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Arabian vs. Paso Fino—Which Is Better?

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Horses are beautiful creatures, and there are many breeds. As of right now, there are over 200 different breeds of horses. However, most people who own a horse don’t have horses just to show them off to other people, or maybe they might.

Horses are useful for several tasks, even today, and before you purchase a horse, it’s good to note what you want to use your horse for. The purpose can drive your search for a specific breed.

So which popular horse breed is the best, Arabian or Paso Fino?

That really depends on what you want your horse to look like and what type of things you want the horse to do.

What Do Arabians and Paso Finos Look Like?

To a person who doesn’t know a lot about horses, these two breeds might look the same, aside from their colors and maybe even their size.

However, comparing two horses makes it easier to recognize the differences between the two. There are a handful of observable traits that Arabian and Paso Fino breeds have that make it easier to distinguish between them.

An Arabian’s Observable Traits

Arabian man with horse in the desert

Arabians have finely chiseled heads and dished faces. Their necks are long and arching. Their tails begin noticeably higher up their rump, which means they have a high tail carriage.

Arabians are found in an assortment of colors. They can be white, gray, black, brown, bay (which is a reddish-brown color), and roan (which is a sort of white and gray mixture).

A Paso Fino’s Observable Traits

On a horse

Paso Finos have a refined head with a straight profile. Their eyes are dark and don’t show much white in them. Their necks have a high carriage that smoothly slopes into the back. Their legs are well-defined with shorter cannons and longer forearms.

Paso Finos come in many colors. They can be chestnut, bay, black, gray, roan, palomino (which is a light brown color), and pinto (which looks like blotches of white and brown).

What Are These Two Horse Breeds Good For?

Some people use these horses in sports such as horse racing, barrel racing, polo, and equestrian sports. Others just like having horses in their backyard to occasionally ride or maybe to help teach others how to

Each breed performs better than the other in certain sports.

Sports

Horses racing along the beach at Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Australia

Racing

Horse racing is when horses race around a sort of track in a competition to see which one gets to the finish line the fastest. Many times, fans bid on which horse is going to win, and it’s an enjoyable experience for those who are lucky enough to bid on the winner.

Arabians are the third-fastest horse breed, and they can do really well in this sport! Paso Finos are a little bit slower and might not do as well.

Barrel Racing

Barrel racing is when a person rides a horse through barrel obstacles as fast as possible. Whoever completes the clover-like shape around the barrels the quickest wins!

Arabians are not the most common horse for barrel racing, but they do perform well in the sport due to their agility and shorter stature. Paso Finos are more common in barrel racing, and they tend to perform really well!

Polo

Polo is a team ball game played on horseback. The riders hold long T-shaped mallets and attempt to get the ball into their goal while riding at whatever speed is necessary. It can be a really challenging game!

Arabian horses and Paso Fino horses are both good for polo. Thoroughbreds, however, are the most common breed for this sport and might be a better option.

Mid adult man playing polo

Equestrian

During the sport called equestrian, the horse jumps over poles while being guided by the rider. They lose points if they touch the pole or if they are too slow.

The Arabian thrives in these sorts of competitions; they are among the top ten best horses for equestrian sports! Paso Finos, on the other hand, aren’t really known for their talent in equestrian sports.

Horseback Lessons

Sometimes people just want to learn how to ride a horse for fun and not to try any sport-like activities on them. Riding a horse can be a fun thing to learn and a fun thing to teach.

Once a person learns how to ride a horse, they can advance and learn how to do all the other sports that go along with horses! Or maybe they just want to go on a hiking trail and bring their horse with them.

riding girl and horse

Paso Finos aren’t a great fit for people who are just getting to know the basics of horseback riding. They can be a bit too forward, and if you are a timid person when it comes to riding horses, then Paso Finos aren’t going to be a good fit for you.

Arabian horses are very intelligent and are great for people just starting to learn how to ride horseback. Sometimes they aren’t the most gentle, but if you listen to your horseback riding instructor, they will tell you what to do and help you learn how to handle them.

Taking Care of Horses

Like every living creature, horses need to be well cared for. There are a lot of expenses that go into maintaining a horse’s health. They need water, food, a field to roam around in, and a shelter to hide in every once in a while.

Nutrition

A young equestrian pats the head of a horse while he drinks water from a container of water

Normally, a horse needs to drink about 5-10 gallons of water in a day.

The amount of food they eat depends on their weight. Most of the time, horses weigh around 1,000 pounds, which means that they will need to eat about 20 pounds of hay per day.

Horses love to eat fresh grass, fruits, vegetables, and hay. If they have an open field full of grass, they will eat whenever they are hungry. Otherwise, a person will spend around $150 a month on hay.

Habitation

Woman and horse at the farm during sunset

Keeping your horse in a nice place is also part of maintaining your horse’s health. Owners are going to want to have about two acres of space per horse.

Having enough space can ensure that the horses don’t overgraze the field. If the field gets overgrazed, it’s harder for new plants to come in and for regrowth to take place.

Horses also need some form of shelter to hide away from the weather. The rain, snow, and wind aren’t always the best things to be exposed to, and sometimes the heat gets to be a little too much.

Two horses at sunset

So Which Breed Is Better?

The Arabian is more versatile than the Paso Fino. If you would like a horse with a lot of range and the ability to do many different things, well then, the Arabian is the best horse breed to get.

Pano Finos are good at barrel racing and a handful of other things, but they aren’t known for being the best at everything.

You can use horses for many things, but in order to get the best performance out of them, you have to keep them healthy. Make sure they get enough water and food. Supply them with the right environment, and they will be pleasant companions!

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