From the Spanish provinces of Cordela and Andalusia, Columbus gathered twenty stallions and five brood mares for his second voyage to the New World. This was seven-hundred years after the Moors invaded Spain, bringing a few Arabs and many Barbs that were more than a little responsible for the history of their masters.

The conquering horses, crossed with the native stock of a rather course nature and with the remnants of the proud Andalusian breed that dated back to the Middle Ages, produced the excellent Spanish horse that influenced European breeds from the famed Lippizan to the English thoroughbred.

One of the main strains to develop was the Spanish Jennet, which was noted for its comfortable saddle gait and the ability to pass this gait on to its offspring.

Surviving almost unbelievably difficult shipping conditions, the horses of Columbus; voyage of 1493 were taken to Santa Domingo, now the Dominican Republic, where they became the foundation stock of remount stations for the conquistadors.

The progeny of these hardy animals spread through the Caribbean as the Spanish took more and more territory. Horses were taken to Puerto Rico by Martin de Salazar in 1509. Diego de Velasquez invaded Cuba with eight horses and mares in 1511: 1512 saw horses at the Isthmus and in 1517, Cortes took 17, including one foal born aboard ship, to Mexico. By 1550 many large horse raising centers were established throughout the Caribbean.


Different types of horses began to emerge. The blood of the Spanish Jennet proved strong indeed, and in several regions horses with smooth riding gaits began to be prized breeding animals.

And even though other breeds have been introduced to the island, mainly in attempts to increase the size, the influence has been negligible, and many modern individuals strongly resemble their ancient prototypes. They belong to a breed known by the name of its natural gait - Paso Fino! Contact Suzie- 303-688-3771