The Peruvian Paso has a heavy neck and deep chest. It has a powerful build and an amazing capacity for endurance. Pasos can be found in colors of bay, black, buckskin, brown, gray, dun, roan or palomino. Horses that have gray or dark skin, accompanied by solid coloring, are most desirable for breeding and conformation purposes. The Peruvian Paso Horse presents himself as a noble and arrogant animal which makes him ideal for the show ring or parades.

Peruvian Pasos do not trot. Instead, they perform a gait that is between a canter and a walk. Their gait is left hind, left fore, right hind, right fore. This gait is the reason that these horses are prized as extremely comfortable mounts. They are capable of holding a steady speed of 11 mph for long periods, but also for providing a smooth ride, especially over the sometimes rocky, mountainous terrain of their home country. The legend says that riders can carry a full glass of water and never spill a drop. The Peruvian Paso does not need to be trained in this gait, as it is naturally inborn. Because of his stamina and high-spirits, it is also a favorite as a mount for children.

The Peruvian Paso derives from early Spanish stock. One of the first major importations of horses arrived in the New World in 1531 when Francisco Pizarro shipped horses to Peru. The horses eventually escaped, but it was from these bloodlines that the Peruvian Paso evolved when a breeding program began over three hundred years ago. The Peruvian is currently bred selectively for his conformation, gait and temperament. It has taken many generations to create the Peruvian Paso of today that is loved and admired in the world of equestrians.

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Peruvian Paso - Horses for Sale