Largo, Por Favor. " The "Fast Largo" Paso Fino," by Dr. Bill Firman has been reprinted here with the permission of Paso Pedigree. Pictured above is Ms. Dianne Collins riding, two time National Largo Champion, Corals Alejandro de Vez.
I've never met a single Paso Fino aficionado that didn't view with unrestrained awe and admiration a well bred, trained and conditioned Paso Fino show horse demonstrating the "classic fino" gait for which our breed is famous. Maraquita, Simbolo, Profeta and a plethora of other truly extraordinary Paso Finos that populate our show circuit are living exemplars of what can be achieved through the long term application of conscientious breeding practices in combination with thoughtful, patient training and conditioning. Similar observations can be made about the other categories of Paso Fino show horses. For instance, I always equate mounting a quality Performance Paso Fino with climbing into the pilot's seat of a high performance sports car. It is very clear from the first moment aboard a well trained Performance horse that the Paso is prepared to perform whatever task you present to him - willingly, instantly and perfectly. And, just as with the high performance car, your most important responsibility as passenger is to be absolutely certain that you know precisely what you want from your "ride" before you ask, because compliance will instantaneously follow command as surely as "pride cometh before a fall." If you have the horse (or the car) inadvertently pointed at a fence when you request serious impulsion, you'll soon be building a new fence - the well-prepared Performance horse will comply with your direction whatever it might be, without hesitation. What makes our fast largo horses so special to those of us that value them so much is a combination of temperament and athletic ability that is, quite literally, unmatched by horses of any other breed, let alone any other gaited breed. Their temperaments are similar to other Paso Finos in the sense that they, too, have brio in abundance. But, it is a controlled brio directed at enthusiasm for what they do - and what they do is largo. I've, quite literally, never seen a "bad" tempered fast largo Paso Fino. Some of them are more or less enthusiastic, but, to a horse, they become irrepressible when challenged to perform either by the rider or by competition from another horse. They love people, they love to please and they love to largo - what else could a rider want from their equine partner's temperament. And, their athletic ability is amazing to behold. They are quite capable of traveling in a relaxed trot speed corto of 10-12 MPH for 25 miles nonstop and without strain. And, when you're finished with that soiree, they'll happily depart for another 25 miles if you're up to it. But, if you're into "high-speed cruising," they'll demonstrate the same velvet smooth gait at fast largo speed, often covering ground faster than they could gallop, in a fashion not unlike that of racing Icelandic's which are commonly transitioned to their "flying pace" from a full gallop. In fact, the fast largo is quite similar to the flying pace, which is not a true pace, but a four beat "stepping pace." The significant difference is that, unlike the Paso which gaits at an even 1-2-3-4, the Icelandic, at extension, gaits with a slight moment of suspension between the 2nd and 3rd beat, 1-2--3-4, and is not nearly as collected at full extension as the quality fast largo Paso. The Icelandic stepping pace is best described as an uneven lateral gait, while the largo is an evenly spaced square gait, neither lateral nor diagonal. Every high quality fast largo Paso is, of course, unique, but they tend to have many physical and emotional characteristics in common: 1). A temperament characterized by the horse's desire to please its rider and an obvious LOVE of the largo - The only negative associated with largo horses, if you choose to identify it as a negative, is the requirement to constantly address the Paso's desire to go ever faster. 2). A very fast and animated flat walk 3). Extreme accuracy of gait with unusually good collection from the rear, even at full extension - Effective collection in a fast largohorse can generally be evaluated by determining how closely the rear legs approach the position of the front hoof print at full largo extension. A Paso which becomes "strung out" at speed, a common characteristic among fast largo Pasos is exhibiting a very limited and ineffective largo technique. 4). Conformation that supports full extension from the shoulder - To achieve the required extension for a fast largo, conformation at the shoulder must be supported by a humerous (arm) that is at least 50% as long as the scapula (shoulder) - longer is better up to approximately 75%. And, the angle between the two should be close to 90 degrees, with each component, arm and shoulder, contributing approximately 45 degrees of this combined angle. As a visual test for appropriate fast largo conformation, I like to draw an imaginary line from the apex of the withers through the point of the shoulder to the ground to assess maximum possible extension. Then, I draw a line from the point of the shoulder back through the elbow to assess the relevant angles. Similarly preferred conformational characteristics apply to the rear of the largo horse as well, where the overriding requirement is that the angle between the inner pelvic bone and the thighbone should be as close to 90 degrees as possible. 5). Velvet smooth action that seems to get ever smoother with increased speed - Some are so smooth at full largo speed that you have the sensation of floating on a flying carpet. So smooth at speed, in fact, that you can feel slightly out of control because you can't feel the hooves strike the ground. Longer pasterns on some horses seem to enhance this smoothness even more. 6). A very wide range of gait, from a slow corto to a fast largo - which is often faster than the horse's gallop speed. 7). An almost infinite variety of speeds, each performed with the same apparent ease - We normally think of the Paso gait as having just three speeds, but a largo horse doesn't seem constrained by this human categorization - he'll travel smoothly and without hesitation at the speed you desire, whatever you choose to call it. 8). Flawless and almost imperceptible transitions of speed - I call it "automatic transition" because it is smoother than the automatic transmission in a luxury car and is delivered by the Paso, without hesitation, after receipt of the most subtle of cues. I sometimes think that the horse is reading my mind and starts to respond even before the actual cue to transition is given. 9). Unusually high intelligence and perceptiveness - I've recently become a convert to dressage for largo Pasos - they pick up the communication cues almost instantly and it provides both the Paso and the rider the tool they each need to communicate instantly and effectively with one another. Largo Pasos seem both willing and fully capable of understanding almost anything we'd like them to comprehend, and all we, and they, need are effective tools of communication. Now, just how fast can a fast largo Paso gait? I'm sure that I don't know the precise answer to this question. When different people measure and document equine speeds, different standards seem to apply to the various breeds. For instance, Icelandic's, are timed over a measured distance of 100-250 meters which they enter in their "flying pace" just after having transitioned from a full gallop. The world record for Icelandic's, measured in this way, and is very close to 30 MPH. I've ridden Icelandic's in the flying pace and, with nothing but my relative fear quotient to go by, estimate that they travel at about the same speed as fully extended fast largo Paso Finos. Thoroughbreds commonly average well over 35 MPH for a mile from a standing start, Quarter Horses sometimes approach 45 MPH for short bursts, and both Trotters and Pacers have been clocked at well over 30 MPH for significant distances. I do know that Pasos have been tracked with cars at over 25 MPH and by police radar at well over 30 MPH. Are these estimated Paso top speeds accurate?? Who knows? What I do know, however, is that fast largo Paso Finos are capable of speeds that will get your serious attention over short distances, and that they can average speeds to challenge any other equine over long distances. If you take a well bred and conditioned fast largo Paso Fino on a long, endurance type, trail ride you won't be challenged for long by any other gaited breed and only by Arabians and some talented Warmbloods over very long distances. Now, some ask me why anyone might want a gaited horse with such speed capability. I get the same question periodically about my 180 mph car. The trite answer I sometimes use is that "if you have to ask that question, you'll never understand the answer." The less facetious answer, however, is similar for both cars and horses - the top speed of the largo horse is seldom used, but is a definitive demonstration of its total athletic ability. It performs better at normal speeds and under normal conditions BECAUSE it has the ability to perform in these extreme performance envelopes. And, perhaps more importantly, we all know that sometimes it becomes absolutely necessary to preserve the reputation of the breed (or the car) against some upstart Foxtrotter or TWH (Ford, or Ferrari, or whatever). You never know when such an "emergency" might present itself. Evidence of the relevant breeding genetics required to consistently produce quality Paso Finos of any type, while partially based on solid science, is always disconcertingly anecdotal in nature. This is true, of course, because desirable equine characteristics are qualitative in nature and are, generally, more a matter of aesthetic appreciation than of measurable quantitative attributes. This, notwithstanding, one thing is very clear - the mare and the stallion are of nearly equal importance in the consistent production of quality fast largo Paso Finos. And, if one follows the all too common practice of breeding exceptional fast largo stallions to less than exceptional mares, the quality of the offspring will inevitably be spotty at best. Whatever one thinks about the "X" factor, for instance, it is clear that, genetically speaking, certain characteristics, both conformational and temperamental, are contributed in equal or greater proportion to offspring of both sexes by the mare. Furthermore, the genetic codes that make "gait" possible, given an appropriate conformation, are definitively contributed to offspring in precise equal measure by both the dam and the sire. Firstly, each parent contributes one of the trot/pace pair of genes (qualitative genes not unlike those that govern color), where trot is dominant over pace. These qualitative genes are then "modified" by quantitative "gaiting" polygenes which regulate the strength of the given trot/pace characteristic. There is no dominant or recessive aspect present in these polygenes; they simply contribute varying strengths of a given characteristic. The function of these particular polygenes is to produce the one gait that all equines are capable of - the basic flat walk. Therefore, all horses, gaited or not, possess these genes in some strength, but in ungaited horses they are so weak as to have no effect on the trot/pace qualitative gene pair. In gaited horses, however, it is these quantitative polygenes acting to influence the trot/pace pair that produces the various gaits with which we are all familiar. The ability of a horse, as it were, to maintain the gait evident in the flat walk through one or more speed transitions is a gift to the horse from these genetic codes. And, because the strength of the two gaiting genes is determined equally by each parent, since they are added together, you need strong gaiting genes from each of the two parents to produce a properly gaited horse. A strong gaiting gene from a well known fast largo stallion, when added to a weak gaiting gene from a mare, cannot produce an offspring with gaiting characteristics equal to that of the sire. Strong gaiting genes from each parent must combine to produce offspring capable of maintaining the even four beat gait at high speed. And, a very high quality fast largo horse of either sex, when mated to a low quality Paso of the opposite sex, cannot but produce, at best, "a half fast largo horse." A Paso Fino capable of maintaining an accurate and well collected, evenly spaced, four beat gait from flat walk through several speed transitions, culminating in a gallop speed fast largo, can only be the product of the very best in fast largo gene pools from both legs of his lineage. That said, it is possible, if both rare and random, for Paso Finos from almost any lineage to produce an occasional high quality fast largo Paso Fino. This, however, is but lucky happenstance. Consistency in the quality of fast largo offspring invariably requires the identification of both quality stallions and quality mares that can demonstrate that they, individually, possess the characteristics you desire in your foals. Unfortunately, and largely due to the aforementioned focus of the show circuit, quality fast largo adults are currently as rare as gold in the United States. Of the horses of predominantly Colombian lineage, primarily the descendants of Don Danilo through the storied Coral LaCE are consistently characterized by the appropriate attributes. And, among predominantly Puerto Rican bloodlines, the descendants of Batalla through Maria Luisa, Triunfo and Kofresi seem to be the most prolific producers of consistently outstanding examples of fast largo Paso Finos. Note, that the designations of Colombian versus Puerto Rican lines tends to become a bit muddled because many of the very best fast largo horses come from a blending of the "pure" bloodlines from each of these two locales. I believe that Puerto Rican lineage apparently abets the fast largo characteristics of the Colombian largo lines because of the influence of the Narragansett Pacer, which was widely cross bred with Caribbean Paso Finos during the heyday of the carriage horse during the eighteenth century. In any case, the relative and increasing rarity of quality breeding stock has induced more than a few fast largo aficionados to mate outstanding horses with lower quality counterparts and market these offspring as quality fast largo Pasos from these famous bloodlines. These offspring, however, have rarely met the expectations of their owners. This is not a surprise given the clear genetic considerations. It is but one example to be sure, but it is more than obvious that the preponderance of serious competitors in the yearly National Largo Race have, for many years, been products of these bloodlines, bred appropriately to ensure quality offspring. In fact, the current National Largo Champion is none other than Helen and Jud Box's pride and joy, Coral's Alejandro de Vez, a direct son of Coral LaCE. Alejandro and his rider, Diane Collins, so dominated last year's competition that Al was never required to stretch into a full extended largo during his almost wire to wire victory. Alejandro demonstrated a bit of his impressive authentic largo extension during the victory lap, but only a fraction of his true ability was required to dominate the actual competition. The famous Night Flight Mako, a Coral LaCE grandson demonstrated comparable dominance when he was effectively competing. And, of course, no true fan of the fast largo Paso Fino would ever forget to mention Sundancer Mako. He is yet another Coral son, now retired from competition, but forever basking in the glory of having been, in his prime, the best fast largo Paso Fino in the country, perhaps in the world. Those of us fortunate enough to own one or more of his offspring will be forever grateful to the breeders with the requisite insight to create such a wonderful largo stallion. Fortunately for the breed, and for pleasure riders at large, there have historically been a few breeders of the fast largo Paso Fino that have refused, despite obvious financial incentives to do otherwise, to compromise their conviction that fast largo Paso Finos are the very best of the breed. Their belief is that these unique and wonderful horses represent the breed's brightest hope for the Paso Fino to become a significant force in the broader American pleasure horse marketplace. Barbara Preiss, the last breeder privileged enough to have owned the magnificent Coral LaCE, is perhaps the largest and most significant of these current breeders. She has, for more than 25 years, been a large scale breeder of quality fast largo Paso Finos, focused on consistently producing quality offspring of Coral LaCE lineage. Barbara has necessarily broadened Coral's narrow gene pool with other very carefully selected Colombian and Puerto Rican horses, to be sure, but each member of her breeding stock has been selected with the objective of honoring the unparalleled excellence that was represented in Coral LaCE. There have been an increasing number of breeders of the fast largo Paso Fino emerging in recent years throughout the United States. And, each of them seems serious in his or her conviction that effective production and marketing of the fast largo horse is key to achieving the true growth potential of the total Paso Fino market. This is a fortunate happening for the breed, in my view. And, even more fortunately, most of these breeders are building on the strong bloodline foundation established over many years by Barbara Preiss, Betty Klein and a few others. By building their new fast largo Paso Fino breeding stock around the bloodlines so patiently and conscientiously established by these pioneers of fast largo breeding, they are ensuring a survivable high quality gene pool for many future generations of this remarkable Paso Fino. If you love to ride, and you enjoy the velvet smooth ride of a conventional Paso Fino, but want to be able to ride long distances at the front of any group of horses, the fast largo Paso is probably the horse for you. And, if you enjoy equine speed and want to experience the feel of the wind in your hair at largo speeds you have previously thought were the stuff of dreams, you should try a fast largo Paso Fino. You'll never need or want another horse, unless, of course, it's another fast largo Paso to keep your first largo horse company. These are rare, unique and high quality horses, and, like other Pasos, they aren't particularly inexpensive, but they return immense value for the dollar. And, the experiences they will provide you will be priceless. I, for one, believe that, price notwithstanding; they are the best equine value in the world today. Be careful, my guess is that if you "test ride" a fast largo Paso Fino, you'll soon own one. On the other hand, that probably wouldn't be so bad, would it? That said, I also think that present day show horses of our breed have increasingly less appeal to the mass of Paso Fino owners, those that have little or no interest in showing their equine partners. With no intent to be overtly critical, I do opine that, for better or for worse, actual judging practices throughout most of the Paso Fino show circuit have tended to evolve to a state where focus on the classic fino gait has become the paramount element in the judging criteria for each of the three primary riding classes. That is, all show classes are judged in accordance with how closely an individual horse approaches the performance zenith that the classic fino gait has come to represent. The natural product of this turn of events is that horses, which fail, for whatever reason, to meet the rigorous competitive standards of the Classic Fino class, have tended to become, by default, Performance horses. In turn, "failed" Performance horses become, by rote, Pleasure class horses. And, sadly, true representatives of the Pleasure Class have been "excused" from the competitions altogether, or relegated to other minor or "entertainment" classes. Since most Paso Fino breeding has historically been directed toward, or has been a reflection of, the requirements of the show circuit, as a natural consequence, then, most Paso Fino breeding has come to reflect this evolved set of show judging priorities. Unfortunately for pleasure and trail riders, this has meant that progressively less Paso Fino breeding has been directed toward them and the huge market that they represent. This is unfortunate for them and for the breed, since pleasure riders represent, by a wide margin, the largest segment of current and future Paso Fino ownership. This was not always the case. Two decades ago, there were three truly distinct primary riding classes in the Paso Fino show world and each class was judged in accord with conformational and performance criteria unique to that class. One of these classes was a true Pleasure Class that reflected equine characteristics, both temperamental and physical, that were compatible with pleasure and trail riding. And, breeding practices, at that time, reflected the requirement to satisfy the unique success criteria of each and every show class. Accordingly, a pleasure or trail rider could rely on show breeders to produce horses that were compatible with his or her needs. Unfortunately, today the mass of breeders continues to breed in accordance with the requirements of the show circuit, but those requirements no longer reflect the utilitarian needs of most of the Paso Fino market. A Classic Fino horse is a thrill to watch in the show ring, but is of limited utility to a pleasure rider unless he chooses to restrict his pleasure riding to his ¼ acre front yard. I make this obvious point, not as an entrée to proposing changes in the way we run and/or judge our shows, but to point out that show circuit Paso Finos have evolved, over the years, from three distinct "types" to, essentially, one type of varying quality. And, the breeding and training practices that support the show circuit, and our breed in general, have evolved in that direction as well. Today, when thinking about the American Paso Fino breed in its current state, I separate our registry horses into two distinct categories. Those bred and trained in response to the reality of the show circuit, which I euphemistically refer to as "fino" horses. And, those few bred and trained primarily for pleasure or trail riding, which I call "fast largo" Paso Finos. This terminology is not "pure" to be sure, but it is descriptive, I believe, of the dichotomy in the American Paso Fino breed today. Now, I know from innumerable discussions of this topic with other members of our Paso fraternity, that some take umbrage with my terminology because, in a technical sense, many, if not most, show horses can largo. I concede this point. My terminology is based, not on any misunderstanding of this fact, but on my observation that the focus of show breeding is the fino gait while the primary focus of non-show Paso breeding is the largo gait. Show, or fino breeding in my lexicon, produces a dramatically different horse than does breeding aimed specifically at optimizing the conformation and genealogical components that produces horses with the accurate wide range of gait typical of fast largo Paso Finos. After all, "largo" means length, referring to the extreme extension and tremendous length of stride achieved in a well executed fast largo gait. Long extension and length of stride are the antithesis of what breeders of fino horses are attempting to achieve. This is an extremely important topic for consideration by Paso Fino breeders, I think, because the potential rate of growth of the Paso Fino breed in America may well be determined by how breeders collectively address this reality in the future. I think that most members of the Paso Fino community would agree that only a very small fraction of our population actively participates in the show circuit. Perhaps as few as 15% of all Paso Fino owners ever show their horses. Furthermore, I think that we would all also agree that even a smaller proportion of all American horse owners, our total potential market, participate in horse shows. This being the case, the primary focus of Paso Fino breeding, which is toward satisfaction of that minority market segment that actively participates in the show circuit, is, simultaneously, producing a product that is inconsistent with the characteristics most desired by the broader market. I also think that it is worth noting that pleasure riders are, in large part, as culpable for this circumstance as are the breeders themselves. Most pleasure riders, when searching for a Paso Fino for personal use, focus on the bloodlines made famous by the show circuit. They do this, I think, in the, arguably naïve, belief that horses from show lineage represent the highest quality animals available and that this "quality" is most likely to satisfy their requirements for a pleasure horse. This naiveté, if that's what it is, is more than understandable given the huge presence of show breeders and their well financed and professional quality marketing efforts. Pleasure breeders are a minority, to be sure, operating with limited resources and only minor show circuit exposure. Pleasure breeders are at such a disadvantage, in fact, that most find it necessary to compromise their breeding standards toward either show bloodlines or "color" breeding to stay afloat financially. |
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