Horse breeds · from TrotleyPaso Fino weight and height: a small gaited breed with a metabolic caution
Paso Finos stand 13 to 15.2 hands and weigh 700 to 1,000 pounds by their own association’s standard, and Merck names the breed among those where metabolic syndrome is most common.
Short answer
Most Paso Finos stand 13.3 to 14.2 hands and weigh 700 to 1,000 pounds.
The Paso Fino Horse Association’s standard gives 13 to 15.2 hands, with 13.3 to 14.2 the most typical, and a weight of 700 to 1,000 pounds (318 to 454 kg). It adds that full size may not come until the fifth year.
Paso Fino Horse Association
| Source | Height | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Paso Fino Horse Association standard | 13 to 15.2 hands, most 13.3 to 14.2 | 700 to 1,000 lb |
| Oklahoma State University | 13.2 to 15.2 hands | Not given |
| University of Kentucky | 14 to 15 hands | Not given |
| University of Minnesota, 214 saddle-type and gaited horses (all breeds) | Average 60 inches | Average 1,133 lb |
The Minnesota row is a mixed group that includes larger horses and is shown for comparison only.
Small, balanced and gaited from birth
The association says the Paso Fino is born with its gait, and Oklahoma State describes a breed bred for physical balance, with no exaggerated muscling or size in any part of the horse. The University of Kentucky notes small hooves without excess heel. The association adds that full size may not come until the fifth year, so a young horse can weigh well below an adult.
Daily hay for an 850 pound Paso Fino
The arithmetic uses 850 pounds, the midpoint of the association’s weight range and our choice. Replace it with your own horse’s weight.
Merck gives 2 to 2.5% of body weight in dry matter as the usual daily maximum, with at least 1.5 to 2% from forage. These figures are our arithmetic, counting hay as 90% dry matter. Because of the metabolic caution below, a Paso Fino that holds weight easily may do best on the lower lines.
- 1.5% of body weight: 13 lb (6 kg) of dry matter, about 14 lb (6 kg) of hay
- 2% of body weight: 17 lb (8 kg) of dry matter, about 19 lb (9 kg) of hay
- 2.5% of body weight: 21 lb (10 kg) of dry matter, about 24 lb (11 kg) of hay
A weight tape example for a Paso Fino
The horse weight calculator uses the adult equation in the Merck Veterinary Manual: heart girth squared times body length, in inches, divided by 330. With a heart girth of 70 inches and a body length of 58 inches gives 70 x 70 = 4,900, times 58 = 284,200, divided by 330 = about 861 lb (391 kg). Those measurements are our illustration, not a real horse.
Merck says weight tapes can be used on ponies and horses, tend to underestimate, and are best for tracking change.
Metabolic syndrome
Merck says equine metabolic syndrome is most common in ponies and in Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Paso Finos, Morgans and Mustangs, and that hyperinsulinemia leads to laminitis. Affected horses are typically obese, with a cresty neck and fat behind the shoulder and at the tailhead, although a lean form exists. Merck says obesity and a cresty neck alone do not make the diagnosis, which rests on testing for insulin dysregulation. If your Paso Fino gains easily or its crest thickens, ask your vet about testing and about a low sugar hay plan.
The gait test
The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists the Paso Fino among the breeds for SynchroGait, a DNA test for a DMRT3 variant that affects gait and coordination. Its page describes benefits for Standardbreds, trotters and Icelandic horses and does not say what a Paso Fino result means, so ask your vet or the association before spending on it.
Hooves and rider weight
The University of Minnesota says hooves need routine trimming for a balanced, flat bearing surface, and that a horse wearing them faster than they regrow, or with thin soles, may need shoes or boots on the advice of a farrier or vet. The same page says the saddle should fit the back to spread the rider’s weight.
Body condition
Merck advises a score of 4 to 6 on the 9 point Henneke scale. The University of Minnesota found that 36% of saddle-type horses, a group that includes gaited horses, scored 7 or more. Score your Paso Fino by feel each month and log the score with the weight.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Paso Fino weigh?
The Paso Fino Horse Association gives 700 to 1,000 pounds (318 to 454 kg) for horses of 13 to 15.2 hands, with full size not reached until about the fifth year.
How tall is a Paso Fino?
The association gives 13 to 15.2 hands, and 13.3 to 14.2 is the most typical. Oklahoma State gives 13.2 to 15.2 and the University of Kentucky 14 to 15.
Can a Paso Fino carry a 160 pound rider?
The University of Minnesota reports that an average adult light riding horse can comfortably carry about 20% of its ideal bodyweight, rider and tack included. For 850 pounds that is about 170 pounds, so a 140 pound rider with 22 pounds of tack fits, and a 160 pound rider with 25 pounds of tack is 15 pounds over.
Are Paso Finos prone to metabolic syndrome?
Merck lists Paso Finos among the breeds in which equine metabolic syndrome is most common, alongside ponies, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Morgans and Mustangs. Weigh and score your horse regularly, and talk to your vet if it gains easily.
Sources
- Paso Fino Horse Association, Breed Standard
- Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Paso Fino Horses
- University of Kentucky Equine Programs, Horse breeds
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Equine Metabolic Syndrome
- UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, SynchroGait (archived copy)
- University of Minnesota Extension, Guidelines for weight-carrying capacity of horses
- University of Minnesota Extension, Estimating actual and ideal bodyweight of adult horses
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Horses and Other Equids
Checked on October 2, 2026.
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See TrotleyMore in Horse breeds
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- Tennessee Walking HorseA Tennessee Walking Horse weighs 900 to 1,200 pounds and stands 14.3 to 17 hands.
- Missouri Fox TrotterA Missouri Fox Trotter weighs 900 to 1,200 pounds and stands 14 to 16 hands.
- American SaddlebredAn American Saddlebred weighs 1,000 to 1,200 pounds and stands about 15 to 16.3 hands.
- Akhal-TekeAkhal-Tekes average 15.2 hands and weigh 900 to 1,000 pounds, about 408 to 454 kg.
- American Miniature HorseMiniature Horses stand no more than 34 inches, and adults average about 257 pounds.
- Horse weight calculatorFree tool: Estimate a horse’s weight from heart girth and body length with the formulas in the Merck Veterinary Manual, for adults, yearlings and weanlings.
