Andalusian
Andalusian horse
Distinguishing features:	Strongly-built, compact, 15.2-16.2 hands. High, elegant action, medium-length head with convex profile, large eyes, long broad neck, powerful musculature, thick mane and tail.
Alternative names:	Spanish Horse, Pura Raza Española
Country of origin:	Spain, Iberian Peninsula
Breed standards

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. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2053x1493, 737 KB) Andalusian horse as presented on the german horsefair Equitana 02. ... A hand is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm. ... Binomial name Equus caballus Linnaeus, 1758 The horse (Equus caballus, sometimes seen as a subspecies of the Wild Horse, Equus ferus caballus) is a large odd-toed ungulate mammal, one of ten modern species of the genus Equus. ... The Iberian Peninsula, or Iberia, is located in the extreme southwest of Europe, and includes modern day Spain, Portugal, Andorra and Gibraltar. ... The Lusitano is a breed of horse from Portugal that closely resembles the Andalusian. ...

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. The purest form of classical riding, as well as dressage, High School dressage, of Haute Ecole, take years for both the horse and rider to master. ... For general information about the genus, including other species of cattle, see Bos. ... Bullfighting, Edouard Manet, 1865–1866. ...

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. A sport horse is term used to describe a type of horse, although not a particular breed. ... Classical dressage evolved from cavalry movements trained for the battlefield, and has since developed into competitive dressage seen today. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ... For the Roman class, see Equestrian (Roman) A young rider at a horse show in Australia. ...

History of the breed

Iberian warrior and horse

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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Sorraia is an ancient type of primative horse from Spain and Portugal, that has influenced many light modern horse breeds. ...

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. The Sorraia is an ancient type of primative horse from Spain and Portugal, that has influenced many light modern horse breeds. ...

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." Phoenicia (nonstandardly, Phenicia; pronounced [1], Greek: : PhoiníkÄ“, Latin: ) was an ancient civilization centered in the north of ancient Canaan, with its heartland along the coastal regions of modern day Lebanon, Syria and Israel. ... Diachronic distribution of Celtic peoples:  core Hallstatt territory, by the 6th century BC  maximal Celtic expansion, by the 3rd century BC  the six Celtic nations which retained significant numbers of Celtic speakers into the Early Modern period  areas where Celtic languages remain widely spoken today Celts (pronounced or , see pronunciation... Main language areas in Iberia circa 200 BC. The Celtiberians (or Celt-Iberians)[1] were a Celtic people of late La Tène culture living in the Iberian Peninsula, chiefly in what is now north central Spain and northern Portugal, before and during the Roman Empire. ...

The Spanish horses were known for their use as cavalry mounts by the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Beginning of Homers Odyssey The Ancient Greek language is the historical stage of the Greek language[1] as it existed during the Archaic (9th–6th centuries BC) and Classical (5th–4th centuries BC) periods in Ancient Greece. ... Ancient Rome was a civilization that grew from a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula circa the 9th century BC to a massive empire straddling the Mediterranean Sea. ...

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. This article is about the Greek poet Homer and the works attributed to him. ... Xenophon, Greek historian Xenophon (In Greek , ca. ... For modern day Sparta, see Sparti (municipality). ... This article is about the capital of Greece. ... Peloponnesos (Greek: Πελοπόννησος, sometime Latinized as Peloponnesus or Anglicized as The Peloponnese) is a large peninsula in Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Isthmus of Corinth. ...

Fine Spanish horses were brought into Britain after the Norman Conquest, however. In 1188 the chronicler Giraldus Cambrensis noted in Powys Bayeux Tapestry depicting events leading to the Battle of Hastings The Norman Conquest of England was the conquest of the Kingdom of England by William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy), in 1066 at the Battle of Hastings and the subsequent Norman control of England. ... Giraldus Cambrensis (c. ... Powys is a local government principal area and a preserved county in Wales. ...

"most excellent studs put apart for breeding, and deriving their origin from some fine Spanish horses, which Robert de Belesme, earl of Shrewsbury, brought into this country: on which account the horses sent from hence are remarkable for their majestic proportion and astonishing fleetness."^[1]

The Andalusian is gaining in popularity as a dressage horse

During the Renaissance, the great Classical Riding Academies took an interest in the breed. Because of the Andalusian's agility and natural balance, it excelled in the High School Dressage performed in many courts of the day. The Andalusian went on to develop many other breeds suitable for High School Dressage, including the Lipizzan, Alter Real, Lusitano, Kladruber, and many European warmbloods of today. Robert of Bellême, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury (1052- after 1130) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, and one of the most promiment figures in the competition for the succession to England and Normandy between the sons of William the Conqueror. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 636 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (864 × 814 pixel, file size: 212 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 636 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (864 × 814 pixel, file size: 212 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... This article is about the European Renaissance of the 14th-17th centuries. ... Lipizzan horse The Lipizzan, or Lipizzaner (Slovene Lipicanec), is a breed of horse closely associated with the Spanish Riding School of Vienna, Austria where the finest representatives demonstrate the high school movements of classical dressage, including the highly advanced airs above the ground. ... The Alter Real is a breed of horse that originated in Portugal. ... The Lusitano is a breed of horse from Portugal that closely resembles the Andalusian. ... Kladruber stallion foto: Hanka Čertík The Kladruber is the oldest czech horse breed, bred in Kladruby nad Labem national stud. ... Warmbloods are a group of sport horse breeds and the term simply distinguishes this type of horse from the cold bloods (draft horses) and the hot bloods (Thoroughbreds and Arabians). ...

During the 19th century, the use of the Andalusian declined. However, Carthusian monks continued to breed the horse, and preserved the purity. Today, the Spanish government promotes the Andalusian, and the breed is gaining in popularity for High School Dressage demonstrations. They are also popular for bullfighting, and have recently been used for dressage, show jumping, driving and endurance, although Thoroughbred blood is often added to give the breed more scope. Coat of arms of the Carthusian order Monasterio de la Cartuja, a former Carthusian monastery in Seville The Carthusian Order, also called the Order of St. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... Show jumping is a form of competition in which horses are jumped over a course of fences, low walls, and other obstacles (e. ... For other uses, see Driving (disambiguation). ... For the processor with the same codename , see Athlon. ...

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. Image File history File links Passage_animated. ... A hand is a unit of length measurement, usually based on the breadth of a male human hand and thus around 1 dm. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... An upper-level dressage competitor performing an extended trot Dressage (a French term meaning training) is a path and destination of competitive horse training, with competitions held at all levels from amateur to the Olympics. ... The equine forelimb is the front, or thoracic limb of the horse. ...

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. Wild horses on the range, showing a wide range of coat colors Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colours and distinctive markings. ... Gray is a coat color of horses, consisting of black skin, a white to dark gray coat, and a mane the same color or darker than the body coat. ... Purebreds, also called purebreeds, are cultivated varieties or cultivars of an animal species, achieved through the process of selective breeding. ... For the community in England, see Bay Horse. ... Friesian horses are one of the best-known breeds of black-colored horse Black is a relatively uncommon coat color in horses, though not so unusual as to be considered rare. ... Chestnuts. ... A typical golden palomino (front). ... The genetics of cat coat length and coloration is a complex subject, and many different genes are involved. ... Crossbreeding is the process of creating hybrids (also known as crossbreeds, or a description of the lineage of that which has undergone hybridization. ... The Lusitano is a breed of horse from Portugal that closely resembles the Andalusian. ...

Film, television and literature

The dramatic appearance of the Andalusian horse has made it a popular breed to use in film, particularly in historical and fantasy epics. For example, two Andalusians, Domero and Blanco played the part of Shadowfax in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy. The part of Asfaloth was played by another Andalusian named Florian. Another Andalusian was cast as Peter's unicorn in Disney/Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. In The Mask of Zorro, Zorro's horse, Tornado, was referred to as an Andalusian, although the horse appeared to actually be a Friesian. Mel Gibson rode Jardinero X in Braveheart. Six Andalusians were used to portray the two unicorns in the Ridley Scott fairy tale 'Legend'. Andalusians also appear frequently in films that depict bullfighting or other aspects of Spanish culture. The Boss in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater rode and favored the Andalusian breed. This is a complete list of horses from J. R. R. Tolkiens Middle-earth legendarium. ... This article is about the Peter Jackson film trilogy. ... Asfaloth is a fictional horse in The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. ... Peter Pevensie is one of the major characters in the childrens fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis. ... The gentle and pensive maiden has the power to tame the unicorn, fresco, Palazzo Farnese, Rome, probably by Domenico Zampieri, ca 1602 For other uses, see Unicorn (disambiguation). ... The Mask of Zorro is a 1998 action film directed by Martin Campbell, and stars Antonio Banderas with Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Stuart Wilson. ... Friesian horse The Friesian (also Frisian) horse is a breed of horse from Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. ... Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, South Tyneside) is a British film director and producer. ... Legend is a 1985 fantasy film released by 20th Century Fox (in Europe) and Universal Pictures (in the U.S. and Canada), directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, Alice Playten, and Billy Barty. ... Bullfighting, Edouard Manet, 1865–1866. ... The Boss is a nickname for several people: rajni Tony Danza, actor in Whos the Boss? George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees owner Bruce Springsteen, New Jersey rock musician Maynard Ferguson, Jazz trumpet player Josef Stalin, Party leader of the Soviet Union Diana Ross, Actress and singer The Boss/The... Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (commonly abbreviated MGS3) is a stealth-based game directed by Hideo Kojima, developed and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2. ...

References and footnotes

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Andalusian

• International Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association
• Breeds of Livestock - Andalusian horse
• Worldwide Andalusian/PRE horse registries
• International Museum of the Horse - Andalusian
• United States P.R.E. Association
• The Foundation for the Pure Spanish Horse

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