By César Alejandro Romero, Yeguada Fundación, Saskatoon, Canada

INTRODUCTION

The Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino horse is a living jewel of Caribbean history, culture, and biodiversity. It represents centuries of insular evolution, selective breeding, adaptation to a unique territory, and the deep relationship between humans and animals. However, the breed now faces a critical situation: a dwindling population, narrowed genetic lines, and inbreeding risks that threaten both its health and heritage. This essay addresses the urgent need to preserve and diversify the genetic legacy of the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino, combining scientific rigor, historical context, and concrete proposals for sustainable management.

THE IMPORTANCE OF GENETIC PRESERVATION IN EQUINE BREEDS

The Paso Fino Case: Preserving a breed like the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino means safeguarding a cultural ecosystem, a unique genetic archive, and a manifestation of generations of skilled breeding. Beyond its renowned elegance, noble temperament, and signature gait, this horse embodies the resilience and creativity of an island that has long forged identity through the creation of beauty and function. The loss of foundational lines due to neglect, undocumented crossbreeding, or selection based solely on performance undermines the genetic integrity of the breed. Studies such as that of Luis Ramos and Martínez Cruzado (2013) highlight the importance of monitoring genetic diversity in small populations through molecular markers to avoid genetic bottlenecks. These insights are particularly relevant to the case of the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino, whose effective population size is critically low.

KEY BREEDING PRINCIPLES AND TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE

Ethical and effective breeding begins with attentiveness to those who have devoted their lives to the art of equine selection. Peruvian breeder José Risso Mattelini distills this ancestral wisdom with clarity: “One must add to their horses the virtues they lack, without losing the ones they already possess… It consists of breeding mares of spirit, strong gait, solid structure, good conformation, healthy, refined, and long-lived, from deep and ancient lines, with stallions who share the same qualities and characteristics, generation after generation.” This philosophy underscores the need to breed with purpose and respect for lineage, not merely for fashion or immediate economic return. The art of selective breeding, or “castar” as Risso names it, demands vision, study, and rigorous discipline.

GENETIC MANAGEMENT IN COMPARABLE BREEDS (FRIESIAN, PRE, ICELANDIC)

The Friesian horse experienced a dramatic population decline in the early 20th century, verging on extinction. Its recovery came through the implementation of a strict studbook, systematic parentage testing, and mandatory health controls. Although some health issues persist (such as hydrocephalus and dwarfism in closed lines), the population has stabilized due to consistent breeding discipline.

The Pura Raza Española (PRE) has maintained a solid genetic base through the careful management of the PRE Studbook, founded in 1912. Selection based on functionality, temperament, and morphology has sustained the breed. Nevertheless, research by Valera et al. (2005) has warned of increasing inbreeding levels, a challenge being addressed through careful expansion and rotation of breeding stallions.

In Iceland, the Icelandic horse has remained genetically isolated for over 1,000 years. To preserve the breed’s health, the nation prohibits the re-entry of any horse once it has left the island. Over 70,000 horses have been genetically documented. Centralized registries and rigorous discipline have been key to maintaining the breed’s unique features, such as the tölt gait, which bears remarkable similarity to the Paso Fino.

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THE DANGERS OF INBREEDING AND GENETIC DEFECTS IN CLOSED POPULATIONS

Inbreeding, when unmanaged, leads to the accumulation of harmful recessive traits, loss of hybrid vigor, and the emergence of hereditary disorders. The reduced number of available genetic lines in the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino has already resulted in increased reports of reproductive challenges, joint deformities, and reduced longevity. Studies on domestic species warn that inbreeding coefficients above 10% correlate with visible declines in reproductive success, immune response, and overall lifespan. Kristensen and Sørensen (2005), in their meta-analysis on inbreeding depression, emphasize the long-term consequences of unchecked consanguinity in livestock and equine populations.

MODERN GENETIC TOOLS FOR PASO FINO BREEDERS

Today, breeders have access to affordable and powerful genetic tools to assess diversity, identify disease carriers, and plan healthy matings:

• Microsatellite DNA and SNP panels, for genetic variability mapping.
• Parentage verification, to ensure accurate lineage records.
• Genotyping for hereditary diseases, including osteochondrosis, tendon degeneration, and congenital malformations.

Labs such as UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory offer specialized testing for Iberian and Caribbean equine breeds. Collaborations with institutions like the Genetics Institute at the University of Puerto Rico could help establish region-specific genomic maps.

BALANCING GENETIC DIVERSITY WITH PERFORMANCE SELECTION

A major risk today is the overemphasis on selecting horses solely for competition. While showcasing functionality is valuable, it must not override genetic health or historical authenticity. Horses must be strong, sound, mentally balanced, and representative of their ancestral foundation. As breeder Luis Oliveras insightfully states: “The horse should not be a slave carrying its master, but a dancer moving in harmony with them.” This aesthetic and respectful vision also applies to breeding: the goal is not just champions but guardians of a living heritage.

COLLABORATIVE BREEDING NETWORKS: ETHICS, LINE SHARING, AND VISION

Breeders of the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino must form collaborative networks, ethically share proven stallions, maintain rigorous records, and create open genetic databases. The establishment of a national genetic bank, with eventual international extension, would be a monumental step toward long-term viability. As Cheryl Watson poignantly recalled: “This Paso Fino had the eyes of an eagle… but also the wise gaze of an ancient owl… I fell in love with this incredible gait, but there were other qualities this horse carried that I found equally fascinating. It seemed almost from another world…” Preserving that ancient soul in young, healthy bodies is a shared responsibility.

THE ROLE OF THE STATE AND LEGAL FRAMEWORKS FOR THE PUERTO RICAN BREED

Puerto Rican legislation formally recognizes the Paso Fino Puro Puertorriqueño as a distinct and foundational breed, predating what is now called the Colombian or American Paso Fino. As noted by scholar Alejandro Gómez Umaña, the terminology was later appropriated for marketing in other regions. Legal recognition must be paired with public policies that:

• Subsidize genetic testing and registration.
• Support responsible breeding programs.
• Enforce certified lineage documentation.
• Promote educational programs for new breeders and equine specialists.

CONCLUSION

An Ethics of Care for the Future of the Paso Fino: To breed a horse is not merely to reproduce it—it is to shape a future that honors the past. The Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino needs more than affection: it requires science, commitment, and community. Only through a combination of rigorous discipline, strategic alliances, genetic education, and deep love for the breed can its survival be ensured. Let the gait continue. Let it flow, like the living blood of an island that still resists—and still dreams.

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ENDNOTES

The original article was published by the author on his website (www.iamalejandro.com/paso-fino) and is reproduced here with his permission.

The photo features the stallion Armani del Sol (Barba Roja de Kofresí II × Alborada del Sol), bred and dearly loved by the author, César Alejandro Romero. Armani was a true ambassador of the breed. Born in Canada, he was later brought to Puerto Rico, where he was successfully shown and earned multiple titles. He then returned to the mainland United States, first to Ocala, Florida, and later to Oregon, where he passed away. His exquisite bloodline, smooth Fino gait, remarkable presence, and striking beauty live on through his offspring, carrying his legacy forward in three countries.