ABOUT THE BREED

Subject: ABOUT THE BREED Wed Jan 28, 2009 8:49 pm

The Andalusian is one of the oldest breeds of horses in the world today. It is also known as the Purebred Spanish Horse or PRE (Pura Raza Española; in English, Pure Spanish-bred). It is one of the two sub-breeds of the Iberian horses, and extremely similar to the closely related Lusitano breed.

Andalusians have been used for all manner of riding horses, and were
the preferred mount of kings over many centuries. They excel in high school dressage and are used in cattle work and bullfighting in their native Spain. They are highly intelligent and learn very quickly.
Partbred Andalusians are popular as sport horses in many countries. They also excel at classical dressage and are used for show jumping and other equestrian activities.

HISTORY OF THE BREED

Archaeological evidence in the Iberian Peninsula, modern day Spain and
Portugal, indicates that the origins of the Iberian Horse date back to
at least 25,000 B.C. in the form of its primitive ancestor, the Sorraia.
Cave paintings in the Iberian Peninsula dated from around 20,000 BC
depict portraits of horses and activities related to a horse culture.The Sorraia
horse remained isolated for several millennia in the southern part of
Iberia, the Alentejo and Andalusian regions of modern Portugal and
Spain. Portuguese historian Ruy d'Andrade suggested that by the
Neolithic period (4000 B.C.) the native tribes of the area may have
used horses in war.
They were soon to be followed by Phoenician traders and Celts
from northern and eastern Europe, who were largely responsible for a
two-way exchange of horses which brought an influx of oriental breeds
from Libya, Egypt and Syria to the Iberian peninsula. By the time of the first trading expeditions of the Greeks, around 900 B.C., a mixed Celtiberian
culture dominated all of Spain apart from the south coast, which
remained Iberian. According to Lady Sylvia Loch, "It was the horses of
the Celtiberian that were to become famous throughout the civilized
world."The Spanish horses were known for their use as cavalry mounts by the Ancient Greeks and Romans.
From this period onward, we find many references to the Iberian or
Celtiberian horses and riders of the peninsula by Greek and Roman
chroniclers. Homer refers to them in the Iliad around 1,100 B.C. and the celebrated Greek cavalry officer Xenophon
had nothing but praise for the gifted Iberian horses and horsemen.
Xenophon, in one of his books written about 370 B.C., admiringly
describes the equestrian war techniques of Iberian mercenaries who were
influential in the victory of Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian
wars. This type of warfare consisted of individual horse charges with
fast starts, stops and pirouettes followed by retreats and renewed
attacks. A form of riding that was made possible by the use of
incredibly agile horses and curb bits.

Breed Characteristics

Andalusians are strongly-built, compact horses, generally standing 15.2-16.2 hands. They move with a high, elegant action, which makes them particularly suitable for Haute École (or High School) Dressage.
They usually have a lean, medium-length head with a convex profile and
large eyes, a long but broad and sometimes cresty neck (particularly in
stallions), a long, sloping shoulder, clean legs with good bone, short,
strong cannons,
and a thick, long, flowing mane and tail. The Andalusian has a
reputation for a proud but cooperative temperament, sensitive and
intelligent, able to learn quickly and easily when treated with respect
and care.
Andalusian horses today are found in a number of colours although the most common colour, seen in about 80% of all Andalusians, is grey. There are also purebreds who are bay, black, and chestnut. Other colours, such as palomino, are not recognized as a legal colour for Andalusians in most countries, as the presence of the dilution gene that creates the colour is considered evidence of crossbreeding. However these colours are recognized in the Lusitano breed of Portugal, a breed which descended from the Andalusian horse.

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