The Costa Rican Saddle Horse is a

horse breed A horse breed is a selectively bred population of domesticated horses, often with pedigrees recorded in a breed registry. However, the term is sometimes used in a broader sense to define landrace animals of a common phenotype located within a lim ...

developed in

Costa Rica Costa Rica (, ; ; literally "Rich Coast"), officially the Republic of Costa Rica ( es, República de Costa Rica), is a country in the Central American region of North America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the no ...

. Since 1850 breeders of the Costa Rican horse have paid more attention to the selection of breeding stock. Because the horse population was small and

inbreeding Inbreeding is the production of offspring from the mating or breeding of individuals or organisms that are closely related genetically. By analogy, the term is used in human reproduction, but more commonly refers to the genetic disorders and o ...

a concern, a few stallions were imported from Spain and Peru. The breed was founded by "Janitzio", foaled in 1955, a loudly marked sabino stallion. In 1972 a breed club (ASCACOPA) was established, and in 1974 the breed registry was initiated.

Characteristics

The minimum height for males is 14.2½

hands A hand is a prehensile, multi-fingered appendage located at the end of the forearm or forelimb of primates such as humans, chimpanzees, monkeys, and lemurs. A few other vertebrates such as the koala (which has two opposable thumbs on each " ...

() and 14.1½

() for females. The head profile is straight or slightly convex. The neck is arched, ample at the base and tapered toward the head. The chest is deep and well muscled, the barrel well developed. The back is short, with the underline being longer. The

croup Croup, also known as laryngotracheobronchitis, is a type of respiratory infection that is usually caused by a virus. The infection leads to swelling inside the trachea, which interferes with normal breathing and produces the classic symptoms o ...

is long, well muscled and slightly rounded. The hair on the mane and tail is fine, and the skin should be fine with short hair. The

gait Gait is the pattern of movement of the limbs of animals, including humans, during locomotion over a solid substrate. Most animals use a variety of gaits, selecting gait based on speed, terrain, the need to maneuver, and energetic efficiency. Di ...

and movements are performed with action and energy, the knees and hocks showing high flexing during the rhythmic and harmonious trot.characteristics page of http://www.ascacopa.com/index.html

Notes

References

* {{cite book, author=Hendricks, Bonnie Lou and Anthony Dent, title=International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CdJg3qXssWYC&q=Costa+Rican+Saddle+horse&pg=PA142, publisher=University of Oklahoma Press, year=1995, isbn=978-0-8061-3884-8 , location=Norman, OK
ASCACOPA Association of breeders of Costa Rican Paso Horses
Horse breeds Horse breeds originating in Costa Rica