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Days in Horse Country – The Paso Fino
The Paso Fino
is a handsome breed developed in South America from horses originally brought
to the New World by the Spaniards in the 1500s.
The breed is most often seen in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Columbia, and is
becoming more popular in North America.
Paso Finos are gaited horses, and they are considered one of the smoothest horses in the world to ride. The breed’s gaits are the classic fino, paso corto, and the paso largo. The classic fino gait is the slowest gait, and it is about the speed of a fast walk. The paso corto is the same speed as a trot, and the paso largo is the speed of a fast canter. Some Paso Finos can also canter in addition to these other gaits.
Paso Fino horses usually measure in at around 14 to 15 hands. They have a short back, a gracefully arched neck, and a medium-sized head with a straight profile. They come in bay, black, brown, buckskin, chestnut, dun, gray, grulla, palomino, pinto, and roan. They are know for their brio, which means “controlled spirit”. Horses with brio have lots of energy, but they are completely under the rider’s control.
Paso Finos make great trail horses because they can go long distances at a gait that is comfortable for the rider. They are also popular at gaited horse shows.
Michael