Three Eagles / Drs. McCormick
Institute for Conscious/Awareness
History - 3
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Peruvian Paso Horse History Home
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evening in Madrid we had a fascinating conversation with Dona Lily
Salas de Salama while visiting in Spain. She graciously relayed many
anecdotes about her visits with Don Fernando Grana. She and her family
were very old friends of Fernando Grana and his family. Fernando Grana
spent many evenings talking horses, particularly emphasizing the
nobility of the Iberian breed and how they adapted to their "new
home" in Peru. He wanted the horses he bred to be as elegant and
as noble as they were on the Iberian Peninsula, the only difference
being the gait. Even to this day after many years of trying to breed
it out many Andalusians have terming, rolling from the shoulder.
Although terming is not wanted, they still want high lift which is a
very desirable trait.
Typical Paso Llano gait statue. Throughout Spain there are many old statues of the Spanish horse in a Paso Llano gait (see Photo 6). A giant tapestry also hangs in the Alcazar Palace, in Sevilla, of horsemen on their beautiful Spanish mounts all in Paso llano gait. These depict the horse that came to the Americas. This is not surprising because it is common knowledge that the first group of horses brought from Spain by Columbus were Sorraias. The Sorraia, a strong and rustic horse, one of the wild predecessors of modern Iberian breeds, proved to be very tough for this kind of uncharted territory (see Photo 7).
A 5-year old Sorraia stallion from Iberia with J.P. Giacomini. This is the predominant wild ancestor behind the Andalusian, Lusitano, Paso Fino, and Peruvian Paso horses. |
Later, however there were many shipments of prized Andalusian horses and soon, breeding farms were being established in the new world and began thriving. Columbus set out from the Puerta de Santa Maria on his second trip to the West Indies (Caribbean Islands) with horses, mares and stallions to set up Criadores (Breeding Farms). These breeding farms were to be found on what is now the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and as far South as Panama. It was in Panama that Pizarro charted his voyage to Peru taking many of these horses with him. Spanish breeders settled in these islands and Panama, to sell horses, especially to Spanish Conquerors, both in Mexico and Peru. So important were the noble horses of the Conquistadores that Bernal Diaz gives a description with their colors, merits, and faults before he wrote about any of his inimitable stories of conquerors. (Please refer to the Diaz's list below.) Nor was his estimate exaggerated. Most of those records by Diaz, Garcilaso Inca and de Zarate, etc., reside in the Archives de Indios in Seville, Spain. We have visited these Archives frequently with a friend who is a Professor and who could translate 'old' Spanish languages. We had the opportunity in May of 1996 to explore old records and drawings extensively, although taking photos was not allowed. This was one of our many trips to Spain since the 60's. We have seen many changes.
Found in Spain ~ sent from Peru in the 18th Century. |
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Last Updated: January 31, 2010
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