The Peruvian Paso Horse Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2 October 2013 | Page 4

FEATURE

A BRIEF DISCOURSE ON THE PERUVIAN PASO HORSE
The Peruvian Paso has a special allure for people who love horses. Its beauty, willing and tractable
nature, small size, and especially its smooth gait appeal to the middle age demographic looking for a
ride that is more comfortable than the trot and canter of diagonally gaited breeds. This is not to say
that the Peruvian Paso is not appealing to younger riders-it is, and many younger riders own PP’s.
The old-world
Spanish influence,
history and
romance are part of
the PP’s appeal as
well as its smooth
gait. It is a complete
package. Owning a
Peruvian horse is
not only enjoyable,
but a privilege. It is
a privilege because
this is such a small
breed compared
with other breeds
(approximately 2528,000 worldwide)
and to own a PP is
to be a conservator
of a rare gem in the
equine world.
There are books
that tell of the
breed’s beginning
and history*, and
for the reader there
are references
listed at the end of
this article. I am not going to go into the history of the breed here, but rather, will concentrate on
the issues of owning a PP today, breeding methods and practices, information on riding the Peruvian
horse for maximum enjoyment, and some thoughts on where the breed is heading in the future.
Owning a Peruvian Paso today is one of the great joys in horse ownership. This is an animal
unsurpassed in gait. The smoothness and ease of the gait makes riding immensely pleasurable. This
gait, however, to be truly enjoyed, must be brought to a fine level by proper training, and
conditioning of the horse. Although the gait is a natural action for the PP, it still must be refined, like