CONFORMATION

PASO FINO CONFORMATION

The Paso Fino is born with a unique gait that differs from other gaited breeds. His way of going  is piston like,  driven from his very powerful rear engine.  The conformation of this little work horse is perfectly designed to carry weight and size comfortably.   His carriage , grace and elegance seems to transmit to the observer that this horse knows his 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 unequalled comfort and smoothness for the rider.

The Paso Fino is has much to offer in its design alone.  With such a balanced conformation, this boxy and well-proportioned power horse can carry a rider more than 3 times its weight.  The horse carries its rider up steep mountainsides and carefully down the other side with balance and security.   This balance is directly related to the build and conformation of the breed. It also has everything to do with the movements that make up their gait. The Paso pulls his rear end carriage up underneath himself to support him and any weight he may be carrying. Since their steps are so short relative to other breeds, there is no rocking motion caused by great extension of stride.  A 14-hand Paso Fino can usually carry more weight comfortably, over a far greater distance, than a 16 or 17-hand quarter, TB, or other larger breeds.  Much the same as a burro on mountain trails, the Paso Fino moves along with the same symmetry and balanced with or without a rider.  The breed works with his legs underneath the body rather than extending their legs out in front or behind as any taller or longer backed breed would do.  Without the extension of the front and back legs you have a ride without movement of the croup and shoulder and a smooth ride.
 

General Appearance
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 face.

Neck gracefully arched, medium in length and set on at angle to allow high carriage, breaking at the poll.  Throatlatch 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.

Legs: Straight with refined bones and strong, well-defined tendons. Broad, long forearms with shorter cannons. Thigh and gaskins are strong and muscled, but not exaggerated. Standing slightly under in the rear is typical. 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: 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: 13 to 15.2 hands with 13.3 to 14.2 being the most typical. Weight from 700 to 1100 lbs. Full size may not be attained until the fifth year.
Color: Every equine color can be found, with or without white markings.

Disposition: An extremely willing horse that truly seems to enjoy human companionship and strives to please. Spirited and responsive under tack; sensible and gentle at hand.

Hindquarters: Croup is slightly sloping with rounded hips, broad loins, and strong hocks. Tail is carried gracefully when horse is in motion.

The Paso Fino is a horse for all seasons, a horse for all climates, and a horse for diverse purposes. From the Florida Keys to the Pacific Northwest and, and from Hawaii California to New England, Eastern Canada, Puerto Rico, Colombia, and Europe, the Paso Fino demonstrated its remarkable versatility not just in the show ring, but on competitive trail and endurance rides, in dressage work, rodeo, gymkhana, and back at the ranch working cattle. And he does it all with a gait that provides unparalleled comfort for the rider. The energy-efficient Paso Fino, with its unexcelled versatility, and unique comfort for the rider, opens a New World for horse lovers.


The Paso Fino is a naturally stylish horse. A good Paso Fino has a refined head, a long, proudly carried neck, and overall good saddle conformation. Mane, tail and forelock are kept as long, full and luxurious as nature can provide. Although not as large as some breeds, he can carry a large rider comfortably for an extended period of time. His legs and feet are exceptionally tough and many Paso Fino's need no shoeing. There is no predominant color as all equine colors may be found. Paso Fino's are a flashy, all-around, intelligent mount with the bonus of continuous comfort for the rider. While the Paso Fino's great spirit is evident under saddle, his disposition allows even beginners to ride with ease.


Size to Rider:  Most breeds follow a 20% rule for weight of rider to weight of horse.  The conformation of the Paso Fino with it's short coupling allows the horse to carry larger riders and more weight  than other  smaller breed horses.  Our riders are taught to ride in balance with their horses and the confromation of the Paso Fino does a great deal to assist the larger man or women enjoy their riding experience. 

"FINE STEP""Fine Step"
Rancho Toledano Paso Finos  Penn Valley, California  pasofinos@ranchotoledano.com