The Paso Fino horse
At the end of the 15th century, the conquistadors landed Andalusian, Barbary, Arabian and Spanish Genet horses in Santo Domingo. Some of these horses were transported to Puerto Rico, where they gave rise to the Paso Fino. This Puerto Rican saddle horse is closely related to the Peruvian Paso. Today, it is bred in the United States.
Caractère et aptitudes du cheval
Gentle, docile, and easy to handle. Robust, hardy, and fast, it moves with lateral bipeds (amble). Paso Fino has a distinctive 4-count gait that can be performed at three different speeds: paso fino, slow and collected; paso corto, slightly faster; and paso largo, fast, and elongated.
Utilisations du cheval
The Paso Fino is used in the United States for endurance and western riding, as well as for carriage driving and show jumping.
Morphologie du cheval
Small head. Straight or concave profile. Wide nostrils. Small, pointed ears. Medio line type body. Strong, muscular neck. Fairly high withers. Strong, sloping shoulders. Deep chest. Strong, short back. Powerful loins. Muscular hindquarters. Strong, well-tempered, dry limbs. Short cannons. Strong hocks. Very hard hooves. Coat: most solid colors. Size: 1.40 to 1.50 m.
