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The Paso Fino Breed
Standard:
General Impression-
The Paso Fino horse reflects its
Spanish heritage through its proud carriage, grace and elegance.
Modern care and selective breeding have enhance its beauty,
refinements and well-proportioned conformation that conveys strength
and power without extreme muscling.
The Paso Fino is born
with a gait unique to the breed and its attitude seems to transmit
to the observer that this horse knows its gait is a very special
gift that must be executed with style and pride! The gait,
being totally natural, does not exhibit the catapulting or
exaggerated leg action of man-made gaits; rather the movements are
smooth, rhythmic, purposeful, straight, balanced in flexion and
synchronous front to rear, resulting in unequaled comfort and
smoothness for the rider. The Paso Fino is a graceful, agile
and supple equine athlete that uses all four legs with precision and
harmony.
With its definite but controlled spirit, natural gait and presence,
and responsive attitude, the Paso Fino is, indeed, a rare and
desirable equine partner.
Head-
The head should be
refined and in good proportion to the body of the horse, neither
extremely small nor large with the preferred profile being straight.
Eyes are large and well-spaced, very expressive and alert, and
should not show excessive white around the edges. Ears are
comparatively short, set close and curved inward at the tips.
The lips should be firm and the nostrils large and dilatable.
Jaws are defined but not extreme. The impression should be of
a well-shaped, alert and intelligent.
Neck-
The neck is gracefully arched, medium
in length and set on at an angle to allow high carriage, breaking at
the poll. The throat latch should be refined and well-defined.
Forehand-
Shoulders are sloping into the
withers with great depth through the heart. Chest is moderate
in width. Withers are defined but not pronounced and slope
smoothly into the back.
Midsection-
The midsection is moderate in length
with a well-sprung rib cage. The top line should be
proportionately shorter than the underline. The back should be
strong and muscled. The midsection should join the forehand
and the hindquarters so as to give the horse a pleasing,
proportioned appearance.
Hindquarters-
The croup is slightly sloping with
round hips, broad loins and strong hocks. The tail is carried
gracefully when the horse is in motion.
Legs-
The legs are straight with refined
bones and strong, well defined tendons and broad, long forearms with
shorter cannons. The thigh and gaskin are strong and muscled
but not exaggerated. Standing slightly under the rear is
acceptable. Pasterns are sloping and medium in length.
Bones are straight, sound, and flat, and joints are strong and well
defined. Hooves are well rounded, proportionate in size and do
not show excessive heel.
Mane, Tail and Forelock-
Mane, tail, and forelock are as long,
full, and luxurious as nature can provide. No artificial
additions or alterations are allowed. A bridle path not
exceeding 4" is acceptable.
Size-
Paso Fino horses are 13 to 15.2 hands
with 13.2 to 14.2 being most typical size with weight ranging from
7000 to 1100 pounds. Full size may not be attainted until the
fifth year.
Color-
Ever equine color can be found, with
or without white markings.
Disposition-
The Paso Fino is an extremely wiling
horse that truly seems to enjoy human companionship and strives to
please. It is spirited and responsive under tack while
sensible and gentle at hand.
Gait-
The gait of the Paso Fino horse is
totally natural and normally exhibited from birth. I is an
evenly-spaced four-beat lateral gait with each foot contacting the
ground independently in a regular sequence at precise intervals
creating a rapid, unbroken rhythm. Executed perfectly, the
four hoof beats are absolutely even in both cadence and impact.
Footfall is in the same sequence as a natural equine walk, i.e.,
left rear, left fore, right rear, right fore. Propulsion is
primarily from the hind limbs and the horse's motion is absorbed in
its back and loins, resulting in unequaled smoothness and comfort
for the rider. The Paso Fino gait is performed at three
forward speeds of the gait with varying degrees of collection.
IN all speeds of the gait, the rider should appear virtually
motionless in the saddle, and there should be no perceptible up and
down motion of the horse's croup.
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Classic Fino
- Forward speed is very slow, and the footfall is extremely rapid
while the steps and extension are exceedingly short.
To be executed fully collected.
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Paso Corto
- Forward speed is moderate, ground-covering but unhurried,
executed with medium extension and stride. The degree of
collection desired varies with class requirements.
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Paso Largo
- The fastest speed of gait. The largo is executed with a
longer extension and stride. Forward speed varies with the
individual horse, since each horse should attain its top speed in
harmony with its own natural stride and cadence. The degree
of collection desired varies with class requirements.
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Walk
- Smooth, steady, evenly-spaced four-beat gait
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Lope
- True,
three-beat gait, slow, cadenced, smooth, straight on both leads,
with no tendency to mix gaits.
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Canter
- True, three-beat gait, straight on both leads, smooth and
unhurried with no tendency to mix gaits.
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