Peruvian Paso

The Peruvian Paso is a saddle horse bred in Peru over several centuries, developed for a smooth, evenly timed four-beat gait that foals are born with rather than taught. Riders rate the breed highly for long stints in the saddle, since it spares both horse and rider the jolting action of a trotting horse.

The breed brings together two traits that do not usually sit side by side. Under saddle it is forward-going and full of what Peruvian breeders call brio, yet on the ground it stays calm and easy to handle. A well-bred Peruvian Paso holds its head and neck up with a proud, almost regal bearing.

Its signature movement is the termino, an outward rolling action of the front legs that starts at the shoulder. No other breed shows this action in quite the same way, and it gives the front end a paddling, almost swimming look while the hindquarters stay low and driving underneath.

Who it suits

The Peruvian Paso suits riders after comfort over distance, such as trail riders and anyone who spends hours at a time in the saddle. Its steady temperament makes it manageable for riders without great physical strength, though its spirited drive still calls for a confident hand. The breed also appears in the show ring under saddle and is a familiar sight at parades and exhibitions.

The breed goes back to horses brought across the Atlantic by Spanish settlers in the sixteenth century. Spanish conquistadors began arriving in Peru from 1532, bringing with them the Spanish Jennet, an ambling horse known for smooth lateral gaits, alongside Barb and Andalusian bloodlines.

Peru never developed the extensive road networks of Europe, and its large estates lay scattered across coastal valleys, desert stretches, and mountainous terrain. Owners needed horses that could cover long distances comfortably at a steady pace, so breeders selected, generation after generation, for the smooth four-beat gait, for stamina, and for a willing disposition.

For most of its development the breed was raised in relative isolation on Peruvian haciendas. With little outside crossbreeding, the gait became fixed and passed reliably to foals. This long period of closed breeding explains why the gait shows up naturally in almost every purebred Peruvian Paso.

During the twentieth century the horse spread beyond Peru's borders, and breeders in North America and further afield set up registries to record bloodlines. The Peruvian Paso is recognised as a national symbol of Peru, and it should not be confused with the Paso Fino, a separate gaited breed that developed elsewhere in Latin America.

The Peruvian Paso is a medium-sized, well-balanced horse built for endurance rather than for height. It carries a deep chest, strong sloping shoulders, and rounded muscling that supports its sustained gait. The neck is fairly substantial and carried in an arch, and the head is medium-sized with an expression breeders describe as alert and proud.

Mane and tail are fine and full, with the tail set low and carried close to the body. Movement stays low and reaching through the hindquarters, while the front legs show the rolling termino action that marks the breed out from any other.

Coat and colours

The Peruvian Paso comes in a wide range of solid colours, plus a handful of dilutes and roans. Bay and chestnut are the most common, with black, brown, grey, palomino, and buckskin all occurring too. White markings on the face and legs are accepted within the standard. The coat itself stays short and fine, while the mane, forelock, and tail grow long and silky.

The Peruvian Paso is known for combining brio with gentleness. Brio is the term breeders use for the horse's forward energy, courage, and readiness to keep going. Under saddle the horse is spirited and responsive, with an obvious wish to move out.

On the ground and around people, the same horse is typically calm and good-natured. It forms a strong bond with its handlers and tends to be willing and easy to work with, which keeps daily handling straightforward. Around other horses it is generally sociable and settles well into a herd.

With strangers, a confident Peruvian Paso is usually alert rather than jumpy. Its dignified bearing is as much a part of its character as it is of its conformation. The breed suits an owner able to channel that energy through consistent, fair handling.

Grooming

• Brush the body several times a week to keep the coat clean and the skin in good condition.
• Comb and detangle the long mane and tail with care to prevent breakage.
• Pick out the hooves daily and check for stones, packed debris, and early signs of thrush.
• Bathe as needed, drying the legs off properly afterwards to avoid skin problems.
• Check eyes, nostrils, and skin during grooming for early signs of trouble.

Exercise

• Give the horse regular ridden or in-hand work to stay fit and keep the gait clean.
• Daily turnout in a camp or paddock supports both mind and body.
• Alternate trail outings with arena schooling to keep the horse interested.
• Build up conditioning gradually before longer rides.

Environment

South Africa's climate varies sharply by region and altitude, from the cold winters of the Highveld to the heat of the Lowveld and the milder, wetter Cape coast, and the Peruvian Paso copes well with any of these provided it has proper shelter. A run-in shed or stable that blocks wind, sun, and driving rain is essential, alongside open grazing. Company from other horses helps keep this sociable breed settled.

Forage is the foundation of the Peruvian Paso diet. Good-quality grass hay or grazing should make up the bulk of daily intake, roughly 1.5 to 2 percent of body weight in forage each day. Many of these horses are easy keepers, so concentrates are only added once work genuinely calls for extra energy.

Fresh, clean water needs to be available at all times, along with a salt or mineral lick. Feed at consistent times and split larger rations into smaller meals to support digestion.

Treats and supplements

A small piece of carrot or apple makes a suitable treat. A balanced vitamin and mineral supplement can help where forage alone falls short, and your vet can advise on extras for older horses or those in hard work. Bring in any feed change over a week or more.

The Peruvian Paso is a robust breed with a long working life. Many individuals stay sound and active into their twenties, and a lifespan of 25 to 30 years is typical with good care. The breed has no single defining genetic disorder, but it shares the general health concerns common to horses.

Routine veterinary care, attention to diet, and sound hoof management remain the main factors in keeping these horses healthy across their long lives. In South Africa, African horse sickness is a genuine seasonal risk in many regions, particularly where midges are active during the warmer months, and annual vaccination on veterinary advice is standard practice for horse owners across the country.

Preventive care

• Book annual or twice-yearly veterinary checkups and core vaccinations.
• Deworm according to a vet-guided parasite programme and faecal testing.
• Have teeth checked and floated at least once a year.
• Keep hooves trimmed every six to eight weeks.
• Watch body condition to avoid both obesity and underfeeding.

The Peruvian Paso is intelligent, willing, and quick to bond with a trainer, which makes it responsive to patient handling. Because the four-beat gait is inborn, training does not create the gait but refines balance, rhythm, and collection. The horse's brio gives it plenty of forward drive, so the real work lies in directing that energy and building soft, consistent responses.

Groundwork builds trust and respect before and alongside ridden work. The breed responds poorly to harsh or forceful methods and far better to cues that are clear, fair, and repeatable.

Basics

1. Start with handling and groundwork to teach leading, standing, and yielding.
2. Introduce tack and get the horse accepting the rider's weight calmly in short sessions.
3. Establish go, stop, and steering at the walk before adding the gait.
4. Develop the natural gait with light contact and a steady rhythm.
5. Add transitions, lateral work, and trail exposure as confidence builds.

Peruvian Paso horses reach physical maturity at around four to five years of age, though they are often not started under saddle until they are mature enough to cope with the work. Mares are usually bred once they are well grown, and breeders select for sound conformation, a clean natural gait, and good temperament.

Gestation runs to roughly 11 months, and the mare almost always carries a single foal. Twins are rare in horses and generally unwanted, since they bring high risk to both mare and foals. The newborn foal is up on its feet and nursing within the first few hours of life.

A defining feature of the breed is that the gait breeds true. Because the trait was fixed through centuries of closed breeding, purebred foals reliably show the smooth four-beat gait from a young age. Young horses are weaned, handled early to build trust, and brought along gradually toward saddle work as they mature.