# Paso Fino Trouble



## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

alright so this lady is having me ride her paso and he sometimes gaits and sometimes doesn't she said that (sadly) he's gotten worse from my riding him. She wants me to continue and tried to help me some but I just don't know that much about riding paso finos. I have some questions for you.


alright she has me ride him in a fairly harsh bit where I would much rather ride in a snaffle. She said that I would DIE if I rode him in a snaffle because Paso's have too much energy and are powerful......Uh, They ride TB and WB and Arabs in snaffles. I dont think it would be that bad. Is It? (keep in mind I am only going to ride in what the owner feels comfortable in me riding with.)

What kind of head set do I want while riding the paso?

When they start trotting how do I bring them back down to the pace?

Thanks for any questions you can answer!


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## Spirithorse (Jun 21, 2007)

Well, I don't know much about gaited breeds, but I can tell you that if the owner says you will DIE without using that harsh bit then I wouldn't be riding that horse. Obviously there are major issues that need to be worked out. This is just me, but I refuse to ride horses with harsh bits, martingales, tie downs, etc. because I won't be the one who subjects the horse to that. Hopefully someone else will be able to help you out! lol


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## GallopAway (May 28, 2007)

I don't know a whole lot about Paso's, as I've never owned one, but I've been on them before.

Maybe you could go back and do some ground work. What gaits are you trying to get the horse to do? 

Maybe you could do some lungeing or ground driving, that way you could look at the horses gaits, get the owners help, see what's good/bad about the gaits, etc.

Maybe you could try the snaffle while doing some ground work.


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## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

I do some ground work with the paso but I don't like too to much because I tend to want them to run around etc. and the thing is that he will start trotting and not pace, the owner wants him to learn to pace (that is the paso's gait correct?) because once a paso starts trotting then its hard to get them to pace again. Its easiest for me to get him to pace undersaddle. 

She also once me too jerk on the rein and pop his head up everytime he starts trotting then bring him down to a walk and Try pacing again. By popping his head up then appearently he will push more from behind and pace. 

if it's more comfortable for a paso to trot then is the gait really all that natural?!?!


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## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

I promise I'm not the idiot talking....... :roll: uh, I guess I cant lie too well.....At least I know that its idiotic, maybe you should just turn your sound off. Well this was a while back before I even had permission to ride tango, lol. ( she told us to ride him just once a while back and I happened to have my camera.) Sarah happened to ride him in a snaffle that day just grabbing one of our bridles instead of using hers....In the clip I Say "watch sarah die..." I think now that thats exactly what the owner said, "YOU WILL DIE!" lol. Sarah and I said that jokingly though where you really will die...ha, don't make me laugh.


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## GallopAway (May 28, 2007)

I don't think Paso's pace. They can do a normal two beat trot and the 2 beat lateral pace, but that's not usually what you want the Paso to do, I don't think. The gait is natural to them, but like any other horse, gaited or not, it has to be tuned and perfected.

From what I understand, they have 3 basic "trotting" gaits. The classic fino, the corto, and the largo. All the gaits are a four - beat gait.

The classic being the most collected, with very rapid footfall and not much forward motion. I think it's supposed to be the most difficult gait for the Paso to do.

The corto is the medium fastest gait, with more forward motion than the classic fino.

And the largo is the fastest, with the most forward motion.

I can't really tell from the video if he gaits or not. It looks like he might for a few steps.

After doing a little research, this is what I understand - 

A Paso gaits easier by litghtening the forehand an engaging the hind-quarters. So, sometimes people can make small mistakes that make it a little more difficult for the horse to gait.

Like saddle placement - Some people put the saddle to far forward on the horses shoulders. Just putting the saddle a few inches back or re-adjusting your wieght can help them gait better.

Another is that people ask the Paso to carry it's head to low. They should have their head up and be breaking at the poll. They should have their head tucked in a vertical position. 

I think this is generally along the lines of how the paso's head-set should look, although it will probably be a bit different for every horse, to suit that particular horse best. - 

http://www.pasoregistry.com/images/oscuroA.jpg

And here's a short video clip of a Paso stallion, doing (I think) the classic fino gait, just to give you an idea of head-set, how the horse gaits, etc. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6xm3yNbBkY

And another short video clip of a Paso Stallion. He's seems like a nice stallion. Ceritanly nice to look at, lol. And there are some nice shots of him gaiting in the video. -  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXsF-mo2QeU&mode=related&search= 

Just as kind of a side note for the above video - "Brio" isn't a gait or anything. It's a Spanish word that means something along the lines of, " spirit".


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## giget (May 24, 2007)

iv never seen Paso's at all (i dont no if there are many in australia) but that first stallion video looked a bit strange!!!! :lol:


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## GallopAway (May 28, 2007)

giget said:


> iv never seen Paso's at all (i dont no if there are many in australia) but that first stallion video looked a bit strange!!!! :lol:


Yes, sometimes their gaits do look/make them look a bit odd, especially if it's not what your used to seeing.

I thought it looked a little different the first time I saw one. And then I got to ride one and WOW. I didn't care that the gaits looked different. It was definately the smoothest horse I'd ever been on, lol.

If I had more room and money, I'd buy a Paso in a heartbeat. :]


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## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

They are very smooth, the video I had above we really didn't focus on him gaiting with us. I will get another one where I am doing everything the owner told me to do. He definitly does want to trot. I will also have a video of riding her other paso that does gait very well.


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## kristy (Dec 8, 2006)

There are too many things to really begin with here.
Honestly, I wouldn't ride the horse. I think the owner is a TAD clueless.
If you are absolutely set on riding this horse, which I think is a horrid idea, then I will continue. Let me know.


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## barnrat (Jan 1, 2007)

Fortunately my last ride was a lot better. He gaited well for me and I even have videos, I will have them up as soon as I can ( may be Monday ) Sarah didn't do that well filming me, so it really sucks. But you know, whatever. 

I haven't had a chance to get on him today but did yesterday...

Unfortunately the owner had a friend that came out and rode this horse in the outdoor arena and all this friend of hers did was run him around, gallop and canter. So know I need to work with a horse that is almost afraid to go out into the outdoor arena! I think I may let that be for the owner to handle when she gets back on the sixteenth and I will work in the indoor. what do you guys think?


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## Tessa Bear (May 15, 2007)

omg please stop riding this horse!! hes not dangerouse, its just that my guesse you guy don't understand this breed, i am trying to be very nice, but unless you know the breed you have no reason to ride them. he isen't crasy he has Brio, its breed into them! pasos do not pace, and if you make them and or teach them it ruins them. paso much like peruvian pasos (thats what i have) are born (if they are pure bred) gaiting, they are one of the only breeds in the world that gait naturally. he isen't gaiting properly b/c you are riding him in the wrong saddle, and in the wrong position. if you can't get a paso saddle, then ride him bareback b/c you are restricting his range of motion making it very hard for him to gait. you must give them their head. please do not try playing the 7 games w/ him, as it honestly ruin him. i have seen many a paso ruined from going around in circles. they are very very diffrent from a normal horse. please aim me and we can talk about this. you have my aim (i'm hard to handel42---you know from pinedell) i am sry if this sounds harsh, but you will ruin this horse if you continue riding him w/o understanding the breed. i hope to talk to you soon!


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## Bourbon St. (May 25, 2007)

The first thing I would like to comment on is the Paso owners knowledge on the Paso breed and ways of riding them.The Paso Fino's head must be elevated, but never jerk their head or any other horse's head.The Paso's head needs to break at the poll, and be the highest point of the neck so that the head begins to tuck down into the proper head carriage.Sometimes if the head isn't set right, weight is redistributed forward and can interfere in the Paso properly engaging the hindquartersto acheive the propulsion necessary to remain the gait.Another reason the Paso could be breaking its gait is the saddle could be too far forward and restricting the movement range of the Paso's shoulder, but the owner should have her horse ridden in a paso saddle, not western or any type of english saddle.Snaffle bits arent usually used on Pasos.They are usually started in a Paso bosal,it can help keep the Pasos mouth light, which is similar to a western side pull. Paso Finos are lively horses that have a natural drive and willingness, known colloquially as "brio", and generally a nice disposition.The Paso's natural, even, four beat amblinggait that can be performed at varying speeds. The classic fino is a collected gait with rapid footfall that covers little ground but is showy. The paso corto is a moderate gait good for trail riding, and the paso largo is a fast gait in which the horse can reach speeds equivalent to a canter or slow gallop. The quality of the gait varies from one horse to the next.
Not to be harsh, I know this isn't your fault, but if you haven't been taught to ride the Paso breed you could be requesting the Paso to trot.You should have a trainer teach you to ask for the gait properly.


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## cristy (Jul 21, 2007)

OK. First of all, you are not going to ruin a Paso Fino by riding them in circles, or troting, or cantering them or doing anything else you would do with any other horse. They only pace when something is wrong, the rider, the saddle, ect. it is not a natural paso gait. 

Bourbon st pretty much nailed it except...

We start all our Pasos in a snaffle bit, it keeps them soft in the mouth and flexible. It is a good step between the bosol and the spoon bit.

Pasos respond best to dressage type riding, they need to be able to collect themselves properly and round their backs to gait properly. 

If it were me I would stick this guy in a bosol a snaffle bit and a dressage saddle. ( it does not HAVE to be a paso saddle, they work well in dressage saddles and Aussie stock saddles, and reining or endurance saddles 9for the western wanna be's) 

the video footage is not very good so I cannot see what is wrong but my guess is you just are not riding him like a Paso fino. sorry.


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