ANDALUSIAN/LUSITANO

The Andalusian & Lusitano -Published in Equestrian, September 2005

The Andalusian horse has been esteemed for its quality and appearance since Roman times. In the Middle Ages it carried knights into battle and later became the treasured mount of European nobles. Horsemen soon realized that the same qualities that made the Andalusian a versatile warhorse could serve in times of peace as well. The horse soon became the favorite of the grand riding academies of Europe because of its impulsion, collection, forward motion, and agility. It was at these academies where dressage and high school riding began and flourished. In the United States today, the Andalusian horse competes in dressage, jumping, driving, trail, Western pleasure, and English pleasure.

The Andalusian's physical appearance and flashy action make it one of the world's most desirable riding horses. The Andalusian is strongly built, yet extremely elegant. The typical Andalusian stands 15.2 to 16.2 hands. His head is of medium length, rectangular and lean. The head in profile is slightly convex or straight with a broad forehead and well placed ears. The eyes are alive, oval, and placed within an orbital arch. The face is straight or softly convex, moderately narrow, and without excess flesh. The neck is reasonably long, broad, yet elegant and well crested in stallions. The mane is thick and abundant. Well-defined withers precede a short back; the quarters are broad and strong. The croup is rounded and of medium length. The tail is abundant, set low, and lies tightly against the body. About 80% of Andalusians are gray or white, 15 % are bay, and 5 % are black, chestnut, palomino, and dun.

ORIGIN

The Andalusian originated in and gained its name from the Spanish Province of Andalusia. The Andalusian horse is one of the most ancient of horse breeds. It has lived on the Iberian Peninsula since pre-history and is represented in cave paintings dating back 25,000 years. Its ancestors are the Iberian (Spanish) horse and the Barb horse, which was brought to Spain by invading Moors. Andalusians were bred principally by Carthusian Monks in the late Middle Ages at monasteries in Jerez, Seville, and Cazallo. The monks were superb horse breeders and miners, and kept the blood of their horses quite pure. The Andalusian's purity was threatened in the 1800's when Napoleon's army invaded Spain and stole many horses. One herd of Andalusians was hidden and used to renew the breed. In 1832, an epidemic devastated Spain's horse population. Only a small herd of Andalusians at the Monastery of Cartuja survived. No Andalusians were exported until 1962. In the United States, all purebred Andalusian horses can be traced directly to the Stud Books of Spain and Portugal. In Spain, the horses are known as the Pure Spanish Horse; in Portugal, they are known as Lusitanos.

A RARE TREASURE

Today, there are only about 4,500 Andalusian horses in the United States. Worldwide, these majestic horses number less than 20,000. Each year, the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association registers only 400 new foals in this country. These are very small numbers relative to other breeds.

In fact, the Andalusian is one of the rarest breeds in the United States, and in some states, they are more rare than in others. As a result, many Americans have never seen an Andalusian, or, perhaps, have seen only a very few.

The Andalusian is experiencing a rapid growth in popularity in response to an active promotion of this rare breed by the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Associations. Many new owners are discovering the wonderful attributes of this breed at IALHA competitions that give Andalusian owners the opportunity to show off their magnificent horses in dressage and other performance classes.

--GARETH A. SELWOOD

International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association