This characteristic gait was bred into the Peruvian Paso for the purpose of covering long distances over a short period of time without tiring the horse or rider. During the execution of the gait the horse has a singular and exceptionally smooth horizontal balance, due to a trait called termino- a spectacular leg action, originating from the shoulder, in which the front lower legs roll to the outside during the stride forward, similar to a swimmer's arms. It supplies essentially none of the vertical jolt familiar to equestrians, so posting (moving up and down with each of the horse's footfalls) is unnecessary. It is also very stable, as the Peruvian Paso's execution of the gait means that it always has at least 3 of its feet on the ground, which consequently, makes for a smoother ride. In fact, the ride is so smooth that a common way to judge a show is to have each rider carry a champagne glass and see who spills the least. Quite often nobody spills a drop.

Another thing that makes the Peruvian a great all around horse is that it is good for all types of people: old, young, big , little, experienced or not. Because of their quiet disposition and dependability, anyone can handle these horses. They can also be therapeutic: where most people with back problems, hip problems, and other heath problems shouldn’t or can’t ride horses, the Peruvian is actually good for them and has, at times, been recommended by doctors.

Today, these horses are becoming more and more popular in the US and elsewhere due to their nature and comfortable ride. The estimated 25,000 horses worldwide are used for pleasure, trail, horse shows, parades, and endurance riding. The Peruvian Paso horse is recognized as part of the Patrimonio Cultural (Cultural Patrimony) of Peru.

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