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Things
had to change for amateurs to be able to purchase and train Paso Fino horses
in a less costly way. In order to promote the Paso Fino out of Florida, as
it was getting more and more popular, and their toddler son, Sebastian, was
already competing in equitation on a Paso Fino mare, Michele decided to put
her doctoral degree in Foreign Languages and her second Master in Communication
to the service of the breed. She did so by leaving behind 15 years of university
professorship to offer all books, videos and magazines on Paso Finos, while
producing and interpreting to English a Paso Fino training video series with
famous Colombian trainer Jaime Escudero, who had worked with Fabio Ochoa.
She also led her partner Carlos, the entrepreneur, to put his own deeper
Colombian roots in Paso Fino horses to the service of tack import and
dissemination of the knowledge he had acquired from his relatives, among
whom are Paso Fino judge, Raul Estrada Londono, and trainer, Manny Londono.
The result of their quest is the knowledge and confirmation
they want to spread: the best and most successful Paso Finos surge from the
right formula of breeding and training, in proportionate amount. If you missed
the basics and got an older horse you need to retrain totally, don't despair:
remember how bright Paso Finos are. Their pleasing nature means that they
can be perfectly retrained into wonderful companions and riding horses, with
patience and repetition, most often with fitting saddles and the correct
training Paso Fino tack.
Today, the Toddler & Rider tack and apparel business encompasses
a small, quality breeding Paso Fino ranch, with horses ranging from $3,000
to $100,000, from schooling geldings for the Geldings for Gold program, to
over 10 Classic Fino and Performance broodmares in foal to El Classico de
Plebeyo, Profeta, Simbolo, Capitan de la Vitrina, Cognac, El Duque, Succesor
del Duque, etc.... Their facility in Miami includes foals, yearlings and
trained horses for sale, boarding and daily trainer services, close contact
with the First Paso Fino Riding School in America, and preparation of children
and adults for shows. They just recently expanded their congested tack store
on Krome Avenue to a ten-acre Paso Fino heaven to better serve their faithful
local and nationwide clientele.
Michele and Carlos have established their reputation based on
trust, earnest love for the breed and straightforward business with good
taste and humor. No politics involved. They guarantee their products, custom-make
Paso Fino bits, cater quality tack and highly selected horses to both North
America and Latin America, and Asia. They extend an open invitation to all
Paso Fino owners, or owners to be, to stop by their ranch whenever they are
nearby in South Florida. Call first, just in case they are attending a Paso
Fino show elsewhere in the States!
Michele and Carlos admire, and support the Trail and the Versatility
Paso Finos, as much as the Pleasure, Performance and Classic Fino show horses.
Their philosophy of a good Paso Fino horse is one you can trust for multiple
activities, including the riding by your toddler! Those gifted horses are
the hardest to find; they are half born that way and half made that way with
confidence. The Londono's foster a friendly, humane treatment of the noble
Conquistador mount. They hope to contribute somewhat to the growth and the
quality of the Paso Fino breed. |
