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[ INDEX ] Equine Type: Horse Breed: Trochador (Trocha)   [ PREV ] [ NEXT ]
The Trochador (also known as 'Trocha Horse') is a Colombian gaited saddle breed. It is named after its natural unique gait called the 'trocha.'

The Trochador was created by Colombian breeders who crossed Colombian Paso Fino horses with Andalusian horses, and selectively bred the offspring for their unique Trocha gait. In the past, the Trochador was considered to be a subtype of the Colombian Paso Fino, and even today it is often regarded as a lineage of the Colombian Paso Fino. That said, it is treated as a separate breed, both in terms of breeding and specialized competitions.

The Trochador is named after its unique gait called the "trocha," which means "trail" in Spanish, because this comfortable gait made the Trochador an excellent trail horse.

The trocha is a 4-beat gait where the sequence in which the legs move is identical to a walk, but the timing of the movement of each leg creates two broken diagonals. First, the hind-right leg moves, followed by the front-right leg. When the hind-right hoof hits the ground, but before the front-right hoof hits the ground, the horse raises and moves their hind-left leg, and therefore creates the first diagonal. When the front-right hoof hits the ground, but before the hind-left hoof hits the ground, the horse raises their front-left leg. When the hind-left hoof hits the ground, but before the front-left hoof hits the ground, the horse raises their hind-right leg, and therefore creates the second diagonal. When the front-left hoof hits the ground, the horse raises their front-right leg.

It is important to note that the trocha gait also exists in another breed called Trocha y Galope. However, the two breeds differ in the exact execution of the trocha gait, as the Trocha y Galope has a much higher leg action compared to the Trochador. Therefore, the Trochador's trocha is unique to the Trochador breed.

Today, Trochador horses usually serve as trekking horses and as show horses in competitions for Trochador horses.

Trochador horses are usually chestnut or bay in color, but the colors of brown, black, and grey occur as well. The coat is always solid, and while white markings do occur, they are not that extensive. Trochador horses stand between 13.1hh and 14hh.


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