R & S Paso Fino was established in the early 1980s by Dick Shaffer and his son Rick. Dick wanted smooth riding horses. He looked around and found the Paso Fino breed. They started training one gelding and a weanling colt. The journey began, first as a hobby and now as a full time training, breeding, and show facility. That weanling colt later became a National Champion at the age of three and again at the age of four. This was just the beginning of the bond between the Shaffers’ and the Paso Fino breed.

Rick Shaffer is a certified Paso Fino Horse Association Judge and a member of the Paso Fino Professional Trainers Association. He conducts clinics through out the United States. 

Rick started riding at the age of five, competing in horse shows. He joined the 4-H at the age of eight and began his strong equine foundation. He was the winner of the prestigious Bob Evan 4-H Horse Award at the age of thirteen. He received a weanling filly for this win. This filly became the Pennsylvania futurity winner three years later. Rick represented Pennsylvania in the 4-H Horse National competition placing seventh.

R & S Paso Fino has two farms one located in Meyersdale, PA and the other in Somerset, PA. The broodmares, weanlings, yearlings, and two year olds are kept at the Meyersdale location. There they learn their basics in groundwork and handling. The Somerset location is where the stallions, the show horses, and the breeding horse are kept and where and the customers’ horses are trained.