One of the oldest breeds in the world

Although, the Paso Fino has been bred in Latin America since the days of the conquistadors, this breed was completely unknown in the USA until the 1940s. As a cross of three European breeds - Andalusian, Spanish Barb and the now extinct Spanish Jennet – the ancestors of the modern Paso Fino originally served as breeding stock for the remount stations of the Spanish conquistadors. For days, these horses relentlessly carried their riders over mountains, across plains, through dense jungles. Without them the Spanish soldiers would not have conquered South America so easily.

Bred for their stamina, sturdiness, gentleness, and above all for their smooth gait the Paso Finos were the ideal horses back in those times when horses were an indispensable means of transport. Thanks to their sure-footedness these horse were essential to travel long distances across rough terrain.

Due to their “cow sense” the Paso Fino was also very popular for working with cattle on the huge estates and haziendas. In addition, horses had to be beautiful, outstanding, with enough fire and a gentle character, for, the owners of these vast estates wanted to have horses radiating their high ranking position.

Over the centuries Paso Finos were cross-bred with horses from Spain or North America. Since local preferences and “trends” varied from region to region the Paso Fino developed into the different modalities. The different climate and geographical conditions also called for horses who adapted to well to the respective environment.

Today, the USA is the biggest Paso Fino breeding country outside South America. Although it is still necessary to import horses from the USA, European-bred horses offer excellent quality, therefore, the need for good horses can be met by breeders in Europe. Nevertheless, it is still important and interesting to bring some new bloodlines into Europe to keep the quality at a high level.