On new ground

Pasa Finos, the Rolls Royce of horses, would be seen for the first time in the UAE at this week's Equestrian Show in Dubai

Just over 500 years ago, Christopher Colombus discovered a horseless America. Determined to change this, he imported horses to the Caribbean and South America on his second trip to the Americas, at the beginning of the 16th century.

A mixture of Andalusians, Spanish Barbs, the smooth-gaited Spanish Jennets (now extinct as a breed) and Arabians, the horses cross bred to develop a breed now called "Los Caballas de Paso Fino", the horses with the fine walk.

The pride of the Americas, the horses have traditionally been at home in the western hemisphere but now, for the first time, UAE horse-lovers have the opportunity to see three of these stunning Paso Fino horses first-hand, at a show created especially for the equine world.

Taking place from March 20 to 22 at Nad Al Sheba, the Equestrian Show, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum and support of the Dubai Racing Club, UAE Equestrian and Racing Federation and Emirates Racing Association, will play host to La Doctrina de La Luisa, a four-year-old grey mare, Suspenso de La Luisa, a five-year-old brown stallion, and Pretencioso de La Pastora, a four-year-old chestnut stallion.

Bred in Colombia and imported from Canada, the three pioneers are stamping on new ground in the UAE and Jim Cation, president of the Canadian Paso Fino Horse Association, is eager to see the breed introduced to the UAE and rest of the Middle East.

"Our trip to the UAE is an exploratory one, to test the market," explains Cation, who is also chairman of the Canadian Horse Alliance. "Not much is known about the Paso Finos in this part of the world, but we're hoping to change that with a series of demonstrations at the Equestrian Show."

One interesting fact is that the breed is known as the "Rolls Royce of horses". "They have a very distinct lateral movement gait that produces one of the smoothest rides in the world," says Cation.

The Paso Fino horses are born with the gait which is unique to the breed. The gait is smooth, rhythmic, purposeful, straight, balanced in flexion and synchronous front to rear.

"Which," Cation explains, "results in unequalled comfort and smoothness for the rider. It is an evenly-spaced four-beat lateral gait with each foot contacting the ground independently in a regular sequence at precise intervals creating a rapid, unbroken rhythm.

"Executed perfectly, the four hoof beats are absolutely even in both cadence and rhythm, resulting in easy smoothness and comfort for the rider."

Oddly enough, the rider appears virtually motionless in the saddle at all speeds and there is no perceptible up-and-down motion of the horse's croup.