Peruvian Paso.ORG

Some buy Peruvians for their grace, style, mystique and beauty. For them, these horses are living art. However, Peruvians participate successfully in some "bruising" activities, and they eliminate the bruising. Furthermore, these smooth-riding, levelheaded beauties make inexperienced riders look great!

Many Peruvian Paso owners, such as Tammy Rimes, dreamed of horses when they were youngsters and then got busy with other things. By the time they started thinking about horses again, they were far enough into their lives that they weren’t willing to overlook horseback riding’s strenuous and painful side.

"When I rode my first gaited horse," Tammy remembers. "It was so comfortable that I decided to look a little closer at several gaited breeds. My search led me to Peruvian Pasos. They were the smoothest of all, but what sold me was the spirit – or brio, as it’s called – combined with such a sweet temperament."

Tammy knew that a lifetime with Peruvian Pasos would mean a lot of time spent with their owners, so she decided to take in a Peruvian show before she took the plunge.

"I found that not only were the horses everything I’d hoped for, but the people are very helpful and eager to share information, something I hadn’t experienced in other competitive show atmospheres."

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The smooth ride of the Peruvian horse was a revelation to Rose Walker even though she’d ridden gaited horses most of her life. At 79 years of age, she now rides nothing but Peruvians, often on long outings. When people tell her how remarkable she is, Mrs. Walker is embarrassed. After all, her 100-year-old mother sometimes accompanies her on another Peruvian.

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Colleen Cates uses Peruvians to follow her dogs during field trials.

"My friends thought the Pasos wouldn’t be able to keep up," she recalls. "I’m happy to say that not only do they keep up, but I have to hold them back! They perform beautifully. The field conditions don’t faze them at all, and what style they have! They’ve gained everyone’s respect."

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Dave Leewaye knows that Peruvians will never put Quarter Horses out of work. Nonetheless, he and his fifteen-year-old Peruvian gelding compete successfully in team penning. Five years ago, neither Dave nor his horse had ever worked a cow. Since then, they’ve reached the top third of their classification in California’s San Diego County. That isn’t bad considering that Dave is a retired educator – not a cowboy.

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Others buy Peruvians to extend their riding days. Among these are people like Jeannie Sullivan, who have painful diseases or injuries and were told by doctors that their riding days were over. Jeannie changed to another doctor and bought a Peruvian Paso.

"Now my back feels better when I ride than it does when I don’t," she insists with fierce conviction, "not to mention my new outlook on life!"

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Linda Garro can sympathize. She has chronic arthritis in her spine and hips, which forced her to give up her favorite activity, foxhunting. Nonetheless she foxhunts on her Peruvian Paso. Linda doesn’t pretend the Peruvian Paso is the best possible choice for this activity; but for her, it’s the only choice. She can either ride a Peruvian or give up the sport.

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Dianne Bickford was intrigued by the beauty and mystique of Peruvians and now breeds them for the show arena. However, she hasn’t forgotten that they are horses, and she doesn’t baby them. She has ridden her National Champion of Champions stallion in the wilds of Colorado, Montana and Wyoming.

"One year, we were way back in Yellowstone Park," she remembers, "where we could hear elk bugling. You don’t usually see stallions in places like that. People are always astounded that mine behaves so well. Absolutely nothing fazes him."

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Canadians Marian Taylor and Joyce Wallbridge were so green that they finished dead last on Peruvians in their first competitive trail ride. Determined not to let that happen again, Marion won the Lightweight and Joyce the Heavyweight Division in both of their next two rides.

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In their first endurance race, a fifty-miler, Joan Box and Tempie Butler were so obviously inexperienced that the ride manager asked them to hold their horses to one side at the start so the other 40 riders could go ahead. As the race went along, Tempie caught and passed all but five of those riders, and Joan caught her share, too, finishing 12th. Not only that, but Tempie’s horse was judged to be in 4^th best condition among all finishers.

After that, one competitor good-naturedly groused: "I think the Peruvians and their riders should have to go back out and ride at least another hour. It’s only fair. The horses aren’t tired, and neither are the riders!"

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Ruth Riegel was in the same boat when she entered her 10-year-old show gelding in his (and her) first NATRC ride. Ruth won the Novice Division. Afterwards, a disgruntled competitor demanded to know what she was doing in that particular division with such a seasoned trail horse.

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Renee Been moved her Peruvian ahead of a grateful lady whose horse was terrified by passing semi-trucks where an NATRC trail briefly followed a highway shoulder. Renee’s calmer horse steadied the other until the trail veered away from the highway.

"You’re lucky to have such an experienced horse," the lady said afterwards, with a sigh of relief.

"I didn’t bother to tell her that my horse had been under saddle for all of seven months and that this was only her second NATRC ride," Renee recalls. "If she’d never been around Peruvians, she wouldn’t have believed it anyhow."

Incidentally, Renee’s mare won second place.

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Peruvian horses mean different things to different people. But there are few, if any, who would disagree with the notion that this is a natural breed, unspoiled by man. That’s the way the owners and breeders want to keep it.

by Verne R. Albright

PERUVIAN PASO FAQ'S

Paso Term of the Week

Palangana

Applied to horses that are very handsome and harmonious in their movement; arrogant.

Equine Dictionary

Hoofcare Dictionary

Spanish Dictionary

Spanish Pronunciation Tips

Ranches & Haciendas

Outta Line Ranch - Groesbeck

4-Beat Farms - Fredricksburg

Twin Creek Ranch - Wills Point

Ranchito Sereno - Weimar

Silver Creek Ranch - Grapeland

Hacienda Hoierman - Terrell

Black Horse Trading Company - Springtown

Rancho de la Artista - Royse City

Green Oaks Peruvians - Arlington

Little Bit of Heaven - Collinsville

Rancho Mi Cielo - DD - Lakehills

Diamond W Ranch - Lone Oak

Rancho del Lago - McDade

La Hacienda Los Robles - Ft.Worth

Carousel Acres - College Station

Cochran Corral - Caldwell

LJB Ranch - Tupelo,OK

HorseTopia - Peruvian Paso

Equine Hits - Peruvian Paso

Dream Horse - Peruvian Paso

Just a little TL_

Do you get excited when you see a yellow rose. Do you tingle when you hear "Deep in the Heart of Texas". Are you proud to live in the Lone Star State. Well then you can certainly appreciate the Texas Ladies Aside Drill Team. If you are a native Texan it has to hit a chord anytime you see this elite group of ladies do their stuff. If you are a Texan at heart then it does not take a whole lot of explaining why this group is special. They are just another special facet on a jewel called Texas and help distinguish why Texas is great. It is sad that not more Texans know about these Texas Equitation Ambassadors. That is why they need your donations to help support their efforts and defray expenses. These ambassadors of Texas and the Peruvian breed often pay travel expenses out of their own pocket. Please support their efforts with a donation of any amount as they continue the legend and mystique that is as big as Texas.

Paso Dobles Exhibition Team