Paso Llano (paw-so yaw-no) Even footfall. Execution: any speed, should at least "cap" into own print or overstep by a footprint, should be accompanied by very little movement in head, neck and butt. Can be quite collected or not, have high action or not, be very smooth ideally. Should be elegant. Top placers in Gait classes will reach under the rider when in a paso llano and the knee and hock will look as if tied together by an invisible string (like a choo-choo train) *even though* the 4 hooves land evenly spaced. When performed with exceptional looseness in the shoulder and overstep, it is called paso llano gateado (gah-tea-ah-doe) (like a cat). This is a rare execution and will not show up if the horse is yanked back into an excessively hollow position. 

Sobreandando (so-bree-ann-dawn-doe) Footfall with laterals closer together. Should not be super-close to a pace, however. Execution: any speed, will almost always have overstep, at speed will be accompanied by a little more motion that a paso llano but still should not look "busy". Lateral will still look as though tied by an invisible thread, but it is easier to appear that way in a more lateral gait. Most Peruvian horses will be in paso llano in slower speeds and sobreandando as they move faster. Some horses can do both gaits, some can only do one or the other. The very best gaited horses would be able to do *both* gaits, and both at a variety of speeds. It is considered a sign of good "depth of breed" (hondura de raza) if a horse can do a paso llano and /or sobreandando very, very slowly and with collection. They will be asked to show an extended gait from time to time but excessive speed is not the goal -- more to see a range of speeds where they can hold a good gait (called "thread")

We want the horses to naturally have a long stride, but also collect easily and hold their heads arrogantly. We want them to be bursting with brio (energy) but also be completely tractable and at the rider's direction without taking initiative. At the same time we want them loose, even while showing all kinds of energy. And we want an extremely smooth horse (smoothness is worth 50% in a gait class) and at the same time have a stylish movement. The sound of the footfall is also judged (this is called "metal" pronounced "may-tahl with accent on the second syllable). The sound should be deep and even on all four footfalls. A horse that lands heavy in front so that you hear a boom-boom from the forelegs as they go by, will not reach the top of a gait class and probably not in a breeding class, either. Peruvian Horses must accomplish all these things that seem to fight against each other, and do it with no artificial training or devices, and in the show arena, they must be barefoot. Judges are allowed to ride any horse in the breeding or gait divisions. Judges are allowed to put two or more horses side by side to compare them directly and do any number of tests of gait or temperament.

Gaits that Peruvians sometimes do, and might even be comfortable, but that would be heavily penalized in a show ring:

Pasitrote (pawsi-trow-tay) would be any footfall between a paso llano and a trot.

Huachano (Wah-chaw-no) a pace (where the lateral pairs land together) or slick pace (where the hind foot on one side just *barely* touches before the front on the same side).

Trot: Diagonal two beat gait where right front hoof and left rear hoof strike the ground together, then the opposite diagonal pair. There is suspension in between which accounts for the characteristic lack of smoothness in this gait.