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Jumping a Paso Fino?

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13K views 11 replies 10 participants last post by  jimmyp 
#1 ·
I am looking into buying my first horse (yah:D)...he's a 4-year-old Paso Fino cross. He's a rescue so they aren't really sure about his history. They haven't seen any Paso gaits yet (would they have shown up by now?) but he is smooth as butter. So who knows how much Paso is even in him.

I was talking to a horse acquantaince the other day and she said that if I even planned on jumping him (small hunter/jumper type stuff) then I should steer away from him because Pasos tend to be "hyper," I'm guessing she is referring to their brio...

I should say that I do not plan to start showing in any jumping classes.

I'm not concerned so much about him being "hyper" but is there something with the Paso Fino's conformation that could cause lameness if lightly jumped?

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Paso Fino gaits don't "show up"... if they're going to do them, they'll do them from birth.

http://www.pasocentral.org/showcase.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/theangelwithscabbedwingz/1187667592/

However, a purebred Paso Fino can trot. Mine trots in the pasture. It's even more likely that a Paso Fino cross would trot because the gaiting gene is recessive.

I jump my Paso over logs on the trails. I've seen him clear a 3 foot arena fence (from a standstill), and he's only 13.3hh.

Pasos can't jump because they're hot? How many hot TBs do you see jumping? A lot.


I'm not 100% sure about the conformation thing... you should judge the individual horse's conformation, instead of the conformation as a breed.

BUT... Pasos are very prone to insulin resistance, which makes them prone to founder. So there's that.
 
#4 ·
I don't think gaits just show up but the horse naturally has them. Thats what makes the breed right?

My friend had a little dun Paso Fino mare. She jumped here. Wow. She jumped like straight vertical and then over. Her only thought was to completely clear it. It felt kinda scary when I jumped her. And the jump was like a foot high!
 
#6 ·
Agreed, Paso Finos are gaited from birth. Some are more hyper then others, depends on the bloodlines and the individual horse. Since he isnt purebred, there might be something in him that counter acts the Paso Fino in personality, so who knows? If he doesnt have any major conformation faults that would prevent him from jumping comfortably, why not? They are a versitile horse, one that should be able to do anything, conformation willing. Good luck! You should post some pics of your horse.
 
#7 ·
Hey guys...thanks for the replies.

Well no one has seen the Paso gaits in him so I'm guessing he doesn't have them.

I agree with the "hot" TBs jumping...I thought the same thing. Same goes with Arabians...

Haven't heard the insulin resistance thing but thanks for the tip!

Thanks again!

PS I'll post some pics once I get him. He's a cute as a button...rose gray in color!
 
#8 ·
All horses can jump low obstacles unless they're injured or in complete lack of any muscle to speak of (in which case they need some good work to build muscle before they can start jumping). I'm not sure if pasos are good for higher jumps tho, just be careful to start him nice and slow, don't start jumping him 7 days a week the first thing you do :P But you probably know that already.

If you're not concerned about riding a hot horse, I wouldn't care much about that. Lots of horses from various breeds get really eager when they jump. But it's a good idea to keep in touch with a trainer and learn/figure out how to calm the horse down if he starts to get stressed or way too eager with the jumping.

About the gait, I dunno about pasos.. but is he ridden any? My horse didn't show his gait untill he was started under saddle :) I also know some gaited horses in other breeds that had to be ''pushed'' into their gaits the first few times before they understood what was asked from them (no mechanical devices or anything, but kinda pushed forward and held back at the same time...). And of course, he just might be un-gaited :P

Good luck!
 
#10 ·
I been riding and barking paso fino in for a long time and I have seen my friends paso clear a 5 ft fence ,and when u r able to ride him . First take him at a walk then ask him to go faster when u do squze his belly with ur legs constantly and pull lightly back on his reins and then release constantly with both hands moving at the same time and don't be afraid tmight might hurt him. This how u ask them to corto .Wich is the slower gaited and largo is the

Faster gait to ask him to largo u ask to go faster and u to lean back a little in the saddle while take ur left hand and pulling the rien back and then releasing it do the same with ur right hand but mack sure ur not pulling them back at the same.Ur arm should look like the way they are whe u go runing.

So paso can jump but they r not good at it cause of their height and have to do with brio .Brio simple way to explane a paso gait the ,the more brio the higher the energy of horse .

But if u want to jump go for it .Who says u can't just because is a paso.

Do want u love not want every buddy else says.
 
#11 ·
I mean no offense by this, I am just concerned. You said this will be your first horse, how much experience do you have? A 4 year old, barely started, rescue horse isn't something I would recommend as anybody's first horse. Do you have a trainer working with you?
 
#12 ·
I will say after being out of riding for almost 10yrs, my "first" horse was a bat **** crazy, black hearted, MEAN Paso mare. SHe was a rescue, and after about 6mo under saddle she was truely MY horse, she will do anything I ask of her and If they were a touch bigger I'm not sure I would ever own another breed.

My mare is HOT, she is the kind of horse you never have to push forward, but are constantly holding back (exactly how I like a horse). My wife loves to jump her. My wife who grew up jumping TBs and Appys, and one day for giggles, she jumped on my little mare and was doing 1ft jumps in the arena, and has done a couple 2ft jumps. I have jumped her a few times over logs and ditches in persuit of bird dogs.

While my first choice in jumper would not be a Paso, you use the tools you have and if she will jump and you like it, then it is what it is.

Jim
 
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