The Paso Fino is a unique, gaited breed known for its beauty and spirited temperament. These horses are compact and muscular with long, flowing manes and tails and are most noted for their naturally-occurring gaits. In the show ring, horses in performance and pleasure classes demonstrate the Paso Corto, a smooth, four-beat gait, and the Paso Largo, a similar but faster gait. The highest level of show-ring performance for the breed is the Fino division. These horses perform the Classic Fino, a highly collected gait with very fast footfalls but minimal forward motion.
Watch as trainer Ricky Mendoza of Quinta Chiappetta Paso Finos in Shelbyville, Ky demonstrates the gaits with Milagra, a Fino mare, and Campeon CQ, a performance stallion.