Sometimes called the Brazilian Saddle Horse(sela brasileiro), the Mangalarda Paulista resembles the Mangalarga Marchador, but is more slender and more athletic. It is also taller(around 1 .52 m). It is more refined, and more athletic, but it has less comfortable gaits than the Marchador. Resilient and with endurance, it is well suited to sport riding. The Mangalarga Paulista is doing very well.

The Mangalarga Paulista and the Mangalarga Marchador were once the same single breed, the Mangalarga, then they were divided. The Mangalarga Paulista received blood from Thoroughbred, Anglo-Arab, Lusitano, and American Saddlebred horses,