by Piper Tanner
As a horse lover, I appreciate riding horses that have a naturally smooth ride. When I first came across this horse, it was one of the things that really was appealing to me. The Paso Finos are naturally gifted riding with a nice smooth gait.
Just in case you’re wondering, a horse’s gait is a way that a horse moves. It is a pattern of movement and how it moves its legs. The Paso Fino has a unique characteristic that makes it different from many other horses. The pattern of its gait has an even cadence and is very smooth. There is not a lot of up-and-down motion when the rider rides it. This makes for a great trail ride.
The cadence of the Paso’s 1-2-3-4 gait is distinctive as the horse effortlessly glides to its destination. It is almost like military precision when it takes its strides. I liken it to the riderless horse of presidential funerals. To be riding a horse that moves like this is akin to feeling like royalty.
Called an “ambling” gait, the Paso’s gait is a intermediate gait that is faster than a walk but slower than a canter. This movement is also lateral. Lateral motion is where the front & hind feet on the same side of the horse moves in sequence.
In the Paso Fino gait, there are names for the 3 speeds to its ambling gait. From slowest to fastest, there is the paso fino, paso corto, and paso largo. There is also another Paso gait called the Paso Llano and is unique to the Peruvian Paso.
There are many competitions that show the wonderful gait honed in performance Paso Fino training. In competition, performance Paso Finos are much more animated in their leg motions and much faster while keeping their 4-beat gait. It is really a sight to see. To many, the gait looks like a well orchestrated hat dance by the horse… and I guess you could say that is true. All I can say is simply amazing.
Even if you’re not trying to get started with a performance Paso Fino and just need a good horse to ride, the Paso Fino makes an excellent horse to own. If you like to go on trial rides, you can’t beat the beautifully smooth and steady horse gait of this horse breed. Have fun and go ride a Paso!
Tags: ponies, horse, pony, horses