Caballo Peruano de Paso

Caballo Peruano de Paso Paper

Cortney Heslington

Honors English 11-B4

Ms. Buhler

11 February 2005

Caballo Peruano de Paso

(The Peruvian Stepping Horse)

There are many different types and breeds of horses that are used for many

different things. Some are specialized in jumping, some in racing, others in

showing or parades, and some are great for rodeos. However the qualities

that make the best all around horse are temperament, beauty, versatility,

low maintenance, and being all around pleasurable. The one breed of horse

that meets this criteria and is the most pleasurable of all is the Peruvian

Paso.

The Peruvian Paso is known as one of South America's best kept secrets (

Reusser 20 Jan. 2005 ). The first people to introduce the horse to the

America's was the Spanish. Christopher Columbus brought the first horses to

the island of Santo Domingo in 1493 that were used to start the first

breeding operation. The most outstanding breed at the time was the

Andalusion which became the foundation of the Peruvian Paso ( Peruvian).

Soon after, the breed moved down into the central parts of South America and

were used for mounting troops during their conquests. In 1532 Francisco

Pizaro's troops used an early version of the Peruvian Paso when he conquered

the Inca empire. It was here, in Peru's rough terrain, where these lovely

animals stayed isolated and were bred to perfection. It would be 450 years

later before the secret was unleashed to the rest of the world.

The most important quality in a horse is temperament; and the Peruvian has

the best. Due to it's isolation in Peru for so many centuries, the Peruvian

is one of the purest breeds in the world. During their 450 year isolation,

the Peruvian breeders would only breed the horses that had the best

temperaments. Any horse that had an unsuitable disposition was banned to

field work or even worse, literally banned to the dinner table (Albright,

History). So bad traits and habits such as biting, bucking, and kicking

faded with each generation and today are very rare among this breed (Kiesow

28 Jan. 2005)! Currently, if a Peruvian has a bad habit, it was most likely

taught to them by a human and not inherited (Ripley 1 Feb. 2005).

So if their temperament lacks in bad qualities, what are their good

qualities? The best quality is it's willingness to serve. The Peruvian lives

to serve. Horse breeder Annie Kiesow said that Peruvians are so willing to

obey that they will literally be shaking when asked to do something scary,

yet will still obey. It is almost as if they say, " I am scared about this,

but you asked me to do it ,so I will" (Kiesow 28 Jan. 2005). Furthermore

sensibility, patience, loyalty, and dependability are cherished Peruvian

qualities. One example of how sensible and patient the Peruvian is, is that

If a Peruvian gets hung up in a fence, it would usually stand and wait to be

untangled by its owner rather than go wild such as other horses would

(Kruger 20 Feb. 2005). Annie Kiesow commented on their loyalty in the

following quote, " My Gelding would die for me, I just know it, bred down

from the horses of the Spanish conquistadors, they have the heart of a

warrior, I had a young horse once that stood his ground while an angry cow

hit him so hard she knocked the wind out of him, but he stayed between her

and me." ( Kiesow). "You can even see them reason and they sense your

feelings and act accordingly", Carole commented (Photiadis 6 Feb. 2005).

Once they learn something, they generally never forget, which makes them

extremely dependable. The Peruvian, because of their great temperament, is

the national horse of Peru and is highly respected (Hirthler 1977).

This horse was also bred for a quality called brio. A horse with brio is

focused, willing to work, and is quick to react and learn. The word brio isn

't synonymous with the word "spirit" referring to a horse that is hard to

control, such as the spirit of the Arab. Rather, the energy and heart of a

horse with brio is completely at the service of the rider. Underneath all

that energy is a calm and completely willing horse. To be willing is the

most important characteristic in brio (Albright, Peruvian) . One great

example of Peruvian's easy temperament combined with their brio took place

at a pre-show press conference at the luxurious Radisson Hotel in Odessa,

Texas. Joan Box and her associate brought their horses to the show and to

accommodate the journalists, they took their horses through the glass doors,

down the stairs, and into the lobby with complete calmness. One man in the

hotel hoped that they would be staying in the room next to him because they

were better mannered than the people who stayed there the night before.

After the Press conference, they gave pony rides to all who wanted. Albright

said,

" Those who saw them in the show arena a few days later were treated to

high-stepping, fire-breathing, show-stopping excitement. Watching them in

competition, it was hard to believe that the same horses had calmly walked

inside a busy hotel and given pony rides to tourists on a crowded sidewalk.

I know of few breeds where this would be typical of high performance show

horses." ( Albright, Versatility)

These great horses will be quiet in the pasture and when they are with other

horses but as soon as they are under saddle they really "wake up" and all

their energy is at your, the rider's service (Windom 25 Jan 2005). Carole

Photiadis describes how brio can be felt by just sitting on a Peruvian. She

said, " climb aboard and feel the muscles quiver beneath you, waiting for

your command." ( Photiadis).

Dale Roberson says that, " Watching a Peruvian should induce a special

feeling for even the most naive equestrian." Brio brings out the spirit,

pride, and heart of the horse that makes it thrilling to watch or ride.

Albright interprets the sensation of brio in the following quote:

" He comes into view, elegant and handsome... maybe even a little

pretentious and arrogant. Always on parade, he fills the scene with his

ample movements. The universe is barely big enough to contain his boastful

gaiety. He is a source of great pleasure to his owner and to those who see

him." ( Albright, Versatility)

Brio is the controlled energy that the Peruvian gives off simply in it's

presence. When watching the horse it looks full of energy, movement, and

pride but underneath all that, the rider feels complete calmness. Brio is

something you have to see yourself because words cannot accurately describe

it.. It creates the pleasure of catching every eye you pass.

To compliment a Peruvian Paso's brio is the pleasure of it's majestic

beauty. The Peruvian has a body full of strength and stamina with well

developed muscles giving it a refined appearance. It's height is between 14

and 15 hands ( about 4½ to 5 feet to the withers). It's head is of medium

size, proportional with it's body, and has a small muzzle. It's eyes are

dark and expressive with a graceful, arched neck. The body is long and

muscular. The coat is always a deep color that shines and looks and feels

soft and silky. The mane and tail are long, thick and beautiful ( Reusser 20

Jan. 2005). Overall they are one of the most beautiful breeds to look at.

Another reason owners find pleasure in the Peruvian is because they require

such little maintenance in care, riding , and training. They eat very little

because of their high metabolism and small size. Consequently, they don't

cost as much to take care of. Where some horse breeds require extensive foot

care, the Peruvian's feet require little maintenance. Their feet are so

tough that they don't need shoes or any other special care. (Kiesow 28 Jan.

2005). The Peruvian is generally less dominant than most making them easier

to handle while in the pasture and during training Ripley commented that, "

I got my mare out of the pasture when she was six years old and got on her

bareback and lead lines on her halter. That was how I "trained" her." (

Ripley). Compared to other horses they are very easy to train , which saves

the rider much frustration and time

After considering all the above qualities, one might question ,what is a

Peruvian like to ride? Their sensitivity and responsiveness makes them

extremely easy to ride and train. They are sensitive and require very little

effort for communication. They can pick up even the smallest body movements

of their rider and are very light with the reins ( Ripley 01 Feb. 2005). It'

s easy to concentrate on other things while riding because it's not

necessary to be always jerking on the reins.

Along with their responsiveness, comfort is a quality that can make riding a

great pleasure. The years of their isolated breeding has resulted in the

Peruvian having the smoothest gait in the world. After riding a Peruvian

Paso Arlene Margrino stated , " After traveling over three continents and

riding countless trails on every breed of horse ... I've found the end of

the rainbow. The Peruvian is by far the smoothest riding horse. I've ridden

them all and believe me this is it!" (Albright ,Peruvian). They are so

smooth that a common way to judge a show is to have each rider carry a

champagne glass and see who spills the least. Quite often nobody spills a

drop. The best thing about their gait or paso is that they pass it on to

one-hundred percent of their offspring. (Kiesow 28 Jan. 2005). Even a

Tennessee walking horse and other gaited horses seem bouncy compared to the

Peruvian ( Reusser).

The Peruvian has four unique four-beat gaits: The Walk, Paso Llano,

Sobreandando, and Huachano. These gaits are lateral instead of diagonal like

trotting horses and so the weight is more evenly distributed and little to

no movement is transferred to the rider which creates a smooth ride. These

gaits always include three feet on the ground at a time. Even though these

are their most common gaits, just like any horse the Peruvian can still

canter and gallop. ( Reusser).

Another quality that is unique to the Peruvian is a component called

termino. The word termino describes the front leg action that is similar to

that of a swimmer. This action creates a lot of front leg action without any

bounce transferred to the rider; Also it looks very beautiful because of how

high they pick up their feet( Reusser).

Another thing that makes the Peruvian a great all around horse is that it is

good for all types of people: old, young, big , little, experienced or not.

Because of their quiet disposition and dependability, anyone can handle

these horses. In most Peruvian shows, there are separate sections for

juniors because they are so good with children (Mindel 1989). Michele Ripley

even lets all her nieces and nephews ride her gelding and never has to worry

about them (Ripley 01 Feb. 2005). Carole Photaidis believe that, " the

younger the child, the more gentle the horse becomes. I have seen toddlers

on the Peruvians and the Peruvians acted as if their cargo was glass." Many

buy this breed as their first time horse, including retired people because

the Peruvian gives a nice smooth ride and is easy to handle. The Peruvian is

so easy to handle, in fact, that seventy-nine year old Rose Walker from

Oregon, and her mother who is one hundred years old often go on all day

rides on their Peruvians (Albright, Who). A Peruvian breeder said, "The

largest of stallions can be ridden by the smallest of children"( Hirthler

1977).

These horses are a joy because they can be therapeutic. Where most people

with back problems, hip problems, pregnancy, and many other heath problems

shouldn't ride horses, the Peruvian is actually good for them. Linda Garro

has chronic arthritis in her spine and hips. Throughout her life she had

always been a fox hunter but the doctors prohibited it because of her

arthritis. But since she has found the Peruvian she is able to ride again

with no pain. She even claims that her back feels better on days when she

rides. This is just one of countless other stories. Some doctors that know

about the Peruvian Paso even recommend the breed. (Albright, Who).

Because of the Peruvians unique body build it is very athletic and

versatile. The chest is wide and deep which allows a large breathing

capacity which improves endurance. The Peruvian also has an extremely sure

foot because of it's gait and the angle of the pasterns. The original

purpose of the breed was to cover a lot of ground while giving the smoothest

ride possible. The plantation owners could ride up to forty miles a day and

feel like they've only ridden one ( Mindel 1989). This horse was meant for

anything from the mountains, to the dessert, to the beach. Thanks to the

Peruvian Paso the great Andes mountains were conquered by man ( Hirther

1977). Some may argue that their small size might hinder their abilities but

on the contrary, it proves to be no disadvantage at all. They don't feel

small at all because their heart is so big. Their brio and the way they

carry themselves makes the rider feel as if they are riding a much larger

horse. Their size contributes to their agility. Their size was originally

preferred by the farmers because of the easy mounts and dismounts. They are

also much stronger than expected and can carry up to 250 pounds (Photiadis

06 Feb. 2005). A man from Idaho took a Peruvian on an elk hunt and after

another larger horse refused to pack an elk out of the rugged country, they

put the meat on the smaller Peruvian who not only brought the meat out , but

did it in record time (Albright , Peruvian). Another example is when rider

,Joan Box, attempted to compete her Peruvian on an endurance race and the

ride manager almost wouldn't let her come but she ended up being one of the

first to finish. Another competitor commented , " I think the Peruvians and

their riders should have to go back out and ride at least another hour. It's

only fair. The horses aren't tired, and neither are the riders!". Although

some think that the only uses for the Peruvian is for show. "Audrey

Gaisfield of Ranch Que Sabe often rides her most successful show horse on

the trail ( or would it be more correct to say that she uses her most

successful trail horse in the show arena?)" (Albright who). There is a

saying in Peru, " The Peruvian Paso is a work horse suitable for showing-

not a show horse suitable for working. (Albright who).

Peruvians can participate in many other activities as well. Some additional

activities in which they excel include showing, pleasure riding, parades,

endurance racing, drill teams, sidesaddle riding, polo, and just about

anything any other breed enjoys (Albright, Who). The Peruvian horse is

capable of preforming, at least moderately, in all activities and you can be

sure it will be the most beautiful horse participating. As Carole Photaidis

said, " There is no other breed that is close to the Peruvian. He is in a

class all of his own."

Therefore for being strictly rodeo queen, the Quarter horse is the best. For

only racing, the Thorough bred would be the best. For pulling a carriage,

the Clydesdale is great, but for the best all around horse that does a

little bit of everything and makes the most pleasurable friend, the Peruvian

Paso is perfect.

Works Cited

Albright,Verne. "History of the Peruvian Paso Horse." AAOBPPH. 20 Jan. 2005.

<http://www.aaobpph.org/history.html>;.

Albright, Verne. "Peruvian Paso Q. & A." Gaited Horses.net. 31 Jan. 2005.

<http://www.gaitedhorses.net/Vern'sArticles/PPQA.htm>;.

Albright,Verne. "Verstility and the Peruvian Paso." Gaited Horses.net. 23

Jan. 2005. <http://www.gaitedhorses.net/Vern'sArticles/Versatility.htm>;.

Albright,Verne. "Who Buys Peruvian Paso's?". Gaited Horses.net. 7 Feb. 2005.

<http://www.gaitedhorses.net?Vern'sArticles/WhoBuys.htm>;.

Kiesow,Annie. Email interview. 28 Jan. 2005.

Kruger, Brad. Email interview. 20 Feb. 2005.

Peruvian Paso. Hirthler, George. Bonilla, Hugo.Videocassette. LTD

Presentation, 1977.

Photiadis, Carole. Email interview. 5 Feb. 2005.

Reusser. "The Peruvian Paso Horse." Conquistador the World of Spanish

Horses. 7 Feb. 2005. <http://www.conquistador.com/peruvian_paso.html>;.

Ripley, Michele. Email interview. 1 Feb. 2005.

The Peruvian Paso Horse. Mindel, Dan. Knorzer,Gunther. Videocassette. Mindel

Productions, 1989.

Windom, Barbara. Email interview. 25 Jan. 2005.