The Paso Fino is a horse with a rich history. It has a unique island heritage and a very distinct gait. Today the Paso Fino has gained popularity in all corners of the world, yet most still maintain the gaited movement and look of their past.

The Paso Fino originated on the Caribbean Islands and Spain. There are two distinguished types of Paso Fino. The first is the Colombian, and it is known for being the more powerful of the two. The second is the Puerto Rican Paso Fino, and it is known for being the more delicate in both its movements and appearance.

The Paso Fino is known for its ambling gait. In terms of a horse’s movement, an ambling gait refers to a four beat gait that is faster than a walk. However the act of ambling is about the speed of the trot, yet smoother and better suited for traveling long distances and moving over rocky terrain. In the case of the Paso Fino, the gait is characterized into three different speeds. The slowest of the Paso Fino’s gaits is the Paso Fino itself. Next is the Paso Corto, and the fastest gait is the Paso Largo.

The Paso Fino is a smaller horse, even dropping into the pony range of heights. Typically the Paso Fino stands 13.2 to 15.2 hands tall. Along with their short height, they are a slender horse. However do not let their size fool you. They are in fact very strong and hardy horses, and well suited for endurance and carrying riders. The Paso Fino comes in any color coat.

Today the Paso Fino is popular not just in the Caribbean, but around the world. They are particularly popular within the Western riding disciplines. Many Paso Finos are very successful show horses, but many are just as popular as pleasure or trail horses.