The major goal of the breeders of the American Spotted Paso horse was to incorporate the wonderful coat coloration and patterns of the Tobiano, Sabino and Overo pintos with the smooth and gaited Peruvian Paso horse.
American Spotted Paso's must have at least one parent that is a purebred and registered Peruvian Paso and the foal or horse when registered must exhibit a four beat lateral gait, ideally the llano gait that the Peruvian Paso is famous for. The other parent horse must be of an approved and recognized gaited breed.
American Spotted Pasos are a new type of horse that is considered to be a hybrid, or a cross between two distinct breeds. At some point in time when there are a high enough number of American Spotted Paso's on the registry, the studbook will be closed, and outside bloodlines will no longer be accepted in the registry. This is the same process all new breeds of horses go through as they develop their own bloodlines and purebred lines that breed true to the breed standards required.
There are actually two different American Spotted Paso registries, the A side where the horse being registered has at least 75% Peruvian Paso blood and the B side where the horse is at least 50-74% purebred Peruvian Paso.
As with most types of gaited horses there is an inspection before the horse being registered will be entered into the registry. Unlike some registries the American Spotted Paso registry accepts a videotape presentation of the foal or horse using the lateral four beat gait. A horse that trots will not be allowed into the registry, regardless of the registration status of the dam and sire.
A lateral four beat gait has the horse moving both the front and hind leg on the same side in sequence, rather than moving the opposite front and back leg. This means that the movement is very smooth along the sides of the horse without the alternate weight shifting that is felt by the rider in a non-gaited horse.
American Spotted Paso horses can be registered in several registries besides the American Spotted Paso Registry. They can also be registered in the Spotted Saddle Horse Breeders and Exhibitors Association as well as the American Pinto Horse Association. They will need to meet all requirements for these other registries as prescribed by the registry standards.
This breed was started by breeding a pure black Peruvian Paso stallion named Janchovilla to pinto mares, resulting in approximately three quarters of all foals being born spotted and all with the lateral four beat gait that the Paso is so famous for.
American Spotted Pasos can be used as general riding horses, trail riding horses, endurance horses or in any type of western or English event or competition.
Some American Spotted Pasos are being used as therapy horses and are not infrequently seen in riding therapy programs. The beauty of the horses combined with the very smooth gait and their gentle temperament make them excellent mounts for disabled riders of any age.
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