The Peruvian Paso Horse Magazine Vol 2 Issue 2 October 2013 | Page 5

a good human athlete is refined by months and years of training and body conditioning for peak
performance. Just because it is a horse does not mean that the PP can automatically go out on the
trail or into the show arena and perform as if
it were at its very best. Like any athlete it must be properly trained and body conditioned for this
performance! If one’s horse is not properly trained and with excellent body condition, it will at some
time, sooner or later, sustain an injury which will make it lame and unable to be ridden. So, proper
training and being in excellent body condition is important for a healthy, sound horse. Being in
excellent body condition is also important for the stallion. He works hard during breeding season
and his care is even more important during this time.
Being sound, healthy and in good body condition is only a part of enjoying the PP gait. Another
factor that affects the amount of pleasure one gets from the smooth gait is the rider’s ability in the
saddle. Because the PP is so smooth, one can easily be deceived into thinking that one does not have
to apply the basic principles of good equitation because the PP does not trot under saddle,
therefore, no hard work at posting. This is a misconception, because no matter that one does not
have to worry about the trot, the basic principles of proper equitation* still apply to help the horse
perform its best. Many a good horse has been seen to struggle to maintain proper gait with a poor
rider on its back. The rider must keep a balanced seat, sit up straight, legs falling in a straight natural
line, ball of the foot resting lightly in the stirrup, reins held lightly but firmly in the left hand keeping
an even pressure on the bit. If the rider fails to learn to do this, the horse will not be able to perform
its best, and therefore the gait will be lacking in refinement. Also, the rider discredits the horse by
not knowing how to ride it properly. To not know how to ride the PP so that its best feature, the
marvellous gait, cannot be seen or felt at its ultimate best is to miss the gift of the gait. One must
never pull at or hold the reins too tightly. This will cause the horse to try “to get away” from the
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