Horse Improvement Program
of the PPHRNA

• Purpose
• Improvement Award Program
• Eligibility
• Awards
• Certification
• Tests
  • Test 1. Conformation ..... form
  • Test 2A. Gait/Movement ..... form
  • Test 2B. Distance ..... form
  • Test 3. Get/Produce Evaluation ..... form
  • Test 4. Success of Get/Produce ..... form
  • Test 5. Longevity with Durability ..... form
• Conformation Star Horse List

Purpose

To identify superior animals for breeding purposes in order to improve the quality of the Peruvian Paso Breed.

The emphasis of the tests is to be placed on the athletic ability related to form and function. This is to maintain a uniform and effective breeding standard. To issue approval to those stallions and mares that pass the following requirements.

Improvement Award Program

All horses to be judged in halter and under saddle. Because the Peruvian breed is a riding breed and the main purpose of the breed is a smooth gait over distance -- the horses should NOT be evaluated for performance before they are under saddle, on the bit preferred. The horse will be video taped for a video history and future reference.

The 2000 members of the Horse Improvement Program (HIP) committee are:

Lynn Kinsky (chair), Mary Donald, Lionell Griffith, and Bill Chase.

Contact: Lynn Kinsky
Mail: 5230 Baseline, Santa Ynez, CA 93460
Phone: (805) 688-2615
Email: lkinsky@silcom.com

Eligibility

All PPHRNA registered mares for breeding (3 years of age and older.) All PPHRNA registered stallions for breeding (3 years of age and older.) Geldings will be evaluated for the conformation and performance stars.

Awards

The Award program will use a 5 star system for the mares and stallions and will cover the following tests:

1. Conformation - (Current holders)

2. Performance (covers gait and distance)

3. Offspring evaluation.

4. Success of offspring.

5. Longevity with durability.

The approval will appear as follows: */*/*/*/* behind their names in the stud book, for all successful categories.

Certification

After the horse has passed Part 1 Conformation and Part 2 Performance Test, it will receive a certificate of recognition from the PPHRNA.

Tests

Test 1. Conformation

Quality of conformation for strength and soundness will be evaluated. Special emphasis will be placed on detecting hereditary conformational and structural defects.

The conformation test must be completed for all horses and will also be used in the evaluation of offspring of stallions and mares for their third and fourth star awards.

Complete the Test 1 form and send it to the PPHRNA along with pictures of the front, rear and sides of the horse.

Test 2A. Gait/Movement

Judging the basic gaits (walk, paso llano, and sobreandando) under saddle be a ride ability test.

The owner will submit four copies of a video , showing the horse moving under saddle in the required gaits. Including views from the front, side, and rear. Up to three horses can be included on one tape as long as each segment is clearly separated and identified. Complete the Test 2A form and include it with the video package along with a $20 fee for postage and handling and send it to the HIP.

Three evaluators from the PPHRNA approved judges list will receive a copy of the tape with instructions to evaluate, on a pass/fail basis, the horse's ability to perform the required gaits as specified in the breed standard. Style or "showability" is not to be a criterion. If a horse is failed by an evaluator, reasons must be given and the HIP Committee will recommend to the PPHRNA BOD what further action to take (ie, submit to more evaluators, ask for new tape, fail the test, etc.). The final decision rests with PPHRNA. Failure of the test will have no impact beyond this voluntary HIP program.

Test 2B. Distance

Successfully complete a sanctioned ride of 20 miles or more. If the horse is 18 years old or older when doing the ride, the required distance is reduced to 15 miles. The ride MUST be conducted by one of the recognized distance organizations (ie, NATRC, AERC, ECTRA, SEDRA, UMECTRA, IAHA, etc) per their rules and under vet control. The test can be attempted any number of times and can be multi-day, if part of the same event. The test may have been done prior to submitting the Test 2B form. The owner is to submit a completed Test 2B form to the HIP committee so they can verify the satisfactory completion of the test.

Test 3. Get/Produce Evaluation

In order to get a star for this category the minimum requirements are five get for stallions and two produce for mares presented for inspection and passing the conformation section of the improvement program. The entries must be made by the current owner of mare or stallion. The offspring can be owned by other people. The get/produce under the age of three do NOT quality for a star of their own until they are three years of age and have completed the program on their own merit. Submit a completed Test 3 form to the HIP.

Test 4. Success of Get/Produce

The star requirements for this category are as follows:

5 approved/certified get for a stallion

2 approved/certified produce for a mare

Submit a completed Test 4 form to the HIP.

Test 5. Longevity with Durability (18 years of age and older)

All stallions and mares that quality for the 5th star MUST have previously earned the 1st, 2ed, & 3rd, preferably all 4 stars.

If the horse is going through the program for the first time is 1 8 years of age or older, the distance test will be reduced to 15 miles instead of 25. If the horse received his/her stars when he/she was much younger, then the requirement of this star will be a soundness test and a very short gait test.

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