Hello from Tamarindo..I have the most wonderful mare Canela paso fino she loves galloping up the mountain..for years I bred Arabians..thorougbreds..even saddlebred..when I saw my first costa rican horse roping bulls. I was blown away at the athletic ability.
Costarricense de paso originates from criollos, or landrace small hardy work horses, the breed was "improved" during the xix and xx century with hackney morgan peruvian and spanish andalousian horses to have bigger gaited horses as local gentleman wanted no work horses but more impressive saddle ones as signs of prestige and wellness, the costarricense de paso is a product of that aspirational process
I would not ride one nor buy them. Look great from the outside but man those legs and knee movements, wobbly and uneven. The dressage movements is choppy and un rhythmic. Moving unnatural and strained. Not my kind of horse. I prefer Mustangs, solid, honest and less flashy but that is a matter of taste.
The breed is a cross between the gaited Peruvian Horse, and the Andalusian. To many, the Peruvian gait is unusual, but totally natural. Peruvian Pasos also naturally move the legs with what is known as termino. This is an outward rolling of the front limbs starting at the shoulder. Some might call it a paddling motion but it is totally natural to the Peruvian Paso, and incorporated into the Costarricense de Paso along with the traits of the Andalusian.
Realmente salió del peruano de paso y el criollo Costarricense en los años 60, hace 25 años salió una nueva raza entre Costarricense de Paso con español, su nombre es iberoamericano, es una raza de mucho potencial actualmente por su nobleza y su baile , saludos
