If you’ve been in the Peruvian horse breed for a while, odds are you’ve heard these kinds of comments:
“Peruvians can do anything any other breed can do.”
“They’re really not that versatile. They’re here to gait. It’s what they do best.”
A recent discussion on our club Facebook page hit on this very topic. An article on Peruvians and reining appeared in my email inbox, so I posted it to our FB page. There are some excellent comments in there about what different people are doing with their horses and what those activities mean for and about the breed.
I’m not picking a side here, but I think it’s a good discussion to continue as we all work to promote our breed. I know we all want to share and show off our horses, but I think we also need to figure out whose attention we’re trying to catch. If we can define the market we’re trying capture, we can target those folks.
I guess that raises the question of who “we” is, though. Are “we” traditionalists preserving and promoting Peruvian culture? Are “we” fun-loving trail riders who just want to get out and enjoy nature? Are “we” parade/demo folks who love to put on a memorable presentation of this stunning horse? Are “we” competetive types who have something to prove to other breeds?
If “we” are all the above, I’d say that’s a pretty versatile group.
What do you think?
Colorado Peruvian Horses 