BRIEF
HISTORY & INFORMATION ON THE PERUVIAN HORSE
In the early fifties the Peruvian Horse was
introduced to the United States. A
gorgeous horse with abundant mane and tail, the
Peruvian has captured the affection and devotion
of many horse owners who can no longer tolerate
the rough ride of other breeds.
With it's unique four beat lateral gait, the
inherited trademark of the breed, the Peruvian
horse is the smoothest riding horse in the world
today. He is also one of the showiest of all
horses because of an inner pride and energy
which make him travel with a style and carriage
as if always "on parade". The "termino", a
graceful, flowing movement in which the forelegs
are rolled to the outside as the horse strides
forward is unique to the breed and completely
natural.
Thanks to a long standing practice of not
breeding animals with an unsuitable disposition,
the Peruvian horse has one of the world's best
temperaments. A long and often intriguing
history adds to the excitement of owning a
Peruvian horse.
A
Long and Proud History
The
introduction of the Spanish horse to the
American continent was carried out by the
Conquistadors in their quest to conquer the
different native civilizations. The first horses
were brought to the island of Santo Domingo by
Christopher Columbus in 1493 to establish the
first breeding operation. The horse raising
activities were soon extended to new colonies in
Central America to satisfy the needs of mounted
troops and in a few years it was no longer
necessary to import horses from Spain. For the
conquest of Peru in 1532 Francisco Pizarro
obtained 25 stallions and the same number of
mares from the Royal stables in Jamaica.
According to his secretary, he left Panama with
37 horses and headed for the northern coast of
Peru. After the arrival of reinforcements from
Panama he undertook his march to Cajamarca, the
seat of the Inca government, with only 62
horses.
In the years that followed the fall of the Inca
empire many Spanish settlers began arriving in
Peru, attracted by the fame of it's treasures.
The new settlers also brought with them their
horses from Central America. By the time many
large haciendas flourished, their wealthy owners
could afford to improve their stock with the
best horses available directly from Spain. At
the time of the conquest of America this Spanish
horse, the classic Andalusian, was the most
outstanding breed of riding horses existing in
Europe. This horse had been developed over many
centuries by crossing the Iberian horse, an old
breed of native riding horses, with the Berber
(Barb) horse brought from the mountains of North
Africa by the Moorish invaders. In Peru, the
classic Andalusian horse became the foundation
for the Peruvian horse, which has kept most of
the characteristics that made the Andalusian so
valuable during the conquest of South America.
It is interesting to note here that the
Andalusian horse in Spain has changed through
the influence of other European breeds
introduced by foreign Royal Houses that ruled
Spain for two centuries. Four hundred years of
selective breeding and the influence of
geographic and climatic conditions in Peru have
improved the harmonious gait, the smooth ride
and the gentle disposition that have become the
most outstanding characteristics of the Peruvian
horse. Today's horse was mainly developed to
satisfy the need for a smooth and comfortable
ride when overseeing plantations and traveling
from one settlement to another. The horse has
been kept in a more pure state as there was no
need to cross with other breeds to produce
taller, heavier or faster horses as was the case
in other countries such as Mexico, Argentina or
the United States.
For hundreds of years many generations of
breeders in Peru have contributed to keep,
maintain and improve this outstanding breed. Now
that the interest in the Peruvian horse has
extended to many other countries in the world,
with great emphasis in the United States, the
breed is getting new support to carry it
further. Today's breed standard helps to
preserve the qualities of the breed and
contributes to setting directions for the
future.
A
Picture of the Perfect Horse
The
Peruvian horse projects an image of high energy,
strength, stamina, grace and beauty. His
muscling is well developed without
exaggerations, giving him a refined appearance.
The height is between 14 and 15.2 hands. The
head is of medium size with a straight or
slightly concave profile. The muzzle is small
with oblong nostrils that extend easily. He has
dark, expressive eyes set well apart and medium
length ears with fine tips curved slightly
inwards. The neck is of medium length with a
gracefully arched crest. It is set on high and
runs well back into discretely marked withers.
The mane and forelock are naturally long and
full.
The back is short to medium in length, strong
and rounded. The shoulder is long and very well
inclined with an open angle at the elbow giving
the front limbs free and graceful movement. The
chest and rib cage are wide, deep and well
muscled. The bottom line of the barrel runs
nearly horizontal. The loins are medium in
length, broad and well muscled, the croup is
rounded and moderately sloped. He has a
naturally low set tail and carries it as if
tightly held between the buttocks. It is full
and reaching almost to the ground.
The long, muscular forearm is set forward to
allow for a long, sloping shoulder. His knees
are well defined and flat. The cannon bone is
short with well defined sinew. The pastern is of
good length and springy with a slope equal to
that of the shoulder. The hind leg has a
moderately long thigh and gaskin, well muscled,
to allow the hind leg to reach well under the
horse without placing undue strain on the
fetlock joint. The hocks are distinct with
prominent tendons, tight skin and with slightly
more angle than other light saddle breeds. Again
the cannon bone is short and all legs are
refined and show adequate perimeter in relation
to the size of the body. The hoofs are hard,
rounded and of good size with sloping walls.
The preferred colors are solid with dark skin,
black, bay, brown, chestnut, palomino, gray,
roan, buckskin, dun and grulla colors are
accepted. Excessive white markings and pink skin
are undesirable for breeding animals. He has a
uniquely timed lateral four beat gait with lift
and termino of the front legs. As the horse
increases it's speed he goes from a normal walk
into the Paso Llano, the Sobreandando, the pace
and finally the canter with smooth transitions
between all five gaits. The best gaited animals
will perform the Paso Llano with it's equally
spaced four beats over a wide range of speed. A
description of the fine points of this very
unique gait, not seen on any other breed of
horses, must be the subject of another article.
With a beautiful horse bred and trained to these
exacting standards, both the novice rider and
professional can participate in a variety of
events.
A
Smooth and Exciting Ride
In
no other breed is the quality of the horses ride
judged to be as important as in the Peruvian
Paso Horse. The owners continue to insist that
the show judges ride the top placing breeding
and performance division horses in order to
select the winner. The practice allows the judge
to better select for such characteristics as
brio, smoothness and balance, all traits highly
valued in the Peruvian horse.
The training methods and riding style or seat
for the Peruvian horse are based on the
traditional Spanish "a la gineta" way of riding.
This Iberian style of horsemanship was used in
the battlefield or for work with bulls and
cattle and showed a deep seat with bent knees.
Combined with a smooth gaited horse, this style
gives the most luxurious and safe ride. This
incomparable ride has made the Peruvian horse
the choice mount for a growing number of
Americans. Riding the Peruvian horse down a
sandy riverbed with a group of good friends and
a full picnic basket redefines the term
"pleasure riding". When one can do this with a
couple of dynamic show and breeding stallions
side by side with a group of beautifully refined
mares the regal character and noble temperament
of these horses becomes evident.
If you enjoy leisurely competition, the
Champagne class in one of the many regional
shows will surely fit your style. Riders
complete several laps and maneuvers with a full
glass of Champagne in one hand. The competitor
completing the class with the fullest glass is
the winner. As the horses are so smooth, even
the rider placed last has enough Champagne left
to toast his competitors.
Peruvian horses showing off with the
traditional, hand-crafted saddles and tack are
the highlight of many parades throughout the
country while ladies riding sidesaddle dressed
in elegant, colorful costumes are a feast for
the local television crew at different equine
events. Peruvian horses in the United States
have competed very successfully in competitive
trail and endurance events as tough as the
famous Tevis Cup. The same horses are being used
in many programs for physically challenged
children and adults, where the great
intelligence and gentle disposition so often
found in all Spanish breeds is imperative. For
other dedicated horsemen the Peruvian horse
offers even greater challenges.
A
Challenge for a Lifetime
In
many countries around the world, knowledgeable
and patient horsemen have found their live's
greatest challenge and satisfaction in the
breeding and raising of Peruvian Paso Horses.
Few breeds require the balanced combination of
so many, often contradicting traits and
characteristics, to achieve a perfect horse.
True brio, one of the most outstanding
characteristics of the Peruvian horse, requires
the horse to be gentle, responsive and willing
to work while delivering an abundance of energy,
pride and stamina whenever asked for by the
rider. The horse pushing his nose under the
handlers arm and asking to be petted will often
be the "hottest", most exciting competitor when
asked to perform. Another essential trait, the
super smooth ride over a wide range of speed, is
hard to achieve when the horse is expected to
show spectacular motion with high lift and
termino. It is equally difficult to breed and
train a horse with a high head carriage, a
beautifully arched neck and a high level of
collection, while at the same time reaching far
under the body with the hind legs and extending
in the front to deliver an efficient ride.
The most challenging aspect in the breeding of
Peruvian horses is the requirement that all
these traits are to be completely natural.It is
not hard to understand the joy and satisfaction
every breeder of Peruvian horses displays while
watching a six days old foal moving in perfect
four beat paso llano and carrying his neck and
head like a fully trained show horse. If
breeding these horses doesn't challenge you, try
competitive riding in the many open reining or
musical exercise classes now offered at many
regional shows. The traditional Enfrenadura
reining patterns originate from working with
bulls and cattle, requiring an exquisitely
trained horse and a high level of riding skills.
The horse is directed with body weight and leg
action and the rider needs great balance and
very light hands on the reins. The horse needs
to always be alert for the next move and show
quick reaction with elegance and flexibility.
Over the past years a growing number of Peruvian
horse enthusiasts have also discovered that they
can be successful in endurance competitions. The
legendary stamina of the Barb ancestors carries
the Peruvian horse over long distances and the
smooth ride certainly makes it easy for the
rider to stay in the saddle for these long and
tough rides. The Peruvian horse with his
versatility and unmatched noble temperament will
continue to attract many new aficionados.
A
Bright Future
Today there are approximately 25,000 pure bred
Peruvian Paso Horses in the United States. Their
number has been growing steadily at a rate close
to 10 % per year. Over 1,000 owners are members
of the North American Peruvian Horse Association
(NAPHA) and many participate very actively in
promotional and other social events organized by
over 30 regional clubs. Novice riders and
newcomers to the breed find the Peruvian horse
easy to ride and once they have experienced the
luxurious ride and exquisite temperament they
find it hard to stay away from these magnificent
horses.
The "Caballo Peruano de Paso" is one of Peru's
cultural extravaganzas and represents a living
monument to this country's heritage. More
dedicated owners and breeders around the world
are discovering this jewel of a horse each year.
Credits:
Author Heinz Reusser has been an owner and breeder of Peruvian Paso horses
for fifteen years. Updates by Donna Bearer,
editor of Peruvian Digest Magazine |
