Speedy pasos

[PasoPerson38]

Hey
I just had to tell you guys!
This morning my barn went on a "holiday trail ride". It was a gorgious morning and around 60 degrees.
I was riding my trainers fino gelding, well he is retired from showing cause he is 16. Anyway, we got to a stretch were we all usually race.
There is this one lady who has a quarter horse mare....who she says is the fastest. So we were just largoing along and she was just ahead with her mare. Then she started to really push her quarter horse...and so I released the beast!! Man we were on that mare in a few feet and passed her in a stride. The look on her face was priceless, she could not believe that a paso fino beat her quarter horse.
Just had to share!! Anyone else have a fast paso?

[Pam M]

Yes! I don't know about under saddle but both of my pasos (one is 7 mos. old) can keep up with my QH cross who is incredibly fast! His first trainer wanted him to race barrels but I'm just not into that. I think the only reason the pasos don't pass him is because he's dominant over them. These three are far faster than any of the other horses here (QH's, App, Mustang).

[PasoPerson38]

Isnt that incredible?! Pasos are extreamly short cupled ( hope I spelled that right). WHich may be why they are so quick...but I think its all in their hearts ;-)

[SandyMM]

This is Bronce de Vez (in full winter fluff) - 8 year old son of Sundancer Mako x Diana de Vez... This pic was taken yesterday in the Dawson Forest where he went on his 1st trail ride in over 4 years - in fact, he's barely been under saddle at all in 4 years. Not only did he maneuver the rocky trails, washouts, and climbs/descents, but he showed us several bursts of speed that were amazing, not to mention champagne glass smooth! We are really looking forward to more rides! Unfortunately (ha!), we now have more rideable horses than riders...
http://arrowheadpasofinos.com/Resources/Dawson%20Folder/IMAG0047.JPG

[Beth Worden]

Funny, but I have only known and ridden ONE paso fino mare that was fast at a gallop. Really. Maybe I just gauge speed differently. That is one of the few things I miss when riding pasos is the speed. I loved my icelandics because they REALLY have speed. Sorry, but I just don't find the paso finos or any of the gaited breeds to have that awesome turbo charge. And I've ridden pasos for 25 years and a bunch of them.

[Mellifluous]

That is a very handsome boy that you have there Sandy.

I guess he is really enjoying getting out on the trails and exploring new places with you.

Maybe Lexi and I can join you guys on your next Dawson Forest ride.

[Carol Nelson]

He's adorable! Hey, I love what you're riding him in...looks like a version of our sidepulls...another testimony that Pasos don't have to be ridden in a bit!

[SandyMM]

Maybe Lexi and I can join you guys on your next Dawson Forest ride.

It's exactly 70 miles for us, but well worth the variety in terrain and views... very pretty out there! Tons of shaded parking, although no water or other amenities, so bring your own. $5/person trail fee.

We have really enjoyed our two rides there.

Bronce was ready to go when the pic was snapped, but we rode most of the ride on a loose rein at whatever speed we were going... He's a blast to ride... :D

[PasoPerson38]

Hey
great pic!
lol see it is in their hearts! Sandy your boy was telling you "watch how good I can be! even after some rest I am a champ!" lol gotta love that heart and drive.
Beth- don't know why you have not found that speed that pasos can have :shocked you'll find one, one day that will blow your socks off! ;-)

[Beth Worden]

Pasoperson - I dare say I've ridden/trained many many paso finos and as I said before, there was only one mare that was extremely fast at a gallop. Sorry but that is my experience with them. Now, on the other hand, if I want to cover a lot of ground smoothly and quickly a paso cannot be beat for long distance riding, but for short bursts of speed or one to two mile handgallop race - Nope, not a paso fino's job. Of course there are always exceptions, but I would say they are very few and far between.

[motorgypsy]

We compete riding our paso fino mares in speed events with QH's paints, etc. and have a huge bag full of ribbons with many blues. Our girls are very explosive at a gallop. I rode four different ones and they all did very well. Even better than ours was a Capuchino son ridden by an eighth grade boy who absolutely smoked - 16 second barrel times in a full sized arena and junior high point of the year. That horse was amazing. Great largo too. Our vet told us one of our mares has great conformation for flat track speed. Our girls were best at arena race, hairpin, and texas barrels but were really good at all of them. I'm hoping to do some more speed events this next season. They're limited by their rider, not their ability by the way considering the fact that we're senior citizens. And yes we ride at a flat out gallop. Our girls LOVE to gallop and we do too! GOTTA HAVE SPEED!!!!

[macadoo]

Sorry to dispute you , Beth, but I have one of the fastest horses I've ever ridden...and he's a paso....Exodus de Estaban, (Dusty)...In fact, he's so fast at a gallop that I won't ride him at a gallop...All my younger friends ride him that way...He can pass any horse he's ridden with...Being from the Northeast you may have seen him...My chestnut, Macadoo Tornado (Torey) is almost as fast....Maybe we'll see you at Fonda....

[Beth Worden]

Motor/Macadoo - no dispute. I am just saying that the fast pasos (at a gallop) are few and far between. As I said originally, I have ridden one mare that was incredably fast. She was a rush to ride, however, out of all the pasos I've ridden I can't say that the majority were fast at all. I do not think speed at a gallop is the norm for the breed and something that should be advertised/purported as a common breed characteristic.

I may see you at Fonda. I went last year but most times I am camping and riding on that weekend, but this past year they at least did not have the show on July 4.

And, I envy you two for your speedy pasos!

[halfmoonfino]

Oh yeah! Pitty's the fastest horse I've ever been on, and he's VERY competitive to boot!

[Terri]

Gee Lana, you think maybe you might be just a little biased? hehehehe. I agree with you! Rio often out runs the larger quarter horses and Arabs we ride with. And Erin's little guy, Manito, is just a speed demon. Nobody can keep up with that little 13.2 hand energizer bunny.

[motorgypsy]

Beth I would truly love to ride an Icey. They look like they would give you a real rush!! When we got our paso finos we looked for one to buy but couldn't find one. They are sooo cute but I suspect we'd have to body clip them in the hot and humid southeast since they coat up like our minis.

[cowboy ed]

lana, have you ever ridden a thoroughbred? i have. ;-)

my paso fino gelding starbuck is pretty fast, and he loves to run! he finished top ten in a few 25 mile LD rides. i have ridden him at a gallop for two miles at a stretch. he does pretty good in barrel racing too. head to head, though, he wouldnt have a chance against the average QHs or TBs in a mile long race.

my little trote/galope gelding is fast too. i will put on my gps and get his speed in MPH. i will let you know what he can do.

cowboy ed

[halfmoonfino]

ed, I have ridden several TBs. Unfortunately they were all rather pokey, slow, and uninterested in life. I have never experienced that "thoroughbred energy" that people talk about. Oh well! Guess it's all in the training. So do you think Thoroughbreds are faster than Pasos? I think sometimes Pasos feel faster because their legs move so much faster. Kinda like eggbeaters...I'm sure I'm just a tad biased about my guy :wink: What I really liked was the video of artist's stud galloping. He can MOVE!


Motorgypsies, I have ridden an Icy before. I had always wanted to, and after seeing one beat out some Walkers in a racking show, I was even more interested. That little sucker was cute as a button and FAST. I went to an all-breed gaited horse clinic (without Pitty) and there was a woman there with two Icies. I got to try one out in a new sidepull, but I was not impressed. The horse was sluggish and unresponsive to hand and leg aids. He also trotted instead of gaiting. His trot was nice, though. He was not a tolting horse and supposedly only racked occassionally. I don't really think he was a very god rep for the breed. I did not care for his owner and she did not seem to have traind her horses well. If I get a chance, I'd love to ride a trained Icelandic who gaits sometime. I want to experience their little personalities! I think they are so precious.

These days I'm not into "galloping" much anymore. When I first got Pitty, he was wild and his speed wowed me. I have since learned that walking is my favorite gait, and teaching balance and relaxation is the most valuable thing in our rides. But still, every few months, I'll let him kick it a little. Heck, we have to stay young somehow! :lol:

[Beth Worden]

Ed - thanks for saying what I did not want to say...I am a bit longer in the tooth than some and probably have ridden a few more/different breeds than others coming from a horse trading family. To ride a real Thorobred or QH race horse is not comparable to any of the paso finos I've run. Also, my personal icelandic gelding out ran a QH appendix, a morgan sport horse and anything else I put him up against. When he flipped into a flying pace, believe me it is a rush.

Lana - the icelandic you describe would be eaten in Iceland. They do not keep horses that show no tolt. That is probably what has kept them so well gaited all these years (since 980 AD), but once we Americans get our hands on something then we have to "tweek" it. There are a lot of non-gaiting icelandics for sale in this country. Beware. But then again...there are a lot of non-gaiting paso for sale here too! (wink)

[cowboy ed]

lana, if paso finos were faster than thorougbreds, guess what would be running at belmont park? ;-)

yes, it is the little energizer bunny movement that makes you think you are going faster than you really are. use of an electronic timer or gps is the best way to find out how fast you are really going! cowboy ed

[Pam M]

Gotta agree. I don't think my Pasos or QH could come close to the Anglo-Arab or one of the TB's I used to have. And the Pasos/QH only show short bursts of very fast speed. My Anglo-Arab could run for miles at incredible speeds. And barely break a sweat.

[Mellifluous]

My arabs have always run circles around my pasos in the pasture. When Phoebe and Spirit play, Spirit will let Phoebe get a good head start and then blow by her like she is standing still. The poor thing gives it all she has but Spirit is just faster than she is. I have seen Phoebe hold something that resembles a gait when Spirit is cantering with her but I don't know enough to be sure if she was in true gait or not.

I used to barrel race Lego (pf gelding) for fun and he did pretty well but we were never really a threat to the regulars. He could turn on a dime and being such a little fellow could really warp around the turns but was lacking top end speed compared to the other horses.

[halfmoonfino]

Well then too bad I've only ever ridden poorly trained QH's and TB's. Maybe one day I'll get to ride one that can really kick it. The only TB's I've ever ridden were ractrack rejects who had suffered abuse or been run into the ground from years of hard running. It's sad what happens to so many TB's. I've yet to meet some really fast QH's, but I know they're out there because I see them on TV :razz:

So Pasos are fast, but there are a lot of faster breeds. Personally I have not gotten to ride a horse faster than Pitty yet, but there will be a day. Unfortunately we have a lot of Walkers at my barn, and everyone knows they tend to be...not very fast.

I guess I'm an eager-beaver when it comes to my Paso Finos :D

[Mellifluous]

If you are ever in GA, you can take my Arab mare for a spin - if you are a confident rider. She is pretty fast but you have to watch out for teleporting if she sees anything strange. :lol:

[Boyd R]

I consider Dos to be of average speed. He out runs our Qtr. horse with now problem. One day I was riding the qtr horse in the pasture. I got to the far end and opened him up coming back to the barn. (yes back to the barn, no need for lectures). Dos was running beside us at an angle as if he was side stepping, Kicking, bucking and having a good time. When doing barrels he never opens up. He beats them in the corners. The only time I have felt him reach max speed, once in barrels when he was under 17 seconds. And one day we were racing a thoroughbred. Dos won't pass another horse so not sure if he had any more in the tank. The guy on the TB said he was at 3/4 throttle. So I told him lets take another run and open him up. We did but did not seem faster. 20 minutes later the TB tied up.

Now Porcy she can flat get it. My daughter and I were racing one day, she was on Dos. She took off and Porcy went after her. This was one of my first rides on her so I was a little chicken to what to expect when it came time to stop. We were at a fast canter but not full open. But like any dad I could not let my daughter beat me even if it ment a few bruises so I asked Porcy to open up. She nearly sent me rolling off the back end. We left Dos in her dust. And had come to a complete stop and waited for him to catch up.
Now I havn't been on many fast horses and many say I push the envelope, But I haven't asked her to do that since. It took a while for that rush to settle back to my stomache. But I do plan to barrel race her this year. That is if I can get up the nerve.

[halfmoonfino]

Lol thanks, Lexi. I've heard Arabs can really gun it, but the two Arabs at our barn are rather well-adjusted to life. A few weeks ago my brother and I took the Arabian girls out on a trail ride. My brother went down a really steep hill with Dora, and I was following behind on Poppet. She freaked and started back peddling, so I had to turn around. I told Cole we'd better go back because Poppet was having a heart attack. He came cantering back up the hill on Dora and the girth snapped and the saddle went under her belly. Cole landed in a pile of dirt. Dora took off running back to the barn (only horse I've ever seen ACTUALLY do that). I had to run after her on Poppet...over the river and through the woods, except Poppet is afraid of water, so I had to get off and coax her through it. Now it cracked me up because Dora was loping along at a leisurely pace like always, and Poppet was high tailing her butt through the woods. We never caught up to Dora. Poppet was completely out of breath when we finally found her in the hay field. Just a testimony to how different two horses within a breed can be in the speed department.

I think speed has more to do with conformation than breed. As I said, I've ridden some terribly slow Thouroughbreds. Some Walkers are fast. Some Pasos (like Boyd's) are speed demons. I think because Pasos tend to be of harmonious conformation, many of them can get up to pretty good speeds considering their height. A Quarter Horse or Thouroughbred with harmonious conformation would probably leave them in the dust. But a QH or TB with questionable conformation wouldn't hold a candle. I think it all boils down to the way they're built...much like us humans!

All I can say is that Pitty is fast enough for me, and I have no desire to find anything that can beat him. I'm fine just where I am, and galloping is not where its at for me. ;-)

Btw, great stories BoydR!

[cowboy ed]

a guy once told me he had a racking horse that could "fast rack" 52 MPH!

i asked, "how high was the cliff he fell from? or was he in the trailer?"

[Barbwire]

I used to have a Paint gelding that blew the doors off of any horse we raced. What an ego boost. 8-) I kind of miss his turbo thrust that would litterally throw you up out of the saddle if you weren't ready for it. Yeeee hawww!

Amante is a slow Paso, he can't keep up with the QH's when they take off at a gallop. I get laughed at by my fellow club members as I eat their dust, but I am the one laughing at the end of the day watching them hobble around.

[nmcreel]

I participated in the World Ride and Tie Championships last year with my Paso Mare. At the initial vet check I was told she was too out of condition and this particular vet would have his eye on me to pull her at 11 miles. As we moved into 9th place at 30 of 35 miles a guy on an arabian gelding pushed his horse so hard that it fell trying to keep up with her. At the awards we won special accomodation to Best Condition. Best Condition went to the winning horse.

I'm a very novice rider and I only let her gallop up very steep hills since it feels so fast to me. I've clocked her largo at 18 mph on a GPS and that's way faster than I like to go. Generally I trail ride at an average pace of 6 miles per hour and that's where I feel the most comfortable. Ride now I'm limited to arena riding and we're working on reworking her muscles for better carriage.

Nancy

[Terri]

Welcome to the board Nancy. Your mare sounds great! What is her name? I too prefer a nice pleasure corto but every now and then it is fun to open them up, as long as the foot is safe and your horse is in condition. But other than that 6 mph sounds just about right.

[Trail Rider]

This thread started out talking about galloping and how fast the paso was compared to other breeds. We all know that a gallop and running are different animals. I really to not think you can judge speed on a running horse. You can feel the strides the power and the wind whistling past but that is about all. The horse with the longest stride will be faster that a horse with a short stride if they take the same number of strides. The only way to know which is faster is to time them or to actually race side by side.

I think the paso is pretty much like other breeds. Some are fast and some are not. I also do not think a gallop is any indication of the speed of a running horse. They are 2 different things. Some horses would rather die that let another horse out do them. That is heart and any horse with that competitive spirit will give his all.

I have never been on a running horse that was not smooth regardless of the breed. I am talking about flat out running.

[cowboy ed]

hi nancy, welcome aboard! 18 mph in a largo is a pretty good speed. i have a mare that can do that too. we are doing endurance rides with her.
congrats on your finish at the ride and tie! most folks here probably dont know much about R & T, so why dont you fill them in? cowboy ed

[Beth Worden]

Wow - 18mph (Real clocked time with GPS) is smokin... Nancy, good for you with the ride and tie. It is a great way to compete and stay fit yourself!

Lots of folks will tell you there horse can largo at such and such speed, but when it comes to GPS clocking the truth is told. I had one very fast largo horse who now lives (in all places) Israel!

[Terri]

So that is considered fast for a largo? I thought Largos were up to 22 mph. I once raced a friend's stallion at largo. We largoed neck and neck and she clocked it with some device she had at 19mph. I was kinda dissappointed, I thought we were going faster and when I asked around if that was fast, no one seemed to know.
It is fun, isn't it?

[ErinC]

the device was a GPS she was using, and You guys were flying that is a flast largo, I can not wait to get my largo horse!

I do love to Gallope Manito , thanks Terri! he is fast, I have out run some QH, appy's and Arabs on him! not to mention pasos!
he just kicks it in to gear and flies!
I would love to know how fast we are going! I should borrow that gps thing!

[nmcreel]

Hi all, Ride and Tie is two runners and one horse. My husband is a great trail runner and when I saw the Ride and Tie (www.rideandtie.org) Champs were going to be in Montana last year I went on my horse quest and found "Starlite de Yellowstone" aka Cassidy quite cheap though in poor physical condition due to a drought in eastern Montana. Scott had ridden in his lifetime rarely (actually that's still true), but is a good athlete with a good understanding and feel for animals. I used to run competitively, but really never liked it though I do well when I train. The two runners share the horse and during the course of a race are required to do at least 6 exchanges. The bummer is watching a great horse and a great runner riding off into the distance while you have to slog some miles by foot. Our 8 and 9 year old daughters were our vet crew so it made for a very nice family affair. I had only had Cassidy 4 months when this event happened so she wasn't quite ready to be tied to trees in the woods with happy Arabians galloping past. In other words for 10 miles of the race she was in a terrible temper. After a while we stopped tying her and let her largo as fast as she wanted for 10 miles and her behavior improved considerably. I'm hoping to do some 50 milers with her this year. I think that we'd both have a lot of fun and I wouldn't have to run.

Nancy Creel

[motorgypsy]

To me riding a horse at a flat out run is the biggest rush in the world - and we ride motorcycles also. Chinooks run is like a rail. Brandy though had those really flexy pasterns and leaps and bounds which is really hard to stay on but boy is she fast. She has the superlargo and we've never had her at top speed but noone has passed her in the largo either. We canter and largo in the LD endurance rides. No running or galloping. I do them with a GPS but haven't ever had it with me when we run flat out. I'll have to try it sometime for fun!

[halfmoonfino]

I've only let Pitty flat out "run" a few times...like two or three. It was a blurr and I thought he was goin to hurt himself. It took us like a 1/4 mile to get slowed down to an even canter.

Actually my favorite speed is walking. When I was younger (lol....like 12) I loved to gallop. now I am content to just sit on my horse and smile :D

[Serendipity]

I barrelled races one of my paso gelding did pretty well and have my mare that I'm working on pole bending she's very fast just needs a little work at the stop and turn at the first pole :roll:

[cowboy ed]

ok, guys, ya'll are confusing me a little bit. a running horse is the same as a galloping horse. lope(canter) is not a gallop, but running is. and yes, the best way to tell how fast you are really going, is with gps or an electronic timer.

[Edurne]

I have never seen any of my friends on their exrace thoroughbreds ride any faster than an extended canter. I tell them to get a little horse like Primero and then they can urge their ponies on instead of worrying that they will take off. It's a thrill. But I'm pretty sure that a galloping or running thoroughbred is much faster than Primero. I see it in the field all of the time......Primero bringing up the rear end with the weanlings. now .... if we talk about trot vs largo......

[Terri]

Cowboy Ed wrote:

ok, guys, ya'll are confusing me a little bit. a running horse is the same as a galloping horse.

Oh good, I was wondering the same thing. but didn't want to appear stupid. Was is the difference between a run and an out and out gallop.

[motorgypsy]

Perhaps we're confusing the a "hand gallop", a show gait, with a full gallop or a flat out run.

By the way - a friend was riding her off the track thoroughbred stallion bareback one day when she came to a very round, large pond. She doesn't know what it was about it but her horse took off like a bat out of hades so to speak and ran all the way around that pond full speed. All she could could do was try to stay on. She said it was extremely rough to ride. When he got back to the beginning where he started he immediately slowed so undoubtedly he thought it was a race track. She said it was really wild!!!

[SandyMM]

Canter/lope is a 3 beat gait - well, supposed to be...
Run/gallop is a 4 beat gait with all four feet off the ground at some point.... the great debate - before movies - was whether or not there was a period of suspension in the gallop.... there is.

A hand gallop is a gait required in some classes. If you don't know what a dead run is - watch a quarter horse break from the gates.... if the head is straight out and the topline is flattened... LOL - hang on!

[Terri]

okay, gotcha, that is what I thought.

[Trail Rider]

I always thought that a canter or gallop was a 3 beat gait and the run was 4 beat. I just looked it up and the dictionary does say "1. to rida a horse at a gallop; ride at full speed." Canter "1. an easy gallop."

I don't guess that helps much does it.

[Sharon Leboffe]

OK, a Thoroughbred race horse could beat Canseco. But, there have been times that he has beat a much bigger QH in a full out largo with QH in a full out gallop, and he will drop before letting another horse beat him in a gallop. Of course, that means cheating a little by running in and out of trees, bushes, etc. Some Pasos just figure whatever it takes to win. Plus whatever the gait it is always SMOOTH!. LOL :D S

[SandyMM]

he dictionary does say "1. to rida a horse at a gallop; ride at full speed." Canter "1. an easy gallop."
LOL - a canter isn't an easy gallop in any class descriptions I ever saw....

Some classes ask for a canter and _then_ a 'hand' gallop which is not flat out, but is four beat with suspension.... Not sure if te 'galope' horses are 'galoping' or cantering.... I'll have to listen more carefully next time...

[Pam M]

If you're ever on a horse that truly gallops, you don't forget it! I used to exercise TB's and there is a total difference between a gallop, a hand gallop and a canter. A canter doesn't even compare. I don't believe you, the rider, are ever completely in control in a true flat out run/gallop. It's a partnership between you and the horse. Hope you have a good relationship! Otherwise you'll end up with numerous broken bones (experience speaking :smile: ).

[finolover]

i saw the stallion venano de la clara go from standing still into a full out run.....at the ranch a rider and horse went down on the dirt trail, nelson devalle was exercising venano and saw it...venano squatted low and leaped out staying low and reaching as far as his legs could extend...wow
what a performance for a winning fino stallion!!!!!
luckily neither horse or rider were injured :rearing

[lisa l aka marci]

If you're ever on a horse that truly gallops, you don't forget it! I used to exercise TB's and there is a total difference between a gallop, a hand gallop and a canter. A canter doesn't even compare. I don't believe you, the rider, are ever completely in control in a true flat out run/gallop. It's a partnership between you and the horse. Hope you have a good relationship! Otherwise you'll end up with numerous broken bones (experience speaking :smile: ).

Many moons ago I used to gallop/run my horses.....and yes, it is a true partnership between rider and horse. I've been on horses taht I would never in a million years consider riding at faster than an extended canter, but Lucy and I used to go h*!! bent for leather down roads - loose rein, body stretched right out and FLYING!

Now if Marci would just show some speed.....I've run on her but she isn't that fast.....not sure if that is because she hasn't applied herself or if she just isn't fast....

[Barbwire]

I vote lazy, Lisa. LOL!!!

[motorgypsy]

Chinook runs flat out. That's why Kyle calls her "the warthog". He says she has such a determined look on her face when do speed events. She's such a rush!!!!