differences among breeds

[Dakoiah@aol.com]

I was out riding this weekend and happened to meet two other people on Paso 
Fino's  (that in itself is a bit rare).  Alpine is my first horse, and 
likewise my first Paso. I haven't really met a lot of others of the breed.  
While I was talking to the horses riders, I got to comparing them to my guy.  
While I knew Alpine wasn't your typical show Paso, and that he isn't 
particularly strong gaited, I didn't realize how different he is from the 
others.

He is MUCH heavier boned and just bigger in stature than the more show types 
that these people had.  Alpine is about 14.1 hands and weighs about 800 
pounds.  He's not a big horse, but he was substantially bigger, in depth of 
chest and bone and foot than the others.  I was also interested in that these 
horses didn't go out of gait at all.  Alpine on rides trots, and I let him 
because it's an easier gait for him.   All I can say is I'm GLAD Alpine has 
more bone and substance than the typical Paso, because I think it makes him 
more suitable for endurance riding.  

These were just observations that I thought I'd share.  I think I'm going to 
have to take the time to go to a show and see more of the breed to see how 
Alpine compares.  I did have to laugh however, after I told one lady that I 
did endurance, she informed me she didn't like most endurance riders because 
they ran their horses into the ground.  How funny....

Juli and Alpine (who doesn't think he's been run into the ground)