# Peruvian Paso weight and height, with notes on natural hooves and the gait test

> Peruvian Paso weight and height from Oklahoma State, daily hay by body weight, a weight tape example and care notes on natural hooves, gait and body condition.

Canonical: https://lucernel.com/guides/horse-breeds/peruvian-paso
Last updated: 2026-11-07

Peruvian Pasos average 14 to 15 hands and 900 to 1,100 pounds, about the size of Morgans and Arabians, and they are shown barefoot with a short natural hoof.

**Peruvian Pasos average 14 to 15 hands and 900 to 1,100 pounds.** Oklahoma State University gives an average height of 14 to 15 hands and a common weight of 900 to 1,100 pounds (408 to 499 kg), about the same as Morgans and Arabians. (Oklahoma State University)

| Source | Height | Weight |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Oklahoma State University | Average 14 to 15 hands | Commonly 900 to 1,100 lb |
| University of Minnesota, 62 adult Arabians (comparison) | Average 58 inches | Average 937 lb |
| University of Minnesota, 214 saddle-type and gaited horses (all breeds) | Average 60 inches | Average 1,133 lb |

The Minnesota rows are mixed groups shown for comparison. Only the first row describes Peruvian Pasos.

## A gaited breed of Arabian size

Oklahoma State describes the Peruvian Paso as the only naturally gaited breed that can guarantee its inborn four-beat lateral gait to every purebred foal, with a flowing front-leg action called termino. It says the breed blended Barb, Friesian, Spanish Jennet and Andalusian blood and has taken in no outside blood for centuries. The comparison with Morgans and Arabians in its weight sentence fits the University of Minnesota’s measured Arabians, which averaged 937 pounds.

## Daily hay for a 1,000 pound Peruvian Paso

The arithmetic uses 1,000 pounds, the midpoint of Oklahoma State’s range. 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.

- 1.5% of body weight: 15 lb (7 kg) of dry matter, about 17 lb (8 kg) of hay
- 2% of body weight: 20 lb (9 kg) of dry matter, about 22 lb (10 kg) of hay
- 2.5% of body weight: 25 lb (11 kg) of dry matter, about 28 lb (13 kg) of hay

## A weight tape example for a Peruvian Paso

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 74 inches and a body length of 61 inches gives 74 x 74 = 5,476, times 61 = 334,036, divided by 330 = about 1,012 lb (459 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.

## Natural hooves

Oklahoma State says Peruvian horses are shown without shoes and with a short, natural hoof in both Peru and the United States. That is a show custom, not a care rule. The University of Minnesota says hooves need routine trimming for a balanced, flat bearing surface, and that horses wearing them faster than they regrow may need shoes or boots on the advice of a farrier or vet. Your farrier can tell you how your horse’s feet and footing fit.

## The gait test

The UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory lists the Peruvian Horse among the breeds for SynchroGait, a DNA test for a DMRT3 variant with an effect on gait and coordination. Its page describes benefits for Standardbreds, trotters and Icelandic horses only, and Oklahoma State says every purebred Peruvian already inherits the gait, so ask the registry before paying for a result.

## Weight management

Merck names ponies, Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Paso Finos, Morgans and Mustangs, not the Peruvian, as the horses where metabolic syndrome is most common. Its rule for any horse holds: a score of 4 to 6 on the 9 point Henneke scale, and a low sugar diet if your vet finds insulin trouble. The University of Minnesota found that 36% of saddle-type horses, a group that includes gaited horses, scored 7 or more.

## Body condition

Feel along the ribs and the crest of the neck monthly, and log the score beside each weight so a trend is clear.

## Frequently asked questions

### How much does a Peruvian Paso weigh?

Oklahoma State University says commonly 900 to 1,100 pounds (408 to 499 kg), about the same as Morgans and Arabians.

### How tall is a Peruvian Paso?

Oklahoma State gives an average of 14 to 15 hands, which is 56 to 60 inches at the withers.

### Can a Peruvian Paso carry a 170 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 1,000 pounds that is about 200 pounds, so a 170 pound rider with 25 pounds of tack is just inside it. Fitness and conformation change the answer.

### Does a Peruvian Paso need shoes?

Oklahoma State says the breed is shown unshod with a natural hoof. Whether your horse needs shoes or boots depends on its feet, footing and work, so ask your farrier or vet.

## Sources (checked 2026-10-02)

- [Oklahoma State University, Breeds of Livestock: Peruvian Paso Horses](https://breeds.okstate.edu/horses/peruvian-paso-horses)
- [UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory, SynchroGait (archived copy)](https://web.archive.org/web/2025/https://vgl.ucdavis.edu/test/synchrogait)
- [Merck Veterinary Manual, Equine Metabolic Syndrome](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/metabolic-disorders/equine-metabolic-syndrome/equine-metabolic-syndrome)
- [University of Minnesota Extension, Estimating actual and ideal bodyweight of adult horses](https://extension.umn.edu/agriculture/animals-and-livestock/horse/estimating-horse-bodyweight)
- [University of Minnesota Extension, Guidelines for weight-carrying capacity of horses](https://extension.umn.edu/agriculture/animals-and-livestock/horse/guidelines-for-weight-carrying-capacity-of-horses)
- [Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Horses and Other Equids](https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-horses/nutritional-requirements-of-horses-and-other-equids)