The wild horses of Vieques are descendents of the horses that invading conquistadors brought to Vieques in the first decades of the 16th century. The ancestors of the "Paso Fino" (the horse with the fine gait) include Andalusions, Barbs and Spanish Jennets. The Spanish Jennet - now an extinct breed - was the main contributor to the exceptionally smooth gait.

The Paso Fino developed from the random breeding of the above horses and soon became prized for their endurance and their comfortable gait. The Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino has, through years of selected breeding, preserved the wonderful 4 beat gait that trainers must often teach Paso Finos bred in other countries.

The horses you see roaming the island are not show horses (something painfully obvious in the dry season), but when watching them play and travel, the trained eye can recognize the unusual gait that makes them so unique.

Some of the horses that you see roaming the island may indeed be branded by someone that is claiming them as a pleasure horse or for breeding stock. Owners may not have the land to graze and sustain horses or personal choice may be why you see some of these horses roaming where there is ample grass and in some cases fresh water.

On Saturday nights many Viequenses ride their horses in and about Isabel Segunda & Esperanza. It's a beautiful sight to watch and a wildly rhythmic experience to the ears. To observe and hear the various gaits of these horses is very, very interesting. By the same token, watching the respective 'ride' of each horse's guardian tells you how these different gaits and speeds translate to the rider's experience atop the horse. I find myself wanting to be on horseback with the group but I'm thrilled just to see and hear this vibrant commune.