Breed evolution: More than 500 years ago, when Columbus made his second voyage to the New World, he landed in what's now the Dominican Republic. Onboard his ships were mares and stallions of Barb, Andalusian, and Spanish Jennet descent. These horses and their offspring formed the cavalry remount for the conquistadors that explored uncharted territory in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Columbia, and Mexico.
In relative isolation, the generations of horses that followed developed distinctive characteristics representing their ancestry: the durability and stamina of the Barb; the charisma and elegance of the Andalusian; and, perhaps most treasured of all, the naturally smooth, even gait of the Spanish Jennet. These horses became known as Los Caballos de Paso Fino - the horses with the fine step.
Centuries passed, and the Paso Fino remained a well-kept Latin American secret. That is, until World War II, when American servicemen stationed in Puerto Rico "discovered" the fluid-moving horses. After the war ended, American enthusiasts wasted no time importing Paso Finos from Puerto Rico.
Then, in the mid-1960s, importers started shipping Paso Finos to the United States from Columbia. Today, the Paso Fino Horse Association reports, most American Paso Finos are a combination of bloodlines from those two countries. The PFHA currently boasts 45,000 registered horses and 8,500 members. In addition, it has popular riding programs that award national recognition and great prizes for hours logged in recreational riding and trail rides.
The original Paso Fino horses, bred as mounts for explorers forging new trails in the wilderness, had to be incredibly tough and surefooted for the task. More than 500 years of selective breeding has retained those characteristics, as well as others that Paso Fino owners treasure today: sweet, people-oriented dispositions; intelligent, trainable minds; sturdy conformation; incredible versatility; and of course, a naturally smooth gait.
The Paso's lateral, four-beat gait leaves three feet on the ground at all times. The footfall is evenly placed: right rear, right fore, left rear, left fore. There's scant up-and-down movement of either the horse's shoulders or croup to impact the rider. It's a rhythmic, evenly cadenced gait, and any movement is absorbed by the horse's back and loins.
The Paso's smooth gait comes in three distinct speeds: The Classic Fino is slow-moving and collected, with a rapid foot-fall, like dancing in place; the Fino is primarily a show-ring gait, not used on the trail; and the Paso Corto is an effortless, medium-speed gait, most commonly used on the trail - comparable in speed to a trot, the athletic Paso Fino can travel at the Corto for hours; the Paso Largo is the fastest, least collected gait, but should always maintain balance and smooth action.
The Paso Fino also performs the same gaits as other breeds, including the four-beat walk, and the three-beat lope or canter.
