Prior to the seventeenth century, most of the
world's horses were naturally gaited. Horses that trotted were the
exception, and "Boneshakers" as they were called were considered
suitable only as pack animals of mounts for servants.
Almost all traveling was done on horseback. Since most people knew very
little about riding, a smooth riding horse was a necessity. Even Knights -
who required trotting horses for battle - often kept a naturally gaited
horse which he would ride when traveling, leading his trotting horse
behind.
Following the seventeenth century, the uses for
trotting horses increased. Networks of roads were built, and people began
to travel by horse-drawn vehicles rather than on horseback.
Since a horse that trots is more suitable than a gaited horse for pulling
a wheeled vehicle, the breeding of trotting horses was increased at the
expense of gaited horses.
At about the same time, great expanses of land were devoted for the first
time to cattle raising, and the horse took on importance as a tool for
working the cattle.
Here again the trotting horse has a greater advantage over the gaited
horse, and even more emphasis was put on the breeding of horses that
trotted. Almost simultaneously, worldwide popularity was bestowed upon
horse racing, yet another activity where gaited horses do not excel.
As the seventeenth century opened, it was
unusual to see a horse that trotted. At the close of the same century, it
was unusual to see a horse that did not trot. It was one of the most
unusual transformation that horse breeding has ever seen.
As the world's horsemen moved from naturally
gaited horses to trotting horses, the Peruvians continued to esteem and
breed their naturally gaited "Caballo Peruano de Paso".
The Peruvian Paso horse descended from the
bloodstock which was introduced to Peru from the Spanish, who at the time
were the foremost horse breeders in the world. The Spanish horses brought
to Peru blended the Barb, the Friesian, the Spanish Jennet, and the
Andalusian. In Peru these Spanish horses were bred to produce the purest
link that the modem world has with the once populous gaited horses. For
several centuries, no outside blood has been introduced into the Peruvian
Paso breed, and it is now the only naturally gaited breed in the world
that can guarantee its gait to 100% of its offspring. Every purebred
Peruvian horse has the inherited gait, which is the trademark of the
Peruvian breed.
In recent years, the world's horsemen have begun
to rediscover the pleasures of naturally gaited horses; and horse fanciers
from many nations are turning to the Peruvian Paso horse as the ideal
mount for the twentieth century horsemen. Thanks to its unique, inbom,
four-beat lateral gait, the Peruvian horse is the smoothest riding horses
in the world. He is also one of the showiest of all horses because of an
inner pride and energy that make him travel with a style and carriage as
if always "on parade".
The temperament of the Peruvian horse is one of
the world's best, thanks to a long standing Peruvian practice of not
breeding animals that have an unsuitable disposition. In addition, the
Peruvian is the only horse in the world with "termino", which is
a graceful, flowing movement in which the forelegs are rolled towards the
outside as the horse strides forward, much like the arm motion of a
swimmer. "Termino" is a spectacular and beautiful natural
action.
The gait of a Peruvian horse can be as slow as a
walk or as fast as an extended trot or slow canter. Both the gait and the
flashy leg action are completely natural. They are not induced or aided in
any way by artificial training or devices. In fact, both Peru and the
United States, Peruvian horses are shown without shoes and with a short,
natural hoof.
Peruvian horses come in all basic, solid colors
as well as grays and roans. The breed, because of its direct link to the
Barb horse, has some striking color tones and shades. The average height
of the Peruvian is between 14 and 15 hands, and the weight is commonly
between 900 and 1,100 pounds ... about the same as Morgans and Arabians.
