History, Origins & Use of The Paso Fino Horse

History & Origin of Paso Fino

The origin of this “gaited” horse breed dates back to the 1490s when Christopher Columbus brought Bard, Andalusian and the Spanish Jennet to present-day Puerto Rico and other areas of the Caribbean. Modern Paso Fino is a mixture of these horse breeds brought in by the explorers. The Spanish Jennet (now extinct) was of a light and comfortable saddle gait that would allow riders to travel longer, without exhaustion. It passed on this trait to its mixed-breed offspring, i.e., the Paso Fino, consistently. 

These horses were then extensively used by the locals of Columbia and Puerto Rico to work on Plantations because of how comfortable they were. The Americans discovered this animal with an incredibly smooth gait after World War II. They were then shipped to North America and bred to retain the traits of their ancestors.

Paso Fino, which means “Delicate walk” in Spanish, describes the distinguishing trait of this horse with a natural gait performed laterally in four beats, is its trademark.

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle …

Winston Churchill

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Uses of Paso Fino

Pasos are versatile mounts that have the ability to perform a wide range of activities. They are animals with high endurance, intelligence and natural gait. This beast excels in many disciplines such as,

• Endurance training
• Parade riding
• Trail riding
• Working cattle.

They are often used for therapeutic riding as well. Classic dressage movements can also be taught to the Paso Fino by experienced riders. This versatility of the Paso comes from their natural ability to collect themselves. They are people friendly and can be moulded/ trained to perform a wide range of activities. These animals tend to be quite spirited and forward-moving as they are heavily bred for show rings.

They are gentle horses that are easy to handle and train. This makes them excellent options for those looking for an equine companion for fun, work, or horse shows.