Riding The Peruvian Paso - Part
IV
The Homogenized Horse
by Cheryl Aldrich
Note from the Author: While you are reading this
article please keep in mind that it is not my intention to insult any particular breed.
There are many great horses in all the breeds mentioned in this article, but as a HORSE
lover I am trying to point out trends in the American horse breeding industry. History
repeats itself. Peruvian Horse owners as well as owners of other Spanish breeds should
think about what they are trying to accomplish and what direction their breed is heading.
The
Andalusian horses entered the ring at a flying trot, long tails dragging the ground, the
fine skin surrounding the eyes and muzzle glistening with a coating of oil. They fanned
out along the edge of the arena, horses stopping; head to tail, necks arched, inside hind
leg dropped one step back. A few regal Andalusians stood balanced and square, neatly
groomed, handlers standing quietly in front of them.
The Spanish judge nodded his approval at
them as he walked down the line of horses. Other trainers danced with their whips at the
end of leadlines, encouraging their horses to stand stretched, Arab style. Turning to the
ring steward with a frown, the Spanish judge said: "These are not Arabians. They are
Caballos de Pura Raza, have them shown as such, please. Ask the exhibitors to wipe the oil
from their horses, let them stand naturally, and walk into the arena. Show these horses as
Andalusians, not Arabians!" The contrast in cultures jumped out at the experienced
eye. It is an old story, traditionalist vs. the Americanization of a Spanish breed. The
Andalusian show could have been a Peruvian Horse show 25 years ago.
Only the efforts of some very strong minded
traditionalists have saved the Peruvian horse from Americanization.
In the beginning of Peruvian Horse shows there was a group who wanted to show Peruvian
Horses in the same manner as Quarter Horses and Arabians, competing in Western classes,
English classes, and timed events which were not part of the Peruvian heritage. Changing
saddles from traditional Peruvian to English or Western did not make the Peruvian horse,
with it's lateral gait, adept at dressage or barrels. Bred to do one thing, give the
ultimate bounce free ride, the Peruvian horse looked silly running in timed events, or
copying English style classes.
Spanish breeds are the new kids on the block in the American horse show world. How these
breeds will develop in the US is in the hands of the owners, breeders and judges. Will
they follow in the footsteps of the breeds that have become SHOW HORSES or follow the
traditions from their countries of origin?
THE AMERICAN MELTING POT
In recent American history, beauty in horses has been depicted by painters and sculptors
as the Arabian horse. A taller, longer legged, stylized version has stuck in the American
breeders conscience, influencing the standard of the perfectly conformed horse, a
Saddlebred with a dished Arabian head. The artistic ideal of the thickset plain headed
work horses became eye appealing, if at all, only in work.
The great American melting pot has swallowed up many breeds. Each of them moving toward
taller, more refined bodies, all proclaiming to be the most versatile in order to gain a
larger market share. The American need to improve has served our country well. We are the
most advanced, powerful country in the world; but there comes a point where improvement
becomes a detriment.
Many breeds have been changed into an unrecognizable animal in the name of improvement,
versatility, and an artistic concept of beauty. But what is improvement? How important is
versatility? What is correct conformation and what events are logical for competition in
each breed? Do we want Homogenized Horses or distinctly different breeds?
The Arab has been improved or Homogenized by the innovative American breeders. Twenty
years ago these once intelligent, tough horses were renowned for their exotic beauty.
Today they are rangy animals, with table top flat croups and exaggerated swan like necks.
In the homogenization process their desirable Bedouin temperament has been lost to a
nervous, high strung demeanor and a terminal genetic disease has been allowed to creep
into the genetic heritage of the breed. CID is an immune deficiency disease seen in quite
a few newborn Arabian foals. While some Arabians only carry the gene for this disease, a
foal that inherits this gene from both parents is sure to die. But Arabians are not the
only breed to have a genetic disease that is breed specific.
Quarter Horses have their own genetic
disease, called HYPP. Thought to be linked to a top producing stallion of halter
champions, it now affects approximately 50,000 Quarter Horses. Apparently winning in the
show ring was more important than the soundness of the horse. When stressed, horses
affected with this syndrome can have tremors, heavy sweating and labored breathing; severe
attacks can cause collapse or death.
Until the 1950's Quarter horses were of the Bulldog type. Half leg, half body built close
to the ground for agility and short bursts of speed. With the arrival of organized Quarter
horse racing, Thoroughbreds were crossed with Quarter horses to produce more speed and
stamina over longer distances. Many of todays Quarter Horses look more like a
Thoroughbred, than their Bulldog style ancestors.
Morgans are quickly passing on to the trendy standard set
by an artistic concept of beauty. Gone are the short bodied, sensible work horses,
replaced with pretty but empty headed, lanky saddle horses.
THE WORK ETHIC
At the beginning of the 20th century breed characteristics were defined by the work for
which the horse was used. Most working breeds were built close to the ground, under 15
hands, half leg, half body. Closing the 20th century, ribbons won at horse shows set the
course a breed would take. Taller, leggy, long necked, with a pretty head, the
Saddlebred/Arabian type has become the idealized American style of show horse: The
Homogenized Horse.
Horses that must be pampered with special feed, expert
farriers, and the most advanced technology veterinary science can offer, to keep them
working and breeding sound. Homogenized horses do not live in the pasture or ride the
trails. These horses are found in stalls or being ridden in an indoor arena.
Looking back to the time when horses were a necessity, bred to do a job, the intrinsic
value of a horse was in its ability to do the work for which it was bred. Today a horses'
value is based on how many ribbons it has won in the arena. Unfortunately fashion and
passing fads play a part in horse showing. Color coordinating of tack, clothes and horse
can win or lose a class, while the breed type of the horse must relate to the class in
which it is competing. Regardless of the breed, Western classes require a quiet stock type
horse while English classes need a tall lanky style horse, and horses competing in Park
classes should be large, flashy and hot tempered. The different types and temperaments
looked for in each class are expected to be found within each breed. Is versatility so
important that each breed must create a specific type of horse to wear each style of
saddle? Arabian owners point to the judges as the reason their breeds have changed. The
judges for the most part are also trainers, who look at a horse with a trainer's eye,
seeing each horse as what it can or has been trained to do rather than what it was bred to
do.
STICKING WITH TRADITION
As in many things, the Peruvian breed is an anomaly, having survived its transplant to the
United States without a loss of heritage. Few if any breeds can boast of this achievement.
There are many factors that contribute to this phenomenon, one being that the majority of
Peruvian owners are amateurs. They are a group of people who do not have preconceived
ideas of what a horse should be and show a willingness to listen to the Peruvian breeders'
common picture of the traditional Peruvian Horse, holding true to the course set centuries
ago. Breeders in Peru spent generations creating a breed of horse with unique qualities.
Willing dispositions, smooth four beat lateral gait, and elegance combined with the energy
to travel to any destination. Traditionally in Peru the judges were the breeders. Men who
spent many hours riding their horses around their haciendas. As riders, not trainers, they
insisted on qualities being created through careful genetic selection rather than clever
training. Breeding an animal to perform a specific task takes careful planning through
many generations. The first importations of Peruvian Horses arrived with Peruvian
trainers, thus further guaranteeing the continuance of the Peruvian heritage.
Even the tack and clothes used for Peruvian shows perform a specific task, to ensure that
the focus is on the inherent ability of the horse rather than the fashion of tack and
clothes. Competitors all wear the same basic white pants and shirt, neutral colored poncho
and straw hat. Silver or fancy tooling on the tack does not influence the placement of the
horse. The 1992 National Champion of Champions Breeding Stallion won his title wearing a
common work saddle. While it is not required to use Peruvian tack in the show ring, it is
rare to see other types of tack in the arena. Exhibitors recognize that the saddle and
bridle have been designed over the course of many centuries to enhance the gait of the
horse and comfort of the rider. Peruvian owners and breeders differ from other horse
people, having held on to the traditions which have kept our breed unique rather than
melting into the sameness of other breeds.
THE CHALLENGE
Today few Peruvians will catch your eye standing in the stall or pasture. But an
extraordinary metamorphoses changes good quality Peruvians from caterpillars into
butterflies when mounted. Once saddled, these little workhorses with short dumpy bodies
and plain heads suddenly become powerful, exquisite creatures suitable for royalty.
Homogenization is becoming more evident in the Peruvian show ring with the pretty headed,
taller, far from the ground look seen more often. It has not taken over the breed, yet.
But if it does, the whole being of the breed will be changed to something entirely
different. We only have to look at other Homogenized breeds to know.
As a relatively small breed we need to take stock of what our priorities in promoting our
breed are. Do we want to have the largest breed registry with the most versatile horses ?
Should the Peruvian become another homogenized horse, or would the breed be better served
by educated owners and breeders producing a typical Peruvian horse for a select segment of
the horse market that is intent on preserving the integrity of the breed while improving
it within the context of its breed standards? Prices for Peruvian horses have held their
value better than many other breeds. Being the perfect amateur horse with a forgiving
disposition, easy to ride, while making the rider look professional, has made the Peruvian
Horse one of the fastest growing breeds in the U.S.
The Peruvian Horse does not have the agility of a Quarter
Horse, or the fashionable singular beauty of the Arabian. Its qualities do not lend
themselves to versatility but, as Verne Albright once said: "What the Peruvian does,
he does better than any horse in the world. He is the absolute master, the ultimate riding
horse".
Jennifer Hamilton, breeder of Icelandic Horses wrote to say, "We raise and train
Icelandic Horses which as yet, have not been ruined by the Show Ring Aesthetic as I call
it... But already I hear people say: "can't you put a prettier head and neck on
them..." That's when I jump into high gear on educating people on the value of these
unspoiled horses; their gaits, their temperaments, their usability... It takes guts to say
"NO!" to money and show horse pressures... Good luck on protecting the Peruvians
and all ancient breeds, for that matter".
EDUCATION
Education, the key to understanding, is the first line of defense for preventing
homogenization of the Peruvian Horse. The Peruvian Horse must be presented to the buying
public for what it is, a tough, strong, never quit, smooth, trail horse, a fancy parade
horse, the most elegant comfortable ride available for amateurs, children, and
professionals. Peruvian Horses must be ridden to be truly appreciated and to give a good
ride their conformation must be half leg, half body, with a level bottom line and more
angle to the hind legs than found in other breeds. The stylized, tall, leggy, long necked,
horse with the dished head that has become the ideal conformation for many breeds is not
part of the Peruvian's history. The Peruvian Horse's conformation does not look like an
Arabian, Quarter Horse or Saddlebred. It must remain uniquely Peruvian as function follows
form. Three words that can affect the continuance or disappearance of a breed. What are
the differences between breeds if not distinct conformations that allow a variety of
different uses?
For those of us who own Peruvians, we must accept the fact that not everyone will want a
Peruvian. Our horses have not been bred for speed or agility. A buyer looking for those
qualities needs to look at another breed. For our breed to continue and thrive, new owners
and breeders must be enticed to join it. But these people must like the Peruvian for its
own unique qualities and not for what they would like it to become, a Cutting Horse that
does not bounce or an Arabian with a smooth gait.
BREEDING
In Mother Nature's selection of horses, a pretty head, flashy color, or extreme action was
of no importance. What did count was soundness, the ability to survive climatic conditions
of the area in which they lived, and the capacity to reproduce without artificial help.
When men began selectively breeding for conformational traits needed to complete a
specific task, these same attributes were still essential. In the early days of horse
breeding, veterinarians did not posses the skills for breeding barren mares or keeping
horses with a tendency to unsoundness working. Breeders had a cold eye as they used their
horses for a specific type of work. When a horse could not perform reproductively or in
the work arena it was passed over for an animal that could do the job. Today veterinarians
have the technology to produce foals from mares that will never carry them, and to make
unsound horses appear sound. With the advent of the show ring as the ultimate test of a
horses' quality, dispassionate objectivity has been lost. How many breeds of horses, or
dogs and cats are now subject to inheritable diseases or reproduction problems? Veterinary
technology is a double edged sword that must be used sparingly.
SHOWING FOR SHOW
Our second and strongest line of defense must be positioned at the entry gate of the horse
show arena. The seeds of the Homogenized Horse were first planted in the show arena where,
within only a few decades, some breeds have become unrecognizable. Although the Peruvian
horse has been able to avoid the homogenizing process during its first 30 years in the
United States, there are signs of problems beginning to appear. Once these seeds become
full grown it will be extremely hard to clear them from the arena. Classes held at shows
must be thought out as to how they will affect the breed. Will the winners of the class
fit into the picture of the ideal Peruvian, or does the winner have to be out of type to
take home a blue ribbon? Many of today's breeding programs set their courses by which
animals are winning blue ribbons.
When Park Horses became fashionable in the Arabian and
Morgan breeds, the style of the horses created for competition changed drastically. A
segment of both breeds became taller, longer legged, and developed an exaggerated front
leg action. This Saddlebred style, foreign to dessert or farm use, has come about through
the show ring. Judging for tack and clothes, while not giving enough weight to the
original purpose the horse was breed for, has also led to homogenization. In doing this,
the original purpose of the horse gets lost, confused by these extraneous influences. Show
organizers, concerned about entertaining spectators sometimes feel that changing saddle
and clothing styles add variety to the show. Since the Peruvian has not been bred to trot,
canter, gallop, jump or cut cattle, showing the horse for entertainment only gives
prospective new owners an inaccurate idea of what the Peruvian horse is capable of doing.
THE BREEDERS SHOW
Decades ago, a group of Peruvian gentlemen created a system of judging that rewarded the
Peruvian Horse for its inherited abilities. Traits were produced through generations of
planned breeding to do a specific job. This system of judging, along with the Peruvian
traditions, was imported with the horse and has protected the breed from homogenization
for it's first three decades in the United States. The breeding division classes held in
U.S. shows are considered the most important contest in the show. They reward the horse
that is most typically Peruvian. The horse with the best gait, brio and conformation, all
inherited traits that allow them to be the best ridding animal. In the U.S. we have
created Performance or Pleasure classes that are judged on the riders equitation, the
horses training, and how they work together. Both Breeding and Pleasure/Performance
divisions along with Gait, Conformation, Conjunto, Matched Pairs, Parade, Trail, Musical
Exercise, Costume, Junior Riders, Sidesaddle and Silver fox, pass the acid test of not
changing the original purpose of the breed. They all showcase the Peruvian Horses'
inherited talent, an elegant means of transportation and fabulous trail horse for both
amateur or professional.
Before 1942, breeders in Peru were spread throughout the country without any organization
to unify their breeding programs or methods of judging. But after La Agricola, a store
selling agricultural products, was opened by Carlos Luna de la Fuente, breeders of
Peruvian horses, all owners of haciendas, regularly met at the store. Within a short time
it became a meeting place where breeders discussed what made a Peruvian Horse great. It is
only natural that these men who used their horses daily on their haciendas based the
concepts of judging on the original function intended for the Peruvian Horse. A
comfortable yet elegant means of transportation that suited their aristocratic taste.
EARLY STRUGGLES
By 1945, organized shows were in full swing, with competition being tough. It was at one
of the early National shows in Peru, that we saw the first recorded attempt at
homogenization of the Peruvian Horse. Two dozen matched gray partbloods, each horse with
it's own uniformed handler arrived at Peru's National show. They were owned by the Larco
family who's goal was to "improve" the Peruvian breed by crossing it with an
imported gray Arabian stallion. Only by the inflexible stand taken by the judge, Antonio
Grana banned these partblood horses from competition, was the Peruvian horse saved from
this "improvement".
Antonio Grana, who spent a good part of each day on a horse, had a well defined idea of
what a Peruvian Horse should be. He also had a strong character and was not afraid to
impose his ideals. In the early days of the breed's development he had more than one
opportunity. At one point a group of Northern breeders led by Fredrico Torre Ugarte, a man
who seldom rode, became enamored with flashy high action of the front legs at the expense
of smoothness and pisos. Again, as the judge of the National show, Antonio Grana withstood
the pressures to award ribbons to horses who deviated from the breed standard.
TEMPTATIONS
Today the Peruvian horse is enjoying a boom in popularity in his home land. But as the
internal Peruvian market is limited and breeders must sell horses in order to continue
breeding, the association in Peru, like the one in the U.S., looks for ways to make the
shows more exciting, hoping to attract and encourage new owners. Imagine my shock when one
of the new classes at the 1994 Nationals in Lima was a gaiting race. My shock turned to
horror when in the next class the horses lined up in full Peruvian attire, took off in a
flat out gallop racing to the finish line with their uncoordinated, painfully slow
Peruvian gallop. I was embarrassed for the spectacle the horses presented and hoped that
owners of true race horses were not watching and laughing at our breed. Antonio Grana must
surely have turned over in his grave.
Where does the next step in the evolutionary ladder take us? Dangerous waters lie ahead
for the breed. Without nature's selective process and everyday practical use as the guide,
the show ring has become the defining yardstick. As we all know the show ring can be full
of illusions and a blue ribbon can be made of fools gold. But with all its' deficiency the
show arena is still the best comparison of breeding qualities or training.
FUTURE DIRECTION
How does the Peruvian Horse beat the homogenization process that has overtaken so many
breeds in the United States? First through education, by making sure that each owner and
prospective buyer understands what the Peruvian Horse can do well. Next by being aware
that blue ribbons set the direction for many breeding programs and that the type of
classes used in competitions point out what is important in a Peruvian horse. Long time
breeders, judges, the breed registry and show organizers must stand together on what type
and characteristics will represent a Peruvian Horse. Remembering where the horse came from
in the past while moving into the future in a consistent well defined direction.
Fito Matillini once told me, "The Peruvian Horse is in a constant state of evolution.
The perfect horse has not set foot on this planet, and never will. Peruvian Horses must
continue to improve, but changes must be made within the context of the breed
standards.
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