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OLD PASO FINO BLOODLINES

On this page you will find (click to go right to it):

THE COLOMBIAN PASO FINO ---- THE PUERTO RICAN PASO FINO

THE COLOMBIAN PASO FINO


The Colombian Paso Fino can be divided into two types:
The gaited horses used for herding cattle and travel in the rough mountain area were called PISTONEOS,
because they moved their legs in a piston like fashion, straight up and down with little extension. This allowed the horses to step in and out of the many ditches, or step into a low spot or onto a high one, without losing rhythm or throwing the rider off balance. It also made it possible for the horse to react to the cattle's movement and change direction or speed practically in mid stride.
These horses were tough and surefooted, and traveled smoothly at a fast speed.
Some of the Pistoneos later developed the very short strided and quick "Fino" gait, which is strictly a show gait and shown with so much collection that the horse is moving slower than a walk but moving his feet with very rapid rythm like a human tap dancer.
Others moved in TROCHA, the form of 4 beat gait that is closer to a trot. It takes less energy than the square gaits corto and fino, and provides great balance for turns and stops (to work cattle) or on rough or slippery ground or when moving along sidehills, because of the diagonal leg support.
In the swampy areas a different line of Paso Finos were bred, that excelled in getting around in boggy ground.
Called CHUCUANOS,
they had a longer, loose stride with a winging motion of the front feet, a bit like the Termino in the Peruvian breed, except that the winging was restriced to below the knee, while the Peruvian moves his whole shoulder out like a human swimmer. The winging of the lower legs helps break the suction of the hooves to the ground and makes it easy for the horses to move in deep sand, mud or bogs. Many people also believe that it helps throw the mud and sand off to the side rather than into the rider's boots or even up his back! These horses were also great travellers and very smooth to ride. Many famous Paso Finos go back to Chucuanos, both  PLEBEYO ( a legend among Paso Finos) and  MAJESTUOSO go back to the well known Chucuano: GAUCHO .
Note: MAJESTUOSO combines in his pedigree the Chucuano line with their long, loose stride, and also the RESORTE I line, with their quick pistoneo movement, and through  Don Danilo (goes back to Resorte I also), the trocha line with high action (See below). MAJESTUOSO was on the top 10 sire list in the US for 12 years in a row.
When travel on horseback ceased in the 1950, showing became popular. DON DANILO, a Paso Fino stallion whose grand sire was an imported LUSITANO (Andalusian) that had become famous in bullfights, put his stamp on the breed, as he was bred to many of the best Paso Fino mares in the country.
Don Danilo did well in all 4 classes: fino, trocha, trocha y galope (trocha and canter) and trote y galope (trot and canter) . Don Danilo's offspring moved with more knee and hock action, they were taller, stocky, with well muscled rumps and a higher tailset. Also white markings started to show up more and more, so they fit the requirement of a show horse well.
Cantering was considered an important part of showing the horses, and trocha y galop and trote y galop classes were popular.
-----In 2001 those two classes were offered for the first time at the national competition in the US.
Nowadays the horses are supposed to stay even in gait, rather than drifting toward trocha, and trocha is not allowed except in special classes. But most Paso Finos will slip from fino, corto or largo into trocha, if rein pressure is relaxed and they are not as collected anymore. Sometimes the only way to tell is by listening closely to the beat on a "fino board". (Long strip of wood that the horse goes on in gait, to make the hoofbeat loud enough to hear.)
Many of the great LARGO horses, the ones that perform the fastest and most extended form of the Paso Fino gait, are going back to Don Danilo. Some speed gaiters can largo as fast as any horse can gallop!
CORAL LA CE and his offspring are the most famous Largo Horses of Don Danilo's get. He was entered in the Paso Fino hall of fame and also became foundation sire of the North American Single Footing Association.

One of the most influencing Colombian stallion of all times was  RESORTE I. Many of the famous sires go back to him, including:
ANFITRION(later exported to Puerto Rico), MONARCA, CARIBE, DON DANILO,  HILACHAS (Foundation Sire),  CARMIN , and  RESORTE III and IV .

THE PUERTO RICAN PASO FINO

Many of the good LARGO horses in the breed today go back to these Puerto Rican stallions :
BATALLA( Dulce sueno), and his sons :  TRIUNFO and KOFRESI .
The American Paso Fino Association chose as one of the breeds foundation sires the Puerto Rican  FAETON LaCE , who also goes back to Dulce Sueno

The following information is copied (partly) from this web site:
http://www.conquistador.com/paso-fino.html

Information for this article was provided by Sr. Eduardo A. Quijano Rivera,
Sr. Aristides Hernandez and Sr. Josef Pons.
The best researched and most valuable source of information was the fascinating book
"Breeding Better Paso Fino Horses" by Dr. Carlos Gaztambide Arrillaga, Ph.D.

The Puerto Rican Paso Fino
by Heinz Reusser

The establishment of the particular breed of Paso Fino Horses may have had its origin at the time the San Juan Races (shows) began in 1610.  These races were celebrated to commemorate the "Santo Patron"  of Puerto Rico, San Juan Bautista.  In these races all the citizens of Puerto Rico participated with their horses.

By the 1880's these competitions took place in several different locations with more new facilities. More emphasis was now being placed on maintaining gait and on stamina. Horses over three years old were entered in a 1000 meter long gait competition with the judges looking for easy movement and a smooth ride.

In 1906, at the new San Juan Racetrack, the famous stallion Manchado of Don Nicolas Quiñones Cabezudo of Caguas made history when he gallantly performed the correct and elegant "paso fino" completely natural and without a rider around the public square. From Manchado later came the famous mares Flores and Deseada, both considered to be part of the foundation of todays Paso Fino breed. 

The most prominent and successful lines in todays' Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino are the descendants of the two famous Dulce Sueño sons Guamani and Batalla. Guamani is said to represent the "Andalusian type", well rounded with great beauty, somewhat longer and taller and with  a very pleasing, gentle disposition.
To create the present day Paso Fino, the influence of the more "Barb type" line of Batalla was used also. Built lighter and somewhat angular, this type added the very delicate and smooth way of going and the highly valued brio and stamina.
The best representative of the cross of these types and lines was the immortal sire Kofresi.
Bred by Sr. Wifredo Bertran and born in 1958, he was nominated the "Best Producer of Paso Fino for the last 20 Years". After having recovered from a fractured leg, Kofresi returned to the show arena 10 years later to win the title of Grand Champion. He died at the high age of 27, in a time when his fame and prestige as a sire was still growing.

This page was prepared by: JF Gaited Ranch And Trail Horses