The World of Peruvian Paso Horses
The Great Heart of the Peruvian Horse
We all know how gorgeous, wonderful and smooth our Peruvians are but they also have the greatest hearts and I wondered if some of the members might share their stories of the great hearts of their Peruvian horses.
I have two. My gelding, Rayo de Olympico CdeA (Conquistador) spent 7 years of the worst neglect in which one eye was punched in, his nose was broken and he was starved almost to death. After his rescue, Conquistador sailed into the show ring and took championships in our area in gait, performance, luxury gelding, and high point gaited horse of all gaited breeds. But more than that Conquistador never looked back, he never had anything but joy in his heart and he began making appeaarances at therapeutic horsemanship programs for physically challenged adults and children. His story and his fierce courage as he went full Sobreandando through the cones, blind in one eye, never making a mistake has inspired many to overcome their challenges too.
My second story is about our stallion S.H. Burlon, who was rescued from years of living in a filthy, unventilated brick barn, literally standing in filth, many times not fed or watered for days at a time. He was hundreds of pounds underweight when we got him. But Burlon never had any resentment, he just loved everyone. One night, as my husband was putting Burlon away, another stallion charged Burlon, taking my husband by surprise. Bill lost his balance and fell to the ground. Burlon never flinched, he just stood still like a statue next to Bill with the other stallion charging him from his stall. Burlon did not move until I got Bill up, picked up Burlon's lead and took him to his stall. Burlon made sure nothing happened to Bill. If he had side-stepped even one step, Bill could have been seriously injured, but Burlon knew not to move irregardless of the charging stallion in the stall right next to him.
I know there are many wonderful stories of our Peruvians and I wondered if others might share them.
I have two. My gelding, Rayo de Olympico CdeA (Conquistador) spent 7 years of the worst neglect in which one eye was punched in, his nose was broken and he was starved almost to death. After his rescue, Conquistador sailed into the show ring and took championships in our area in gait, performance, luxury gelding, and high point gaited horse of all gaited breeds. But more than that Conquistador never looked back, he never had anything but joy in his heart and he began making appeaarances at therapeutic horsemanship programs for physically challenged adults and children. His story and his fierce courage as he went full Sobreandando through the cones, blind in one eye, never making a mistake has inspired many to overcome their challenges too.
My second story is about our stallion S.H. Burlon, who was rescued from years of living in a filthy, unventilated brick barn, literally standing in filth, many times not fed or watered for days at a time. He was hundreds of pounds underweight when we got him. But Burlon never had any resentment, he just loved everyone. One night, as my husband was putting Burlon away, another stallion charged Burlon, taking my husband by surprise. Bill lost his balance and fell to the ground. Burlon never flinched, he just stood still like a statue next to Bill with the other stallion charging him from his stall. Burlon did not move until I got Bill up, picked up Burlon's lead and took him to his stall. Burlon made sure nothing happened to Bill. If he had side-stepped even one step, Bill could have been seriously injured, but Burlon knew not to move irregardless of the charging stallion in the stall right next to him.
I know there are many wonderful stories of our Peruvians and I wondered if others might share them.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Deej Peterson on -
Both of your stories are heart warming!! Poor Conquistador!! A punched out eye and a broken nose?!!! The thought of it brings tears to my eyes... I thank God for people like you who find and then give loving homes to these majestic creatures. People continue to ask me if I will breed my mare again and my answer is always the same...."No I will not breed her again, If I get another horse it will be a rescue. A horse in need of a good home." Thankyou for your story. I hope everyone will try to get rescue horses the next time they consider buying another horse.
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on -
Hi Deei,
Thank you so much for your wonderful thoughts. Conquistador and Burlon are both fine and full of themselves and will be at the SCPPHC Double Show in LA at the end of this month. There are many Peruvians who could use a good home so adopting a rescued Peruvian or rescuing a Peruvian is a wonderful thought. In fact, one of the greatest sires in our breed, Sol de Oro V, in many ways is a rescue. He was found by Gustavo Borda with a peasant farmer in Peru. Sol de Oro V had a badly misshapen leg from a break that did not heal right but Gustavo Borda saw pat this to the extraordinary quality of this stallion and rescued him. As I am sure you know, Sol de Oro V became the sire of some of the greatest champions in our breed including AEV Regional, Piloto, and Mantiquilla just to name a few. Thank you again so much for your thoughts.
Best wishes,
Pat Hiaght
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Glynn on -
i have read Piloto,Mantiquilla, and Sol de Oro V 's story what foundation! and yes he is a rescue. What heart!
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on
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Hi Barbara,
I believe the story of Sol de Oro (V) and Gustavo Borda is the story of the ultimate rescue. I also love the story of AEV Caramello. If I am correct, as the story goes, the great actress Vivien Leigh, Scarlett of Gone with the Wind, met Caramellos and fell in love with Caramello and just had to have him. She offered any price for him but he was not for sale. That is how these horses capture hearts.
Best wishes,
Pat
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on
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Hi Barbara,
I believe the story of Sol de Oro (V) and Gustavo Borda is the story of the ultimate rescue. I also love the story of AEV Caramello. If I am correct, as the story goes, the great actress Vivien Leigh, Scarlett of Gone with the Wind, met Caramello, fell hopelessly in love with him and offered any amount for him. However, Caramello was not for sale but the story shows again how these horses capture our hearts.
Best wishes,
Pat Haight
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Glynn on
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this is what ia m hopeing for. i met Bella and was allowed to try the ride . first time we rode for a while and she instinctively rode to the step to help me dismount. LUCK? no BRAIN i just love her so much already and she is not even mine..... just gotta have a Paso. BArb
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on
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Hi Barb,
I have been told by people from Peru who really know the Peruvians that the Peruvian horse is exceptionally smart with a very good head. Traditionally, they took over many times for their rider when the rider had hours and days of work and riding to check on their ranches and plantations. So, I was told that the person who gets along best with the Peruvian horse is the person who trusts the horse to take care of them because that is what they have been bred to do and I believe it. I am not surprised by Bella. I believe she is doing what she was bred to do, take care of you.
A couple of years ago, our stallion S.H. Burlon was repeatedly charged by another stallion at our barn while my husband was leading Burlon back to his stall. In the excitement, my husband fell right in front of Burlon. The amazing thing was that, even though the other stallion, an Arab, continued to charge Burlon, Burlon did not move an inch after my husband fell. Burlon stood like a statue until I could get there, get my husband to his feet and lead Burlon away. If Burlon had moved, he could have stepped on Bill and seriously injured Burlon, but he put up with the charging Arab to take care of my husband. I believe this is the nature of the Peruvian horse.
Best wishes,
Pat
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Permalink Reply by Judy Choquette on -
Wonderful story is it a wonder so many of us fall in love with horses they love unconditonally and they do know who is kind and who is not but somehow the Lord has given them such big hearts and understanding they will respond to a kind hand and just continue to love even once their trust has been damaged or their hearts broken.
It's like Our Tammie she couldn't really look into my eyes when we first brought her home she felt like lost child but now looks me straight in the eye and puts her forehead on mine and even talks to me now and asks for kissey's on her muzzle,
Other days Boy is she an independent stubborn girl but she just makes me giggle on those days.Nice to see she realizes she is a horse again.
BUrlon is an awesome fella that's for sure
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on
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Hi Judy,
I have been around horses most of my life but the Peruvian horse is just so special. I am glad that Tammie is trusting now. She sounds a lot like Conquistador. Some days he wants to be loved on and some days he just wants to show that he is the "man." I am happy for that, I love the spirit and would not want a horse without it and your Tammie sounds like the spirit and the brio are there.
Take care,
Pat
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Permalink Reply by Stacey Geer on -
I also rescued my Peruvian gelding from neglect. I have no history on him so we call him Diesel because of the low rumble he makes in greeting. Diesel was listed on Craig’s list for $50, he had been taken from a farm where he was being neglected and placed with other person who did not want him.
Diesel was lame when I first saw him; he could not place his right hind leg on the ground and would walk on his toe, only when he had to. He would rest leaning against what he could. He looked sad and forlorn and he was in so much pain.
Diesel had no hoof care in a year or more and so we thought maybe it was an abscess. The person taking care of him claimed he didn’t know what was wrong with him and this was the first time he had seen there was a problem. He also admitted he did not like Diesel and if we didn’t take him he would call the meat truck.
We brought Diesel home in hopes that maybe we could help him. The trip was hard on him and he fell in the trailer because of not being able to shift his weight. I was scared for him.
This was my first experience with Peruvians.
Diesel was under weight and the person we got him from claimed he wouldn’t eat for days.
He ate for us but he would sometimes let food sit. The vet said his teeth were not great but ok and that Diesel was about 15.
There was no abscess in Diesels hoof as we had hoped and the vet didn’t know what it was. She started guessing at all the things that could be wrong and all the tests we could run. So we determined a course of action.
We were not able to get Diesel’s good hind leg off the ground because he was supporting all his weight on it, but he would try with all he had to comply with our requests. That’s when I started seeing the guy’s heart and was amazed. He always tried even when it hurt him to do so. Diesel was standoffish at first and didn’t want much to do with me, I could only imagine why. Slowly he started greeting me in his low rumble and would come to the fence and let me scratch his favorite spots.
We tried all different kinds of things on him and we would see improvement and he started moving around and then BAM right back to square one again. We put a video on-line of him the first time we rode him on a good day, and people came back suggesting DSLD. Thank GOD it was not that. We finally took Diesel to CSU Vet Hospital where they did X-rays and found the problem. He had Osteoarthritis in his hocks.
We continued supplemental treats with some success but there were still good days and bad. Finally I had his legs injected with Hyronic Acid and the difference is AMAZING, he can now be ridden lightly and he is so happy now. He will have to continue lifelong treatments but that’s OK seeing him move and throw his head around in joy is the most beautiful sight in the world to me.
I’m now the proud owner of two Peruvians!
Stacey Geer
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Permalink Reply by Patricia Haight on
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Hi Stacey,
I am so glad to hear about Diesel's courage and your care for him. I am also so happy to hear that Diesel is doing well and is happy. I wish you and Diesel a long and very happy life together. Have the people at CSU ever mentioned shock wave therapy as a possibility for Diesel. They have done some pretty compelling studies that indicate it may help in arthritic conditions in horses. I was so glad to know that the injections helped. We have a lovely Peruvian stallion in the rescue right now who has an old knee injury that was not cared for and our veterinarian recommended injections. Your story of Diesel is very encouraging.
Thank you so much for sharing it.
Best wishes,
Pat Haight
Best wishes,
Pat Haight
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