It's very comfortable to sit to, being described as a glide.

Francisco Pizarro brought 62 horses directly to Peru in 1532 and soon after Diego de Almegro brought in 84 horses. Peru's horses trace straight back to these. The Spanish horses would have had African blood (an old gaited breed the Dongola, many of which are gaited to this day, and Barb) and their own native breeds such as the ambling jennet, the sorraia, horse of cordova, and the Andalusian which they had developed from African and native breeds. At the time of invading Peru, Spanish horses were largely without European influence which they gained later. Spain has ancient breeds. The Merens horse of the Pyrenees in the Andorra area, which runs into Spain, is very similar to the Peruvian Paso.

The breed was very useful in the vast dry stretches of Peru for travelling, thence the comfortable gait was prized and fostered. The breed gives great pride to Peru, a triumph indeed to have kept these lines pure and a delightful riding horse.  In Lima, Peru, there is an annual competition for this breed.

Uses: Riding.

Organisation: There does not appear to be an organisation in Australia that is currently operating. Horses here may be registered by a process of contacting NAPHA - The North American Peruvian Horse Association who don't actually register themselves but use the Canadian Livestock Records Corporation, which is a Canadian government initiative. The link is Canadian Records Livestock Corporation website page to register Peruvian Pasos for NAPHA. Registration forms and information are on the NAPHA website.
There is a registry in Peru, ANCPCPP, which may be contacted for registration enquiries too. It was founded in 2012, a good site to see the breed in its home country.

Additional Notes:

Photo: Peruvian Paso mare, Alondra, kindly supplied by Liz Schmehl

Page by Janet Lane.

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