The Peruvian Paso

Ride in Style
by Heinz Reusser of Conquistador Magazine

Only thirty some years ago the first of the worlds most exciting horses were introduced to the United States - the "Caballo Peruano de Paso", the Peruvian Paso Horse. Since then thousands of North American horsemen and horsewomen have begun to rediscover the great pleasures of naturally gaited horses; and horse fanciers throughout the country are turning to the Peruvian horse as the ideal mount for the twentieth century horsemen. Thanks to it's unique four beat lateral gait, the inherited trademark of the breed, the Peruvian horse is the smoothest riding horse in the world today. He is also one of the showiest of all horses because of an inner pride and energy which makes him travel with a style and carriage as if always "on parade". The "termino", a graceful, flowing movement in which the forelegs are rolled to the outside as the horse strides forward is unique to the breed and completely natural. Thanks to a long standing practice of not breeding animals with an unsuitable disposition, the Peruvian horse has one of the world's best temperaments. A long and often intriguing history adds to the excitement of owning a Peruvian horse.

A Long and Proud History
The introduction of the Spanish horse to the American continent was carried out by the Conquistadors in their quest to conquer the different native civilizations. The first horses were brought to the island of Santo Domingo by Christopher Columbus in 1493 to establish the first breeding operation. The horse raising activities were soon extended to new colonies in Central America to satisfy the needs of mounted troops and in a few years it was no longer necessary to import horses from Spain. For the conquest of Peru in 1532 Francisco Pizarro obtained 25 stallions and the same number of mares from the Royal stables in Jamaica. According to his secretary, he left Panama with 37 horses and headed for the northern coast of Peru. After the arrival of reinforcements from Panama he undertook his march to Cajamarca, the seat of the Inca government, with only 62 horses. In the years that followed the fall of the Inca empire, many Spanish settlers began arriving in Peru, attracted by the fame of it's treasures. The new settlers also brought with them their horses from Central America. By the time many large haciendas flourished, their wealthy owners could afford to improve their stock with the best horses available directly from Spain. At the time of the conquest of America this Spanish horse, the classic Andalusian, was the most outstanding breed of riding horses existing in Europe. This horse had been developed over many centuries by crossing the Iberian horse, an old breed of native riding horses, with the Berber (Barb) horse brought from the mountains of North Africa by the Moorish invaders. In Peru, the classic Andalusian horse became the foundation for the Peruvian horse, which has kept most of the characteristics that made the Andalusian so valuable during the conquest of South America. It is interesting to note here that the Andalusian horse in Spain has changed through the influence of other European breeds introduced by foreign Royal Houses that ruled Spain for two centuries. Four hundred years of selective breeding and the influence of geographic and climatic conditions in Peru have improved the harmonious gait, the smooth ride and the gentle disposition that have become the most outstanding characteristics of the Peruvian horse. Today's horse was mainly developed to satisfy the need for a smooth and comfortable ride when overseeing plantations and traveling from one settlement to another. The horse has been kept in a more pure state as there was no need to cross with other breeds to produce taller, heavier or faster horses as was the case in other countries such as Mexico, Argentina or the United States. For hundreds of years many generations of breeders in Peru have contributed to keep, maintain and improve this outstanding breed. Now that the interest in the Peruvian horse has extended to many other countries in the world, with great emphasis in the United States, the breed is getting new support to carry it further. Today's breed standard helps to preserve the qualities of the breed and contributes to setting directions for the future.

A Bright Future
Today there are approximately 12,000 pure bred Peruvian Paso Horses in the United States. Their number has been growing steadily at a rate close to 10% per year. Over 1500 owners are members of the two established breed organizations and many participate very actively in promotional and other social events organized by over 30 regional clubs. Novice riders and newcomers to the breed find the Peruvian horse easy to ride and once they have experienced the luxurious ride and exquisite temperament they find it hard to stay away from these magnificent horses. The "Caballo Peruano de Paso" is one of Peru's cultural extravaganzas and represents a living monument to this country's heritage. More dedicated owners and breeders around the world are discovering this jewel of a horse each year.

Visit the HorseQuest.com Peruvian Paso breed page for additional information and resources

Please thank the gracious people who enlighten us on this wonderful breed by visiting their web sites.

Conquistador Magazine
Peruvian Paso Horse Registry of North America