The new trend of fino offspring is to show how fast they are

[Pasofinoguy]

At a very young age. I see it more and more on another site. Now, who thinks that the speed of a foal will be the same when the foal is grown and undersaddle.

[SandyMM]

And we wonder why "World' and 'Grand' Champions are getting younger and younger? I wonder what the age trend is before a horse is 'retired'?

[Brigitte]

I don't think at a young age it will be the same, not the shortness, they're foals, young and sometimes nervous around news stuff which will cause them to be quicker and walk with shorter strides. JMHO

[Cindy]

How about an option for there are many different factors to look at when evaluating a foal. Foot speed is only one such factor.

[CarolU]

Well, judging by what is said on another board that we will not name, speed is ALL that maters, doesn't even mater if it's Fino.

I am TOTALLY against this "breed for speed" mentality - at the cost of all else, consistency, evenness, smoothness. To me, this is as bad Bad BAD for our breed, as breeding for speed ONLY on the other end of the scale; Largo - or andadura or singlefoot...or whatever is fastest.

There is no difference in my eye to the bastardization done to our breed, as the original purpose of importing Paso Finos to this country was for "the World's Smoothest Pleasure Horse"

JMO, but we should get rid of ALL classes and just have a wine glass class.

[Pasofinoguy]

Yes there is alot of things to look at when viewing a foal. But the videos i am talking about and i am not saying anything bad or good about them do not have the foals standing still to judge legs or looks. The video just shows the foals going around on sidewalks or in circles. Speed speed speed. I would agree that if the videos showed the foal standing still and then the video camera going around the foal showing legs, back, and head. Then i would have had that in my poll.

[Cindy]

Again, there are many things to look at while the foal is in motion other than quickness.

and more than half won't show that speed under saddle :D

I saw a video of Criadero La Luisa a while back all the fillys and colts were "parked" .... well..... none of those did as well in the show ring.

Its nice to own a fino filly or colt but that feeling wont be the same till the horse is 'reborn' in the trainer's hands.

[Abejita]

is this really a new trend? There are stallion promo videos here that were sent to the Boss back in the early to mid 90's that all they show are the foals on the pole gaiting..plus some stallion footage

[Carol Nelson]

Nah...this isn't a new trend...how many of us have bought older Pasos only to find that all they know how to do is gait like madmen up and down a fenceline??? I have a 21 year old mare that they told me had been in one trail ride...they had to put her behind the lunch wagon to keep her from gaiting away... (they were proud of this... :roll: ) I finally got her to flat walk...now unfortunately her hocks are shot and she is unrideable (due to injuries but I always wonder if the reason they gave out so easily was because of her go-go-go).
We went to ride another mare for a client one day...and again, all this mare knew how to do was gait - gait - gait up and down the fence. Head her out into the open pasture and you could see the poor dear didn't know what to do and was so confused at the open boundaries.
I could go on and on...time and again, I see Pasos like this. I KNOW a lot of you have some out there.
Seems to me that that's all that many trainers teach these Pasos to do...without a thought of what goes into their heads. My biggest beef with trainers I guess. My hope is to produce here a nice steady calm tractible trail Paso Fino, and teach them the ropes to stay that way.

[Pasogirlz]

I have spoken to several owners/trainers of some great horses that said their horses really hit their prime for speed around 8. That they seemed to really start cooking around that age even better than before. 8-)

[Pasofinoguy]

I do think there looks do carry on into there adult years. I believe that you cant tell what there action will be though, like how high they pick up there front and back feet. As far as speed i dont think it carries on. I have heard that slow footed foals turn out to be fast and the other way around. I had a colt who was fast as a foal but when undersaddle lost the speed as he gained action. I would love to have seen the top fino mares and stallions as foals to see if there is anything that will give a clue as to there future.

[DebbieS]

Don't know much about this subject - BUT....

Adam, are you in South Dakota???

[AprilH]

I find this subject so fascinating since I just had my first foal born back in February. I have seen such a variety of newborns these past few months and can't wait to follow them through the next few years. Some have very "low" hands and are quick, some step high and some just look like they are trotting smooth. Some are quiet and seem to think before reacting and some are quick and flighty. My filly seems very ordinary to me as far as I can tell. She has a quiet way about her and is always watching everything that goes on. Her gait seems like nothing special and she likes to run full speed ahead and stop 2 inches from the fence (gets my heart racing!) Her mom has incredible manners and is hot under saddle but quiet on the ground. The filly acts just like her Mom on the ground, she leads everywhere at whatever speed you ask, stands tied very well, never bites or kicks, stands still for grooming, always excited to see me - I keep waiting for her to grow horns!!

I'm trying to make up my mind who to breed my mare to in a couple of months and it is a hard decision, right now Delirio de Valparaiso is in the lead.

I would like to hear more from you that have "home grown" babies and how they evolved in gait, etc.

My "little lady":
http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f333/aprphotos/alegria.jpg

[CarolU]

She's a doll April!!!! I hope she stays JUST that adorable!!!

[LynnG]

That's a pretty cute filly!

[Tami Pinell]

I have seen some of the videos (imported) and it is popular to see a very quick foal as a ego boost for a stallion promotion but I can tell you as a breeder that seeing a quick foal does not mean you have a fino adult.... one of my quickest mares was sold young as a pleasure speed mare, then went into training with a very well known trainer whom stated she was performance, she came to me and was trained to show and win in fino..... so don't think that you will have a fino if it is quick at 12 months - there is a world of other genetic traits that go into it - speed is only one.
The reason speed is a hot topic is because it is not well know on how to get it when breeding. The thought would be - breed fino and very quick to fino and very quick and you will have it (sorry!!).... when folks that breed finally figure it out, they do not tell - they do it. That is why there are some very sought after names is the paso lines. My only dislike for the "want to breed fino" is that there are a lot of people out there that do not understand how to get it, they own nice horses, some own 'really nice' horses so they breed - they get what I call the "middle of the road" paso.... the one that will not make it to Nationals and win but does not have what it takes to be "great" at the back yard level either..... You all know what I'm saying. These are the pasos that are harder to sell, harder to convert to something they were not quite bred for, and these to me - take the fun out of training..... some gait well, some do not, some have to be highly collected, some have no brain..... and since there are really only 2 types of owners - show or pleasure - those poor horses have it rough. I don't know too many "middle of the road" paso people.....

[Cindy]

Very well said, Tami. Many people forget to breed for the WHOLE horse.

[NAtlanta]

AMEN Tami!!! I love what you had to say. I totally agree. Breeding is as much an art as science and it takes a good long study to really get the right techniques. Even then, there are no sure things. Great post!

Tami - most of what you are saying is true BUT there are fino mares that will produce more fino offsprings than any other one. MUST BE A NATURAL FINO THOUGH. Theres those "fino" mares that only fino because they are pushed really hard to do so. While there are other ones you just get on them and fino WITHOUT a bit or touching the reins.

The theory is nice to believe but its not necesarily going to happen.

Another nice topic to talk about is fully related offsprings (same sire and dam) ;-)

[Pasogirlz]

right now Delirio de Valparaiso is in the lead
If I were you...I'd keep that thought in my head. ;-) He is awesome under saddle and his offspring that I have seen are VERY promising. 8-)

[AprilH]

Lori - I got to be around Delirio for a day while he was at a farm in NC. His whole demeanor, total quietness under saddle, conformation, etc. is sooooo nice! And yes, his offspring looks great, from 3 months to 23 months and I'm anxious to see how they look as 3 and 4 year olds.

His owner is very nice and it was nice to see him "spoiling" the stallion the way all of us A/O do our own horses!!