Buying a Paso Fino Horse by Tara Tobon

The Paso Fino Horse is an exciting horse that many people are attracted to because of the smooth ride, which comes from the natural gait. In addition, these horses are smaller than other breeds, so they are easier to mount and dismount. They have wonderful, charming personalities and are very tractable. However, the Paso Fino has more spirit (called brios) than many other breeds, so they require a different riding style than many people are used to. Some buyers come from other breeds and some buyers are new to horse ownership altogether. This article is based on our years of helping people find horses and helping people sell horses they never should have bought. I hope it provides some insight before you buy.

Paso Fino horses have many uses and there are bloodlines and temperaments for all levels of riders. They are a fantastic family horse, excel in the show ring and are very smooth and sure-footed for the trail and their heart rate returns to normal quickly for endurance. You must first decide on the intended use of your horse before you make a purchase. Show and competition horses require continual conditioning and training, just like any athlete. Recreational horses also need to be in shape for the style of riding you plan to do. A weekly three hour trail ride is difficult on a horse that only is ridden on that day.  Drill team requires a horse with natural athleticism and a calm disposition to handle maneuvers and crowds. Many people want to buy a horse they can show and also trail ride or use for recreational events. If you wish to be competitive in the show ring, this is a tall order for any horse.

First and foremost, learn how to ride a Paso Fino. They are gaited and may be different than you are used to, so learn before you buy. Most breeders can offer some sort of introduction to riding or can refer you to a professional trainer or instructor. Even as a professional myself, when I met Carlos and first rode a Paso Fino, I was a disaster. My years on trotting breeds developed my seat and aids differently than was required for gaiting breeds and it took me several rides before I learned to adjust my seat, balance and cues. Even though I considered myself an expert rider, I was a beginner on this new breed. Paso Fino horses are generally trained to direct rein and not neck rein, so this is another area where we see people need to learn "the buttons" of the breed before they buy. Taking the time to learn about the breed and how they feel and how they are trained and ridden will be well worth it in the long run.

You must be honest with yourself about your riding ability, regardless of the breed of horse you buy. It seems that many people buy more horse than they can ride. The smooth gait of the Paso Fino leads people to believe it is easier to ride, but it is still a horse with a mind of its own and its natural spirit can be intimidating to a rider who suddenly finds themselves alone with more horse than they can handle! Everyone wants a flashy, showy horse and this is behind many people's decision to purchase more horse than their riding level warrants. MYTH: I want to buy a horse that can teach me to be a better rider. TRUTH: The horse will not teach you to be better on its own. Working with a professional on a regular basis on that horse will teach you a lot, but if you take a horse home that you cannot handle, what you will be taught is that the horse will quickly figure out that you do not have the skill to control it and will take advantage of you. Horses are creatures of flight and without a confident rider, a timid horse turns to fear. A dominant horse takes charge. Either way, the rider is not in control. Buy a horse for your skill level. If and when you improve, you can sell this horse and buy a more challenging horse. MYTH: I want to buy a foal I can raise and grow with. TRUTH: You do not know what your foal will be under saddle until the foal is of age to break to ride. This is a long wait for an unknown, so be sure you have a trainer to work with and incorporate the cost of raising the baby and sending it for training into your budget (see my Costs of Horse Ownership article). Just because your foal is easy to handle on the ground, does not mean it will be easy to ride. Many easy foals, when time comes for saddle breaking, resent suddenly being broke to ride and asked to work, so be sure if you do choose this route, you raise that foal to respect you and not just pet and play with it. Raising a foal of your own can be rewarding, just be sure you are not biting off more than you can chew and be sure your riding is good enough to handle a young, green horse when the time comes. MYTH:  I want to buy a mare this way I can get my money back out of breeding her. TRUTH: Mares are great - we all love them. But mares come into heat every 21 days and some can have behavioral changes with the hormone cycles. I have a friend who has an outstanding riding mare that is perfect in every way, but when she comes in heat she is desperate to be bred and sits on posts, gates, feeders and troughs. Her cycles last for no less than ten days and she leaves a path of destruction in her wake. If your mare has behavioral issues that make riding her a challenge, be aware it is likely she will pass these on to her foal, so do not think that breeding is a way to recoup your investment in a horse that is too difficult to ride. An article in Practical Horseman Magazine many years ago warned "If you don't enjoy riding your mare, you likely won't enjoy riding the foal."  Another acquaintance who breeds dogs always says, "The gene pool has no lifeguard on duty - enter at your own risk." In addition, see my article on Costs of Horse Ownership for what it will cost you to raise and train the foal.

When you buy a horse, it is always best to have a professional that you trust assist you, so that they can evaluate the horse as well. Try to ride several horses for comparison of the way each one feels. Some horses are smoother than others, so comparing several lets you know where each falls in this spectrum to ensure you can spend countless hours in the saddle on the horse. Try to put the "picture" of your perfect horse out of your mind and focus on how the horse behaves and responds to you. If you are hung up on the looks of the horse, then are you prepared to keep the horse as a "pasture ornament" to just look at, if it turns out you can't ride it when you get it home? Most people answer 'no' to this question, but are more concerned with how the horse looks or what color it is than how the horse behaves!  Be sure you ride the horse you plan to buy and test it in all scenarios you may use that horse. If the seller will give you a trial period, take the horse and see if you can live with it on the daily basis and how it responds to new surroundings. Horses can behave well in an area they are used to and be a completely different horse when they "leave home". This is no fault of the seller, but a fact about horses. Be prepared to sign an agreement that if anything happens to the horse when in your care, that you are responsible (you break it, you buy it).

Ask questions about the horse's history: did the seller breed and raise the horse or did they buy it or is it being brokered "on consignment"? The more you know about the horse's background, the better. Understand the horse's training - did it have a single trainer or has it changed hands and training systems multiple times? Is the horse trained in a system that you are comfortable riding? I am a professional myself, but I find some training systems are so different than my own that I have trouble riding a horse trained in that system, even if the horse itself is easy. If you have to have the horse, then be prepared to invest some time and money in lessons to learn the training system. No system is wrong, but they are different and you need to learn the proper way to cue the horse for the way it was trained. If you wish to retrain the horse, understand that this could be a lengthy process. Again, be honest with yourself about your ability.

There is nothing worse than making an investment in a horse that you do not enjoy. Many people who "settle" for a plain horse that is easy to ride end up happier in the end than one who chooses the flashy, difficult horse. Since our main purpose in purchasing a horse is riding it, we generally only see the neck and ears, anyway :-)  As your riding ability improves, you can upgrade to a flashier horse. It will be easier to sell the horse you have outgrown than the horse you never could grow into!