Puerto Rican Paso Fino

The Puerto Rican Paso Fino descends from horses Columbus brought to the island, with later arrivals under Juan Ponce de Leon. Several Iberian types went into it, including the smooth-gaited Spanish jennet and horses from Andalusia and north Africa, and several hundred years of selection on the island did the rest.

The breed is defined by its gait. It is four-beat and lateral, the hooves striking in a quick one-two-three-four, and the result is the paso fino, the fine step the breed is named for. There is almost no vertical movement in it, which is why these are recommended for riders who cannot take a rough ride.

They stand 13 to 15 hands, come in most colors, and are sure-footed, intelligent, hardy and fond of people.

One trait belongs to this breed and no other. Tiger eye is a recessive gene that turns the iris yellow, amber or orange, and it has been found nowhere else.

Fewer than 500 are registered in the United States.