Peruvian Paso Horse: The Smooth Gait Explained as Jujuy Hosts Its 17th Contest

What is a Peruvian Paso horse?

The Peruvian Paso horse is a light saddle breed from Peru, known for a natural four-beat lateral gait called the paso llano. Instead of trotting, it moves each foot separately in an even rhythm, which keeps the rider's seat remarkably still.

The gait is inherited, not taught. Breed sources note that purebred foals can be seen gaiting beside their dams within hours of birth. That is why breeders treat the gait as the heart of the breed.

What's happening in Jujuy this weekend

The 17th Concurso Provincial del Caballo Peruano de Paso runs Oct 9-11, 2026 at the Sociedad Rural Jujeña, in the Bajo La Viña area of San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina. The Jujuy regional of the Asociación Argentina de Criadores de Caballos Peruanos de Paso organizes it, according to local outlets El Tribuno de Jujuy and TodoJujuy (both Oct 5).

Here is the schedule as reported:

More than 250 horses are entered, with breeders from Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Catamarca, Santiago del Estero, San Juan, Córdoba and Buenos Aires. Admission is free. The organizers also list horseback rides and local food for visitors. Nothing has been judged yet, so there are no results to report.

Where the breed comes from

The Peruvian Paso traces to horses the Spanish brought to Peru from 1531. Those included ambling Spanish Jennets, Andalusians and North African Barbs. Over centuries of selection in Peru, the breed became its own type.

Peru's Decreto Ley 25919 (1992) declared the Caballo de Paso an equine species native to Peru. In 2021 the Ministry of Culture declared the values, knowledge and practices of the chalán (the traditional horse breeder and trainer) who raise the breed a Cultural Heritage of the Nation. Peruvian press today still presents it as a national symbol, often shown alongside marinera dancers.

If you like the Spanish roots, our Andalusian (PRE) explainer covers one of its ancestors.

The gait: paso llano, sobreandando and termino

The Peruvian Paso has two recognized variations of its four-beat lateral gait:

• Paso llano: four evenly spaced beats in a steady 1-2-3-4 rhythm. This is the preferred, classic gait.
• Sobreandando: usually faster, with the beats grouped closer in pairs (1-2, 3-4).

Because the horse barely moves up and down, the rider sits quietly, and that is the source of the breed's reputation for one of the smoothest rides there is. A trot, by contrast, is a two-beat diagonal gait that bounces the rider.

Then there is termino, the signature front-leg action. The forelegs swing outward from the shoulder in a rolling motion often compared to a swimmer's arms. Breeders do not treat it as a fault like paddling; it is part of the breed standard.

How horses are judged

Shows for the breed look at two things together: morphology (conformation) and gait. Judges want a balanced, elegant horse with the breed's presence, and a gait that is smooth, even and naturally performed.

Breed guides describe a deep chest, a heavy neck and a height of about 14.1 to 15.2 hands. They also stress brio, willing energy without being hot. Specific scorecards and categories at Jujuy have not been published in the sources we reviewed, so we won't invent them.

What to watch if you go

• The footfall: can you hear four distinct, even beats?
• A still rider: the saddle should look quiet, even at speed.
• The front legs: look for the outward roll of termino.
• Presence: does the horse carry itself with energy and without rushing?

Peruvian Paso vs Paso Fino vs Criollo

The Peruvian is larger and deeper-bodied than the Paso Fino, and the Paso Fino is not bred for termino. For the Colombian side, read our Paso Fino explainer. For Argentina's own breed, see the Criollo horse.

The World Championship in Lima

The Third World Championship of the Peruvian Paso Horse is scheduled for Oct 10-11 at the Army Equestrian School in La Molina, Lima, per La República (Aug 19) and El Comercio (Oct 3). About 21 delegations are expected, and the program includes a marinera-on-horseback contest. It overlaps with Jujuy's judging weekend.

What to do next

• Going to Jujuy: arrive Saturday morning for the 9 a.m. opening, and confirm times with the organizers since schedules can shift.
• New to gaited horses: try a lesson on a gaited horse before judging one by video; the feel is the point.
• Thinking of buying: ask for registration papers and a vet exam. We have no sourced price figures.
• Keep learning: browse our breeds hub.