From the Andes to Machu Picchu, South America is full of adventures and breathtaking attractions. Additionally, you can find some of the most amazing horse breeds in South America.

South America is home to some of the most beautiful horse breeds, and many of them are as well. The most well-known breeds in South America and Latin America include: Mangalarga Marchador, Puerivan Paso, Paso Fino, Falabella, Criollo, Chilean Horse, Campeiro, Campolina, Brazilian Sport Horse and Pampa.

Many of these wonderful horses owe their origins to the Spanish horses.

Below are ten horse breeds from Latin and South America.

1. Mangalarga Marchador

The Mangalarga Marchador is the national horse breed of Brazil and is highly regarded among the people. In fact, Brazil is home to more than half a million of these amazing horses.

The history of the Mangalarga Marchador dates back to the mid-18th century. Francisco Gabriel Junqueira imported Lustanios to Brazil and began breeding them with Barbs and local horses in the area, which resulted in soft horses.

Junqueira called these horses Sublime. He then sold Semitic horses to a farm called Mangalarga in Rio de Janeiro and the breed’s popularity quickly grew.

Soon people began to refer to horses as Mangalarga. In 1934, the Mangalarga Breeders Association was formed to establish a clear breeding direction and function of the breed. Horses must undergo inspection by breed judges to be registered.

Mangalarga Marchadors are known for their amazing stamina and ability to raise livestock. Although they don’t perform a real trot, they do walk and toss with trotting, marcha patida and marcha picada.

The marcha batida and marcha picada have a four-beat, somewhat gait that is medium-fast and incredibly smooth.

Mangalarga Marchadors have an elegant Baroque style with arched necks, strong breeches, deep chests, and also muscular bodies. They have a straight profile with ears pointing slightly inward.

Mangalarga Marchador horses are on average 14.2 to 16 hands long and are primarily pinto, bay, gray or maroon in colour. As a versatile breed, Mangalarga Marchadors excel in endurance, cutting, curbing, livestock work, hunting seat, and dressage.

2. Peru Paso

The origin of the Peruvian Paso goes back hundreds of years and they have since become an important breed in Peru. In fact, they are protected by the Peruvian government, and Peru has declared this exceptional breed part of the nation’s cultural heritage.

In the 16th century, the Spanish conquistadors brought horses that formed the basis of the Boerevan Paso breed. The Peruvian bass is descended from the Andalusian, Barbis and Janet, an extinct breed of horse.

Because of the harsh terrain of Peru, they are famous for their endurance and toughness, as they are able to withstand tough conditions.

Peruvians do not jog, but rather perform two other walks, the Paso lano and the Subrendando. Each of the horse’s unique gait is a four-stroke temple gait with a paso lano 1-2-3-4 rhythm and a subrendando 1-2, 3-4 rhythm. The subrendando is often faster than the two gaiters.

The Peruvian bassos are 14 to 15 hands long and available in a variety of colors. They have an elegant yet sturdy build, with a thick neck, proud head, and slender legs.

Thanks to their smooth gait, they are popular in shows and make great horses for riding.

3. Baso Fino

The Paso Fino is one of the most popular cheerleading horse breeds in the world. They have a rich history dating back over 500 years, with roots in Spain.

During their trip to the Dominican Republic, the Spaniards brought Barbs, Giants, and Andalusians. The Spaniards bred these horses together and spread them throughout Latin America.

Due to their smooth gait and excellent stamina, Paso Venus have been popular working horses for ranchers in Puerto Rico and Colombia.

Paso fino horses do not perform a trot but instead perform a lateral gait with four evenly spaced strokes where each foot of the foot hits the ground independently at set intervals in a regular sequence. This results in a fast, uninterrupted rhythm. They perform a distinctive gait with three speeds, Classic Fino, Paso Corto, and Paso Largo.

Bold and elegant, the Paso Finos has a well-muscled body, a well-arched neck, an expressive head and well-shaped legs. They are about 13 to 15.2 hands long and come in different colours. Paso Venus offers a great show and horse trail.

4. Falabella

Native to Argentina, the Falabella is a breed of miniature horse. These pint-sized horses are said to be the original miniature horse.

To the surprise of many, Falabella horses have their roots in Andalusian and Iberian horses. After unsuccessful attempts to invade Argentina, the Spaniards left their horses behind.

Patrick Neutal began breeding local criollo breeds with descendants of these Spanish horses in the 19th century to create a smaller horse.

After Neutal’s death, John Falabella, Neutal’s brother-in-law, took over the breeding task. The Falabella were later bred with Welsh, Thoroughbred and Shetland ponies to create small horses. After much inbreeding and ups and downs, it created consistency within the breed.

Falabella horses have the pedigree of an ordinary horse, but with a miniature size. All horses stand around 30-34 inches tall and come in a large variety of colours, with the leopard spotted being among the most popular.

Falabella have fine heads, elegant yet powerful builds, and friendly personalities. They are popular as companions, show horses, and compete in leadership and in hand.

5. Criollo

Native to the Pampas region of South America, the criollo breed comes from the early Spanish horses. They are descendants of horses that came to the Americas from the Spanish conquistadors. 

Criollo horses have their roots in the early Andalusian horses and are closely related to the Spanish horses. Originally bred for war, they have compact and sturdy hulls with excellent carrying capacity. They are able to thrive in harsh conditions as they regularly work on farm owners to care for the land and animals.

Creoles were a popular choice for the Mount Gauchos, Argentina’s cowboys. During the nineteenth century, English horses and Percherons were introduced to the bloodlines, however, the results were less than desirable.

Zootechnist Don Emilio Solanet took on the task of restoring the purity of the breed, which led to an official registration.

A criollo horse has an average length of 14 to 15 hands with a muscular neck, strong body and a broad chest. Criollos are known for their versatility, excellence in rodeo, farm work, polo, endurance, and trail riding.

6. Chili horse

As one of the oldest breeds in South America, the Chilean horse has its origins in the Spanish horses. Also called the Chilean Corralero, it is the oldest recorded horse in the Western Hemisphere.

In 1557, Governor García Hurtado de Mendoza arrived in Chile with 42 horses, which marked the beginning of the Chilean horse breed.

These horses, of Spanish blood, were popular among the locals for work and as war horses. Geographical isolation led to a pure form of the breed, influenced by the environment and the needs of the local population.

Chilean horses have close relationships with Huasu herders or Chilean cattle herders. They are famous in Chile for working in cattle and rodeos. In fact, only Chilean rodeo contestants can ride Chilean horses.

Chilean horses have muscular necks, deep chests, and strong bodies, with some of the thickest manufacs and tails of any horse breed. Hands are 13.1-14.2 in length, with all colors accepted except for albino. With their natural feel for cows, Chilean horses excel at ranch work, rodeos, and trail riding.

7. Campero

Cambero is a constructed breed native to Brazil. Also known as Marchador das Araucárias, it comes from the Araucária forest region in southern Brazil.

In the early 1540s, Captain Alvers Nunes brought Spanish and Portuguese stocks to Brazil. During his journey, some horses were lost and formed wild herds.

In 1728, another group of explorers found horses, and captured some of them to start a breeding program. They have selectively bred them to enhance their gait, and used them for farming.

In the 19th century, thoroughbred horses and Arabian stock were introduced to improve the breed. A breed association formed in 1976, with the genealogy book forming in 1985. Their meandering gait can be horizontal or sloping, while being faster and smoother than trotting.

Cambero horses are distinguished by their stamina, have an arched neck, a broad chest, and a well-muscled body. They are about 14-15 hands long and are most common in bay, chestnut or gray, although they can come in other colors as well. They are popular working horses on farms and also make great horses.

8. Campolina

The Campolina is a Brazilian breed of horse. They are named after Casciano Campolina, a farmer who developed the breed in the late 1800s.

In 1870, a friend of Campolina presented him with a black Barb mare, which he bred with an Andalusian stallion. The resulting pony, called the Monarca, became the primary stallion of the breed.

Over the next 25 years, Campolina bred the Monarca breeds with Cladisdale, Anglo-Norman, American Saddlebred, Holsteiner and Mangalarga Marchadur horses.

By the 1930s, the breed standard was officially established and the genealogy book closed. With their willing energy and exceptionally smooth gaits, they quickly became a popular horse throughout Brazil and throughout South America.

Although the Campolina is a relatively new breed, there are approximately 85,000 registered Campolinas, with over 7,300 registered breeds. They have a four-stroke gait referred to as the ‘real marcha’.

Campolinas have a distinctive convex appearance, their head is bent close to their eyes. They have an arched neck, a well-muscled body, and refined yet powerful legs.

Campolinas are on average 16 hands long and are often grey, bay, suede, pinto or silvery gray. It is a versatile horse breed mostly used for farm work, trail riding, dressage and driving.

9. The Brazilian Sports Horse

Developed in the 1970s, the Brazilian Sports Horse is a relatively new breed. They are becoming increasingly popular in the world of horse sport thanks to their outstanding athletic ability.

In the 1970’s, the Cirillo, Trakehner and Anglo-Argentinian breeds were combined to create a sporty, hard working horse.

In addition to this, it also influenced the Andalusian, Thoroughbred, Oldenburger, Westphalian, Irish Sport Horse, Hanoverian, Holsteiner, Ciel Francais, and Belgian Dogs Bloods. This resulted in a tireless and athletic horse that continues to grow in popularity across South America, North America and Europe.

Despite being a new breed, there have already been five Brazilian sporting horses in the Olympics. In 2000, a Brazilian sport horse finished third in the World Smallhorse Breeding Championships and later second in the American Smallhorse Championships.

Brazilian sport horses have an athletic, well-balanced build with willing, hard-working personalities. They are about 16 hands long and are usually chestnut, bay and grey. These graceful horses excel at dressage, event racing, and jumping.

10. Bamba

The pampa horse is a breed native to Brazil. Only Bento horses can be registered.

Pampas developed from Spanish horses brought in the 16th century, along with Dutch and Portuguese horses, which later became wild. These horses were also crossed by the Campolina and Mangalarga Marchador, along with other breeds that are often spotted for their distinctive coat colour.

Pampas are strong horses, able to withstand harsh weather conditions and terrain. Local tribes developed this unique breed based on their personal needs. They soon became famous for their beautiful coats and soft walks.

Pampas have a straight or slightly convex profile, a slightly arched neck, and a well-muscled body. They stand around 13.3 – 14.2 hands and come in a variety of bento styles. They are a great choice for endurance, working livestock, and trail riding.