Mounted search and rescue

[Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com>]

[Deleted HTML duplicate.  -Una]


Even though I own a part Tennessee walker,  I am not familiar with the gaits 
of the breed other than I know the horse is a tall animal that is either 3 or 
five gaited.
  I  am however more familiar with the gaits of the PASO horses in both the 
Paso Fino and the Peruvian Pasos as I ride both and have been breeding PASO 
FINO horses for over 24 years....
   
  For those not familiar with the Paso gaited horses,  there remains to those 
unfamiliar with the paso gaited breeds the gaits "illusion" in its speed and 
comfort for both horses and riders.  There is a visual illusion to the breeds 
whereby the horses look every bit as to be fast footed, and which, they truly 
are, however the gait of the paso horses is such that there is no change in 
the foot fall, just the extension to which thus gives the horse its actual 
and greater speed.  It is called a transition in speed.  (NOT GAIT. as the 
PASO gait is the same at whatever the speed)
   
  For a Paso Fino, the gait comes in transitions which  come in the form of 
going from the fino-fino which is the slowest paso forward movement with the 
fastest rapid footfall to then what is called a "corto" which most compare 
the speed to that of a trot which is the same paso gait, but performed with 
more extension,  then we have what is known as the "largo"  which is the paso 
gait performed at its fullest in extension and most gaining forward movement 
in extension and speed.  The largo can be any fast speed as long as there is 
a visible transition of both speed and extension from the corto and can reach 
speeds a tad over 27 mile per hour.  At this speed no smoothnes is lost in 
its ride, nor should any "trottyness" be apparent.
   
  The foot fall is a lateral four beat gait,  essentially a broken pace with 
each foot hitting the ground at a seperate interval thus also giving the 
horse at least one foot on the ground at all times making it an exceptionally 
surefooted animal for many disciplines including trail, cutting, parades, 
gaming, etc and including dressage.  But bare in mind the Paso horse BREEDS 
are not able to trot although some have a trotty gait in which case there is 
generally a problem with the individual horse or that it is a horse that is 
what is called "trocha" and that gait, not all PASO horses will do.
   
  PASO FINOS can perform any activity that any other breed can do, the only 
difference is that they DO NOT TROT and do what they do at the utmost 
smoothness and comfort for the rider.  They can even be used for driving.
   
  The Peruvian Paso does not fino-fino and has a four beat lateral gait 
similiar to that of the Paso Fino, but yet it too is a tad different.
   
  There is a difference between the PERUVIAN PASOS and the PASO FINOS and it 
is not just the country of origin it is in the type of gait each BREED HAS.  
The Peruvians are mountain horses and because of this, they have a swimming 
out of the forelegs often called paddling and where as the PASO FINO horses 
track straight.  PERUVIAN PASOS are FROM PERU carrying many generations to a 
common foundation.
   
  The PASO FINOS are traditionally from latin America from countries like 
Columbia, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Dominican republic just to name a few with these 
in this breed stemming from orginal stock brought to the Americas by 
Christophor Columbus and coming from a foundation of Andalusion, Barb and the 
Spanish Jennet.
   
  As for size, the Peruvians are larger horses, more robust where as in 
comparison, the Paso finos are more finer bones and not as tall.
   
  It should be noted that these breeds are ridden differently with the rider 
more relaxed and with less leg contact to the horses body and the legs of the 
rider are more forward.
   
  As for the size of the rider to the horse, you will fine all sizes of 
riders riding both breeds and if you are used to large horses, you will have 
to sacrafice a little height to gain the enjoyment of either breed.  The Paso 
Fino horses tradiditonally are hroses that range in size from 13 hands up to 
about 15, with the smaller horses more typical.  The Peruvians will range 
more from 14 hands to 15.2 with some typically larger or smaller.
   
  The safest size mount  for any rider is the one he or she and mount with 
ease on level ground.  In the show ring, where size seems to be a big issue, 
the non gaited breeds seem to frown on riders who appear looking mismatched 
in size for each other where the feet of the rider may hang below the riders 
belly too far.  This is not the case in 
  the Paso breeds as it is more a matter of the size horse being able to pack 
the weight of his rider and any additional load the animal might carry. Paso 
Fino horses are capable of carrying heavy riders and much weight although 
some may think that the horses light build would prevent them from doing so.
   
  AS for speed in riding in groups. if there are mixed breeds in a group 
(which could be the case of any search in MSAR)  or even horses of the same 
breed, all horses should be able to ride and adapt to whatever speed the 
commander of the unit is ordering and it should be up to the group to realize 
each members abilities if they are riding perscision and in drills. In 
searching, speed is a factor in being able to see or sense the quarry of the 
search.  As a personal opinion, some riders may be able to see things better 
at a certain speed more suitable to their ability,where as the rider next to 
them might not have that same sensing ability and have to travel either 
faster or slower to do his or her job well.  (Just an observation and from 
how I personally track and how my ability to see things through my eyes vs. 
someone elses methods) and so giving an example here, where I might be able 
to pick up a trail of a deer at a corto, the person next to me might have to 
do the
 same job at a flat walk because his or her eyes do not adapt to the same 
deers  track as readily and becasue of how each of us perceive the available 
light and how eachof our eyes adapt to the speed and or even height  we 
travel.)  Given this, it woudl not make sense for every MSAR rider to be 
required to ride the same size horse and same type of gait....
   
  One would therefore think that the type of mount and the size of mount and 
the gait should be left to the personal preference of that rider and his or 
her own comfort to allow the rider to do his or her job to the best of his or 
her ability.
   
  On thing about a gaited hrose, there is obviously less stress to the rider, 
thus making the Pasos a super choice for distance, providing of course you do 
not acquire a Paso Fino that all it is capable of doing is fino fino.  You 
will want to find a largo or perfornance type mount for this detail.  Fino 
fino horses are nice, but do little else but their tight gait and are not a 
suitable choice for MSAR. And then there is a matter of the canter.
   
  As for Peruvian hroses, I am newly into them and can offer little opinion 
to them other than they have a more joyful walk to ride over a PASO FINO and 
are good distance horses as well. The stamina of both the PASO GAITED breeds 
is incredible.
   
  One thing that is a fact when it comes to distance horses, you will find 
for P & R/R
  (that is pulse and respiration recover) the ARABIANS will competitively 
beat all breeds hands down in that as they are naturally at a lower level to 
start with.  PASO gaited horses will come in second on P & R recovery, but 
that is only that they are naturally higher and on a competitve ride that 
will make your marks there.  But it is the PASO FINO that will take the rider 
to the end of the trail and a long day in the most comfort and with the less 
stress to the rider on his or her knees, neck amd back...so for what that is 
worth, to me, in selecting a trail and distance mount, I want to be able to 
ride all day and at the end of the trail, dance part of the night instead of 
putting linement on both my horse and my own legs when the day is through.
   
  Karen Nesbitt
  Illinois - Unaffiliated
  Iroquois County
   
  PS - as for Paso bloodlines, there is also a difference in the degree of 
smoothness too!  And then getting  in the trotting breeds, Quarter horses are 
sprinters, so they are not well suited to do well for distance.  So unless 
your searchs are limited to the traditional quarter of a mile area a quarter 
horse can run like heck in, anything above that distance chances are, you 
will be riding the wrong horse in an all day or more than one day search.
   
  So my question is - are we putting together a percision drill team or a 
search team?  It appears to me, you cannot have both.    Either way, we all 
have to get along.  It appears those of us who volunteer will select horses 
that suit us best individually and those who are not volunteers may be 
restricted to riding horses not necessarily of their own chosing, ability or 
one even suited for the individual rider in all ways especially if the 
taxpayers are fairing your pay.  I do not think the tax payers will like 
paying the prices of some nice quality Pasos, but as an individual, the price 
I pay is worth it if the horse is suitable for the function for me.
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