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121-540: Lusitanos can be any solid color , although they are generally gray , bay or chestnut . Horses of the Alter Real strain are always brown. Members of the breed are of Baroque type, with convex facial profiles, heavy muscling, intelligent and willing natures, with agile and elevated movement. Originally bred for war, dressage and bullfighting, Lusitanos are still used today in the latter two. They have competed in several Olympics and World Equestrian Games as part of

242-416: A Fixation index (F ST ) based on genealogical information and concluded that the distinction between the two is not supported by genetic evidence. However, there are slight physical differences; Carthusians have more "oriental" or concave head shapes and are more often gray in color, while non-Carthusians tend toward convex profiles and more often exhibit other coat colors such as bay. The Carthusian line

363-408: A Bay Dun or "Zebra" Dun. But the gene also leaves the points dark when it appears with other base colors. These include the “blue dun” or grullo , which has a black base coat, and the red dun, which has a chestnut base coat. Similarly, darker coloration at the points is also preserved in horses with the roan gene , a patterning gene, producing a body coat of mingled white and dark hairs, but leaving

484-533: A Portuguese horse very similar to the Andalusian, takes its name from the ancient Roman province of Lusitania , now part of western Spain and most of Portugal. The Andalusian horse has been known historically as the Iberian Saddle Horse, Iberian War Horse, Spanish Horse, Portuguese, Peninsular, Extremeño, Villanos, Zapata, Zamoranos, Castilian, and Jennet . The Portuguese name refers to what

605-419: A bay base coat. These include: A dilution gene that produces what looks like point coloration, but from a completely different genetic mechanism is the dominant Dun gene , which dilutes the color of the body coat but not the points, including primitive markings —a dorsal stripe down the back and, less often, horizontal striping on the upper legs. On a bay base coat the dun gene leaves black points, producing

726-646: A characteristic that is part of the breed standard, in addition to distinctive physical characteristics and a limited stud book . They are not color breeds, and include the Friesian horse (must be uniformly black for mainstream registration), the Appaloosa (with Leopard complex patterns) and the American Paint Horse . In some of these breeds, though not all, offspring of animals registered in these stud books may be registered even if they do not have

847-500: A complete white or a "fleabitten" coat, which retains speckles of the horse's original color. Grays are sometimes confused with certain roan, dun, or white coat colors. In particular, most "white" horses are actually grays with a fully white hair coat. A gray horse is usually distinguishable from a dominant white or a cremello horse by dark skin, particularly noticeable around the eyes, muzzle, flanks, and other areas of thin or no hair. A roan has intermixed light and dark hairs similar to

968-430: A cremello-like coat. Such coloration is called a "pseudo-double dilute." These distinctions usually require DNA testing to verify which alleles are present. Mixtures of dliution genes produce colors such as "dunalino" — a red dun that also carries a single cream gene and thus has a pale gold coat, white mane and tail, and very faint primitive markings. These patterns all have white hairs and often pink skin, varying from

1089-417: A deep, broad chest. The horses have short, strong backs and rounded, sloped croups , leading to a low-set tail. The legs are sturdy and muscled. Lusitanos are known as powerful horses, noted for their intelligence and willing nature. The breed's gaits are agile and elevated, but generally comfortable to ride. The Lusitano differs from the Andalusian through having a more sloped croup , a lower-set tail, and

1210-455: A different coat color from that with which they were born. Most white markings are present at birth, and the underlying skin color of a healthy horse does not change. Some Equine coat colors are also related to the breed of horse, like the Friesian breed for instance. The basic outline of equine coat color genetics has largely been resolved, and DNA tests to determine the likelihood that

1331-681: A foal homozygous for the frame overo gene will have a condition known as lethal white syndrome dies shortly after birth. There are no " albinos " in the horse world. Albinos, defined as animals with a white coat with pink skin and reddish eyes, are created by genetic mechanisms that do not exist in horses. In some cases, homozygous dominant white (W) is thought to be an embryonic lethal, though this does not occur with all W alleles. White markings are present at birth and unique to each horse, making them useful in identifying individual animals. Markings usually have pink skin underneath them, though some faint markings may not, and white hairs may extend past

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1452-483: A fully white horse through the pinto patterns and smaller white markings to roan which only adds a few white hairs spread throughout the coat. These patterns can occur on top of any other color. The base color determines the color of the colored hairs, while the white patterns determine where and how many white hairs are present. Biologically the white comes from a lack of pigment cells . There are many different genetic alleles that create these patterns. There are

1573-412: A fully white hair coat. A truly white horse occurs one of two ways: either by inheriting one copy of a dominant white ("W") allele that produces white when heterozygous but may be a genetic lethal if homozygous, or by inheriting two copies of a non-lethal dominant white ("W") allele that produces a white coat when homozygous . There are also some genetic lethal genes unrelated to the W allelic series:

1694-442: A group of coat patterns caused by the leopard gene complex. Not every horse with leopard genetics will exhibit hair coat spotting. However, even solid individuals will exhibit secondary characteristics such as vertically striped hooves and mottled skin around the eyes, lips, and genitalia, plus a white sclera of the eye. Several breeds of horse can boast leopard-spotted (a term used collectively for all patterns) individuals including

1815-498: A horse will have offspring of a given color have been developed for some colors. Discussion, research, and even controversy continues about some of the details, particularly those surrounding spotting patterns, color sub-shades such as " sooty " or " flaxen ", and markings . The two basic pigment colors of horse hairs are pheomelanin ("red") which produces a reddish brown color, and eumelanin , which produces black. These two hair pigment genes create two base colors: chestnut , which

1936-459: A horse's coat color in addition to agouti, and if present, can further alter or suppress black hair color and may mask any point coloration. In particular, Gray horses are born dark and lighten with age; if born bay, they will eventually lose point coloration as the body hair silvers with age, though often the points are the slowest areas of the body to go gray. Point coloration may also be visible on horses with other dilution genes that act upon

2057-446: A light and dark striped hoof, and many chestnut horses have brownish hooves that are somewhat lighter than the usual dark gray. Registries have opened that accept horses (and sometimes ponies and mules) of almost any breed or type, with color either the only requirement for registration or the primary criterion. These are called " color breeds ". Unlike "true" horse breeds, there are few if any unique physical characteristics required, nor

2178-489: A minimal expression of certain genes in the dominant white (W) allelic series. Most horses have brown eyes with minor shade variations. Blue eyes are linked to the splashed white spotting allele, and cream dilution may produce a bluish-green eye color. The champagne and pearl genes also produce lightened eye colors in the blue or green shades. The leopard complex produces a white sclera around an otherwise dark eye. The yellow or amber Tiger eye gene has been found only in

2299-541: A more convex head profile. The mane and tail are extremely thick in both breeds. The ancestors of the Lusitano were originally used for classical dressage , driving and bullfighting on horseback. Today, Lusitanos are seen in internationdisciplines, including high-level combined driving competition. In 1995, a four-in-hand team driven by Belgian Felix Brasseur won the FEI Driving World Cup, and took

2420-619: A specialist in Iberian horse breeds, saved two stallions and several mares, and was able to re-establish the strain, turning his herd over to the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture in 1942, when the stud was reopened. The Portuguese state has maintained ownership of the stud, and continues to produce horses for use in high school dressage . Today, outside of Portugal and Spain, breeding, showing and registration of both Lusitanos and Andalusians are often closely linked. One example

2541-449: A straight or slightly convex profile. Ultra convex and concave profiles are discouraged in the breed, and are penalized in breed shows. Necks are long and broad, running to well-defined withers and a massive chest. They have a short back and broad, strong hindquarters with a well-rounded croup . The breed tends to have clean legs, with no propensity for blemishes or injuries, and energetic gaits . The mane and tail are thick and long, but

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2662-451: A team composed solely of Lusitanos. They are still used for mounted bullfighting today, in a form where the bull is not killed and it is considered a disgrace to the rider if the horse is injured. Horses bred for this sport must be agile and calm, remaining in the control of the rider even when confronted by a bull. Between 1980 and 1987, Lusitanos were used for breeding Colorado Ranger horses, although these crosses are no longer allowed by

2783-527: A trait which some breeders felt was necessary to prove that a horse was a member of the Esclavo bloodline. The second characteristic is the occasional presence of "horns", which are frontal bosses , possibly inherited from Asian ancestors. The physical descriptions of the bosses vary, ranging from calcium -like deposits at the temple to small horn-like protuberances near or behind the ear. However, these "horns" are not considered proof of Esclavo descent, unlike

2904-761: A wholly separate governance system from the IALHA. A second group, the Foundation for the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE Mundial, has begun another PRE registry as an alternative to the ANCCE. This new registry claims that all of their registered horses trace back to the original stud book maintained by the Cria Caballar , which was a branch of the Spanish Ministry of Defense, for 100 years. Thus,

3025-414: A young gray horse, but unlike a gray does not lighten to white. Dun horses have a solid-colored hair coat that also does not lighten with age. Gray horses are prone to equine melanoma . Variations of gray that a horse may exhibit over its lifetime include: Several different genetic allelic families produce colors that are lighter versions of the base colors, caused by dilution genes . Cream dilution

3146-595: Is Portugal. A very similar horse, the Spanish Andalusian , originally described the horses of distinct quality that came from Andalusia in Spain. Some sources state that the Andalusian and the Lusitano are genetically the same breed, and the only difference is the country in which individual horses are born. The Lusitano is also known as the Portuguese, Peninsular, National or Betico-lusitano horse. During

3267-582: Is also used extensively in movies, especially historical pictures and fantasy epics. Andalusians stallions and geldings average 15.1 ⁄ 2   hands (61.5 inches, 156 cm) at the withers and 512 kilograms (1,129 lb) in weight; mares average 15 ⁄ 2   hands (60.5 inches, 154 cm) and 412 kilograms (908 lb). The Spanish government has set the minimum height for registration in Spain at 15.0  hands (60 inches, 152 cm) for males and 14.3  hands (59 inches, 150 cm) for mares – this standard

3388-410: Is an incomplete dominant gene that produces a lightened or "partial dilute" coat color when one copy of the allele is present and a fully dilute (or "double dilute") with two copies. The double cream dilute phenotypes overlap regardless of base coat color and often cannot be distinguished visually. Sometimes the creme allele is combined with an unrelated dilution gene from another family, which creates

3509-622: Is caused by a yet-to-be-mapped genetic modifier that creates a mealy, splotchy, or roaning pattern on only part of the body, usually limited to the underside, flanks, legs, tail and head areas. Unlike a true roan, much of the body will not have white hairs intermingled with solid ones, nor are the legs or head significantly darker than the rest of the horse. One of the rarest colors, a true genetic white horse has white hair and fully or largely unpigmented (pink) skin. These horses are born white or mostly white and remain white for life. The vast majority of so-called "white" horses are actually grays with

3630-691: Is followed by the Association of Purebred Spanish Horse Breeders of Spain ( Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Caballo de Pura Raza Española or ANCCE) and the Andalusian Horse Association of Australasia. The Spanish legislation also requires that in order for animals to be approved as either "qualified" or "élite" breeding stock, stallions must stand at least 15.1  hands (61 inches, 155 cm) and mares at least 15 ⁄ 4   hands (60.25 inches, 153 cm). Andalusian horses are elegant and strongly built with

3751-403: Is fully red, and black , which is fully black. All other coat colors are created by additional genes that modify these two base colors. The most common modifier creates point coloration of both red and black hairs, known as bay , which is classified as a base color as well. The vast range of all other coat colors are created by additional genes' action upon one of these three base colors. In

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3872-677: Is now the Lusitano, while the Peninsular, Iberian Saddle Horse and Iberian War Horse names refer to horses from the Iberian Peninsula as a whole. The Extremeño name refers to Spanish horses from the Extremadura province of Spain and the Zapata or Zapatero name to horses that come from the Zapata family stud. The Villano name has occasionally been applied to modern Andalusians, but originally referred to heavy, crossbred horses from

3993-524: Is shared with the Lusitano, however, Sorraia lineages in Iberian breeds are relatively recent, dating to the Middle Ages , making the Sorraia an unlikely prehistoric ancestor of the Lusitano. Prior to modern times, horse breeds throughout Europe were known primarily by the name of the region where they were bred. The Lusitano takes its name from Lusitania, an ancient Roman name for the region that today

4114-823: Is the Australasian Lusitano Horse Association of Australasia (LHAA), which shares responsibility for the Purebred Iberian Horse (an Andalusian/Lusitano cross) with the Australasia Andalusian Association, as well as hosting a combined National Show for the two breeds in Australia. The LHAA was formed in 2003 to register and promote the Lusitano breed in Australia and New Zealand, and in June 2005 signed an agreement with their parent organization,

4235-414: Is the stud book limited to only certain breeds or offspring of previously registered horses. As a general rule, offspring without the stated color are usually not eligible for recording with the color breed registry, although there are exceptions. The best-known color breed registries are for buckskins , palominos , and pintos . Some horse breeds may have a desired coat color that usually breeds on as

4356-684: Is when a second cross individual is mated with a foundation Andalusian mare. This sequence is known as a "breeding up" program by the registry. The name pura raza española (PRE), usually rendered in English "Pure Spanish Horse" (not a literal translation ) is the term used by the ANCCE, a private organization, and the Ministry of Agriculture of Spain. The ANCCE uses neither the term "Andalusian" nor "Iberian horse", and only registers horses that have certain recognized bloodlines. In addition, all breeding stock must undergo an evaluation process. The ANCCE

4477-586: The Azteca , a Mexican breed created by crossing the Andalusian with American Quarter Horse and Criollo bloodlines. The Spanish jennet ancestors of the Andalusian also developed the Colonial Spanish Horse in America, which became the foundation bloodstock for many North and South American breeds. The Andalusian has also been used to create breeds more recently, with breed associations for both

4598-462: The Crown of Castile , using the finest Spanish Jennets as foundation bloodstock . These horses were a blend of Jennet and warmblood breeding, taller and more powerfully built than the original Jennet. By the 15th century, the Andalusian had become a distinct breed, and was being used to influence the development of other breeds. They were also noted for their use as cavalry horses. Even though in

4719-530: The Duke of Savoy and others when he wed Katherine of Aragon . He also purchased additional war and riding horses through agents in Spain. By 1576, Spanish horses made up one third of British royal studs at Malmesbury and Tutbury . The Spanish horse peaked in popularity in Great Britain during the 17th century, when horses were freely imported from Spain and exchanged as gifts between royal families. With

4840-705: The Iberian horses of Spain and Portugal, and derives its name from its place of origin, the Spanish region of Andalusia . Cave paintings show that horses have been present on the Iberian Peninsula as far back as 20,000 to 30,000 BCE. Although Portuguese historian Ruy d'Andrade hypothesized that the ancient Sorraia breed was an ancestor of the Southern Iberian breeds, including the Andalusian, genetic studies using mitochondrial DNA show that

4961-529: The Knabstrupper , Noriker , and the Appaloosa . There are several distinct leopard patterns: A pinto has large patches of white over any other underlying coat color. Sometimes called "Paint" in the western United States, a word that which technically refers to the American Paint Horse , a specific breed of mostly pinto horses with known Quarter Horse and/or Thoroughbred bloodlines. Other regional terms for certain pinto spotting patterns include "blagdon" in

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5082-743: The Neapolitan horse and central European breeds. They did, however, introduce Arabian and Barb blood to improve the strain. The original stock of Carthusians was greatly depleted during the Peninsular Wars , and the strain might have become extinct if not for the efforts of the Zapata family. Today, the Carthusian strain is raised in state-owned stud farms around Jerez de la Frontera , Badajoz and Cordoba , and also by several private families. Carthusian horses continue to be in demand in Spain, and buyers pay high prices for members of

5203-468: The Peninsular War and the three Carlist Wars . Napoleon 's invading army also stole many horses. One herd of Andalusians was hidden from the invaders however, and subsequently used to renew the breed. In 1822, breeders began to add Norman blood into Spanish bloodlines, as well as further infusions of Arabian blood. This was partially because increasing mechanization and changing needs within

5324-515: The Strait of Gibraltar in each direction, were crossbred with each other, and thus each influenced the other's maternal bloodlines. While Portuguese historian Ruy d'Andrade hypothesized that the ancient Sorraia breed was an ancestor of the Southern Iberian breeds, including the Lusitano, genetic studies using mitochondrial DNA show that the Sorraia is part of a genetic cluster that is largely separated from most Iberian breeds. One maternal lineage

5445-585: The Warlander (an Andalusian/Friesian cross) and the Spanish-Norman (an Andalusian/ Percheron cross) being established in the 1990s. Until modern times, horse breeds throughout Europe were known primarily by the name of the region where they were bred. Thus the original term "Andalusian" simply described the horses of distinct quality that came from Andalusia in Spain. Similarly, the Lusitano ,

5566-401: The small intestine at a rate significantly higher than other breeds; and stallions had higher numbers of inguinal hernias , with risk for occurrence 30 times greater than other breeds. At the same time, they also showed a lower incidence of large intestinal obstruction. In the course of the study, Andalusians also showed the highest risk of laminitis as a medical complication related to

5687-473: The warmbloods in Europe as well as western hemisphere breeds such as the Azteca . Over its centuries of development, the Andalusian breed has been selected for athleticism and stamina. The horses were originally used for classical dressage , driving , bullfighting , and as stock horses . Modern Andalusians are used for many equestrian activities, including dressage , show jumping and driving. The breed

5808-542: The "heads of lineage". These six horses are the foundation horses of the three main breed lineages: Andrade, Veiga and Coudelaria Nacional (Portuguese State Stud). Although each line meets breed standards, they differ from each other in individual characteristics. The six foundation horses are: The Alter Real is a strain of the Lusitano which is bred only at the Alter Real State Stud in Portugal. The stud

5929-539: The 13th century. Because they could read and write, and were thus able to maintain careful records, monastics were given the responsibility for horse breeding by certain members of the nobility, particularly in Spain. Andalusian stud farms for breeding were formed in the late 15th century in Carthusian monasteries in Jerez , Seville and Cazalla . The Carthusians bred powerful, weight-bearing horses in Andalusia for

6050-514: The 16th and 17th centuries Spanish horses had not reached the final form of the modern Andalusian, by 1667 William Cavendish , the Duke of Newcastle , called the Spanish horse of Andalusia the "princes" of the horse world, and reported that they were "unnervingly intelligent". The Iberian horse became known as the "royal horse of Europe" and was seen at many royal courts and riding academies, including those in Austria, Italy, France and Germany. By

6171-459: The 16th and 17th centuries, horses moved continually between Spain and Portugal, and horses from the studs of Andalusia were used to improve the Portuguese cavalry. Portugal's successful restoration war against Spain (1640–1668) was in part based on mounted troops riding war horses of Spanish blood. During the reign of Philip III of Portugal (also Philip IV of Spain), Portuguese horse breeding reached its lowest point. The Spanish passed laws to halt

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6292-406: The 16th century, during the reigns of Charles V (1500–1558) and Phillip II (1556–1581), Spanish horses were considered the finest in the world. Even in Spain, quality horses were owned mainly by the wealthy. During the 16th century, inflation and an increased demand for harness and cavalry horses drove the price of horses extremely high. The always expensive Andalusian became even more so, and it

6413-585: The 16th century. They thus influenced many German breeds, including the Hanoverian , Holstein , East Friesian and Oldenburg . Dutch breeds such as the Friesian and Gelderland also contain significant Spanish blood, as do Danish breeds such as the Frederiksborg and Knabstrupper . Andalusians were a significant influence on the creation of the Alter Real , a strain of the Lusitano , and

6534-399: The 17th century, referring to multi-kilometer races, Cavendish said, "They were so much faster than all other horses known at that time that none was ever seen to come close to them, even in the many remarkable races that were run." In 1831, horses at five years old were expected to be able to gallop, without changing pace, four or five leagues, about 12 to 15 miles (19 to 24 km). By 1925,

6655-503: The 18th and 19th centuries. An influx of heavy horse blood beginning in the 16th century, resulted in the dilution of many of the bloodlines; only those protected by selective breeding remained intact to become the modern Andalusian. During the 19th century, the Andalusian breed was threatened because many horses were stolen or requisitioned in wartime, including the War of the Oranges ,

6776-489: The 1960s, the Iberian-type horse was called the Andalusian in both Portugal and Spain. In 1966, the Lusitano name was adopted by Portugal after a studbook separation by the two countries. The revolutions of Portugal's African colonies resulted in the near economic collapse of Portugal. The landed class attracted political agitators, estates were vacated, and stud farms were broken up and their horses sold to Spain. However,

6897-560: The 2002 World Equestrian Games , two Andalusians were on the bronze medal-winning Spanish dressage team, a team that went on to take the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics . Today, the breed is increasingly being selectively bred for increased aptitude in classical dressage. Historically, however, they were also used as stock horses , especially suited to working with Iberian bulls, known for their aggressive temperaments. They were, and still are, known for their use in mounted bull fighting . Mares were traditionally used for la trilla ,

7018-431: The ANCCE considers to be horses that lack quality and purity, without official documentation or registration from official Spanish Stud Book. In Australasia , the Australasia Andalusian Association registers Andalusians (which the registry considers an interchangeable term for PRE), Australian Andalusians, and partbred Andalusians. They share responsibility for the Purebred Iberian Horse (an Andalusian/Lusitano cross) with

7139-404: The Alter Real stud. They usually stand 15.2 and 15.3  hands (62 and 63 inches, 157 and 160 cm) high, although some stand over 16  hands (64 inches, 163 cm). Members of the breed have narrow, but well-proportioned, heads with profiles that are slightly convex. The necks are thick and arched, leading to well defined withers , shoulders that are muscular and sloping and

7260-538: The Andalusian and PRE, the purity of various strains of the breed, and the legalities of stud book ownership. At least one lawsuit is in progress as of 2011 , to determine the ownership of the Spanish PRE stud book. The Andalusian is closely related to the Lusitano of Portugal, and has been used to develop many other breeds, especially in Europe and the Americas. Breeds with Andalusian ancestry include many of

7381-609: The Andalusian is a relatively rare breed in the United States. In 2003, there were 75,389 horses registered in the stud book, and they constituted almost 66 percent of the horses in Spain. Breed numbers have been increasing during the 21st century. At the end of 2010, a total of 185,926 pura raza española horses were recorded in the database of the Spanish Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, y Medio Rural y Marino. Of these, 28,801 or about 15% were in other countries of

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7502-432: The Andalusian. The purebred Andalusian was not viewed favorably by breeders or the military, and their numbers decreased significantly. Andalusians only began to be exported from Spain in 1962. The first Andalusians were imported into Australia in 1971, and in 1973 the Andalusian Horse Association of Australasia was formed for the registration of these Andalusians and their offspring. Strict quarantine guidelines prohibited

7623-513: The Brussels court decision, an application has been made by the Foundation for the Pure Spanish Horse to maintain the United States stud book for the PRE. As of March 2011 , Spain has not revoked ANCCE's right to be the sole holder of the PRE stud book, and has instead reaffirmed the organization's status. The Andalusian breed has over the centuries been consistently selected for athleticism. In

7744-514: The Carthusian line. One group of mares sired by Esclavo in about 1736 were given to a group of Carthusian monks to settle a debt. Other animals of these bloodlines were absorbed into the main Andalusian breed; the stock given to the monks was bred into a special line, known as Zamoranos. Throughout the following centuries, the Zamoranos bloodlines were guarded by the Carthusian monks, to the point of defying royal orders to introduce outside blood from

7865-552: The Lusitano Association of Australasia. In the Australian registry, there are various levels of crossbred horses. A first cross Andalusian is a crossbreed that is 50 percent Andalusian, while a second cross Andalusian is the result of crossing a purebred Andalusian with a first cross – resulting in a horse of 75 percent Andalusian blood. A third cross, also known by the registry as an Australian Andalusian,

7986-456: The Lusitano was used both on the battlefield and in major riding academies throughout Europe. Bullfighting on horseback and displays of high school dressage were common entertainment for the Portuguese gentry. Mitochondrial DNA studies of the closely related modern Andalusian horse, compared to the Barb horse of North Africa , present convincing evidence that Barbs and Iberian horses crossed

8107-459: The Ministry of Spain's transfer of the original PRE Libro de Origen (the official stud book ) from the Cria Caballar to ANCCE was illegal. In early 2009, the courts decided on behalf of UCCE, explaining that the Cria Caballar formed the Libro de Origin . Because it was formed by a government entity, it is against European Union law for the stud book to be transferred to a private entity, a law that

8228-515: The PRE Mundial registry asserts that their registry is the most authentic, purest PRE registry functioning today. As of August 2011 , there is a lawsuit in progress to determine the legal holder of the PRE stud book. The Unión de Criadores de Caballos Españoles (UCCE or Union of Spanish Horse Breeders) has brought a case to the highest European Union courts in Brussels , charging that

8349-714: The Portuguese Associação Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue Lusitano, to follow that association's rules and regulations. The LHAA maintains two studbooks (for the purebred Lusitano and the purebred Iberian) and a crossbred registry for horses with one Lusitano parent. An example of a combined registry is the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA). Lusitanos are generally gray , bay or chestnut , though they can be of any solid color, including black , buckskin and palomino . Only bays are bred at

8470-401: The Portuguese and Spanish dressage teams. They have also made a showing in driving competitions, with a Belgian team of Lusitanos winning multiple international titles. Horses were known to humans on what is now the Iberian Peninsula as far back as 25,000 to 20,000 BC, as shown by cave paintings in the area. Among the local wild horses originally used by humans were the probable ancestors of

8591-496: The Portuguese military expected horses to "cover 40 km over uneven terrain at a minimum speed of 10 km/h, and to gallop a flat course of 8 km at a minimum speed of 800 metres per minute carrying a weight of at least 70 kg", and the Spanish military had similar standards. From the beginning of their history, Andalusians have been used for both riding and driving . Among the first horses used for classical dressage , they still compete in international competition in dressage today. At

8712-566: The Puerto Rican Paso Fino and has two variants, Tiger-eye 1 (TE1) and Tiger-eye 2 (TE2), which are both recessive . There is no obvious link between eye shade and coat color, making this the first studied gene in horses to affect eye color but not coat color. Exterior hoof wall color is usually linked to coat color. Most horses have a dark grayish hoof wall unless they have white leg markings, in which case they will have pale-colored hooves. The leopard complex gene will create

8833-591: The Roman army from local stock. When the Umayyad Muslims invaded the Iberian peninsula in 711 AD, their invasion brought Barb horses , which were crossed with native Iberian horses. The cross between these two breeds produced a war horse superior even to the original Iberian horse, and it was this new type that the Conquistadors introduced to the Americas. Called the Iberian war horse, this ancestor of

8954-653: The Sorraia is part of a genetic cluster that is largely separated from most Iberian breeds. Throughout history, the Iberian breeds have been influenced by many different peoples and cultures who occupied Spain, including the Celts , the Carthaginians , the Romans , various Germanic tribes and the Arabs . The Iberian horse was identified as a talented war horse as early as 450 BCE. Mitochondrial DNA studies of

9075-490: The Spanish horse; the head groom to Henri IV , Salomon de la Broue, said in 1600, "Comparing the best horses, I give the Spanish horse first place for its perfection, because it is the most beautiful, noble, graceful and courageous". War horses from Spain and Portugal began to be introduced to England in the 12th century, and importation continued through the 15th century. In the 16th century, Henry VIII received gifts of Spanish horses from Charles V, Ferdinand II of Aragon and

9196-435: The Spanish process of threshing grain practiced until the 1960s. Mares, some pregnant or with foals at their side, spent full days trotting over the grain. As well as being a traditional farming practice, it also served as a test of endurance, hardiness and willingness for the maternal Andalusian lines. Andalusians today are also used for show jumping , western pleasure and other horse show events. The current Traveler ,

9317-618: The UK. Pinto spotting is produced by a large number of genetic mechanisms, with dozens now mapped and identifiable through DNA testing. Variations of pinto based on the observable color include: Terminology variations based on the observable shape of the white patterns include: Roaning adds white hairs to any of the other colors and, unlike gray, the color does not steadily lighten over the horse's lifetime, though there may be some minor color variation from year to year or especially between summer and winter coats. Rabicano : A roan-style effect that

9438-565: The World Championships in 1996. In 2002, there was a Lusitano on the World Equestrian Games bronze-winning dressage team that went on to collect a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics . In 2006, the entire Portuguese dressage team rode Lusitanos at the World Equestrian Games , as did one Spanish dressage competitor. The Belgian Brasseur took the gold medal in four-in-hand driving at the same competition with

9559-803: The absence of DNA testing, chestnut and bay can be distinguished from each other by looking at the mane, tail and legs for the presence of black points. There is a proposed allele that darkens a bay coat to seal brown , and the sooty gene is linked to other forms of dark bay. Genetically , a chestnut horse is a horse without the ability to produce black pigment, while a black horse does not have dominant agouti to restrict their black pigment to points. The MC1R (extension) either binds alpha-MSH and signals for black and red pigment to be produced ('E' at extension), or it only signals for red ('e' at extension). ASIP (agouti) either blocks MC1R from binding to alpha-MSH and signalling for black ('A' at agouti), or it does not ('a' at agouti). The extension gene determines whether

9680-479: The ancestry of many breeds founded in North and South America. Many Spanish explorers from the 16th century on brought Spanish horses with them for use as war horses and later as breeding stock. By 1642, the Spanish horse had spread to Moldavia , to the stables of Transylvanian prince George Rakoczi . Despite their ancient history, all living Andalusians trace to a small number of horses bred by religious orders in

9801-471: The ancestry of the modern Iberian breeds. By 800 BC, the alliance known as Celtiberians had been formed by the Iberians and Celts, and from this point on the horses bred in this area were renowned as war horses. Xenophon , writing around 370 BC, admired the advanced horsemanship and riding techniques used by Iberian horsemen in war, made possible in part by their agile horses. Legend claimed that mares of

9922-431: The area of underlying pink skin. Though markings that overlie dark skin may appear to change, the underlying skin color and hair growing from pink skin will not. The distinction when white markings confined to the face and legs or a few small body spots become extensive enough to constitute a white spotting pattern is usually determined by breed standards set by registries. White markings generally are now hypothesized to be

10043-492: The area were sired by the wind (hence their amazing swiftness, passed onto their foals ), and one modern hypothesis suggests that the bond between Iberian humans and horses was the initial inspiration for the centaur , which was believed to come from the area of the Tagus River . Later invasions into the area by Carthaginians and Romans resulted in these civilizations establishing stud farms that bred cavalry horses for

10164-405: The base color will be bay. The a version of agouti means the cells cannot stop producing black, so a horse with two copies of a (genotype a / a ) and E at extension will be black rather than bay. The word "points" is given to the mane, tail, lower legs, and ear rims with respect to horse coloration. The overall name given to a horse coat color depends on the color of both the points and

10285-546: The best lines were saved through the efforts of breeders, and breeding soon increased. Today, Lusitanos are bred mainly in Portugal and Brazil, but maintain a presence in many other countries throughout the world, including Australia, the United States, Great Britain, South Africa, and other European countries. Crossbred horses of partial Lusitano blood are popular, especially when crossed with Andalusian, Arabian or Thoroughbred blood. The Portuguese stud book recognizes six horses (five stallions and one mare ) that are called

10406-497: The body. For example, bay horses have a reddish-brown body with black points. Point coloration is most often produced by the action of the agouti gene. It acts on the extension gene , when present, to suppress black color to all but the extremities of the horse; the legs, mane, tail and tips of the ears. If the extension gene is not present, the effect of agouti is not visible, as there is no black color present to suppress. Other genes, such as those for white markings , may affect

10527-449: The breed known as the Carthusian, is considered by breeders to be the purest strain of Andalusian, though there is no genetic evidence for this claim. The strain is still considered separate from the main breed however, and is preferred by breeders because buyers pay more for horses of Carthusian bloodlines. There are several competing registries keeping records of horses designated as Andalusian or PRE, but they differ on their definition of

10648-503: The breed registry. An Alter Real stallion, taken to Brazil prior to Napoleon's invasion, was a foundation stallion of the Mangalarga Marchador breed. Equine coat color Horses exhibit a diverse array of coat colors and distinctive markings . A specialized vocabulary has evolved to describe them. While most horses remain the same color throughout life, a few, over the course of several years, will develop

10769-547: The breed. In the early history of the breed, certain white markings and whorls were considered to be indicators of character and good or bad luck. Horses with white socks on their feet were considered to have good or bad luck, depending on the leg or legs marked. A horse with no white markings at all was considered to be ill-tempered and vice-ridden, while certain facial markings were considered representative of honesty, loyalty and endurance. Similarly, hair whorls in various places were considered to show good or bad luck, with

10890-463: The breeding, showing, and registration of the Andalusian and Lusitano are controlled by the same registries . One example of this is the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA), claimed to have the largest membership of any Andalusian registering organization. Other organizations, such as The Association of Purebred Spanish Horse Breeders of Spain ( Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Caballo de Pura Raza Española or ANCCE), use

11011-510: The cells can decide to produce black and red, and can be either E (able to produce black and red) or e (only able to produce red, as in chestnut). To be chestnut a horse must have two copies of e , so the genotype is e / e . A horse with a genotype of E / E or E / e can still make black and red pigments and will be bay or black. Meanwhile, the agouti gene determines whether the cells can stop producing black. The A version of agouti means that it can, so as long as has E at extension

11132-420: The centuries. Throughout its history, it has been known for its prowess as a war horse , and was prized by the nobility. The breed was used as a tool of diplomacy by the Spanish government, and kings across Europe rode and owned Spanish horses. During the 19th century, warfare, disease and crossbreeding reduced herd numbers dramatically, and despite some recovery in the late 19th century, the trend continued into

11253-460: The country's production of cavalry horses, and what stud farms did exist were run in secrecy with horses smuggled or stolen from Spain. These secret farms, however, provided the base for the modern Lusitano. In 1662, when Charles II of England married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, the royal dowry included Portugal's Tangier and Bombay garrisons. These garrisons included large groups of Portuguese cavalry, mounted on Iberian horses. Prior to

11374-677: The decline of chivalry ), to an emphasis on the breeding of Thoroughbreds and warmbloods , further depleting the stock of Andalusians. Despite this change in focus, Andalusian breeding slowly recovered, and in 1869, the Seville Horse Fair (originally begun by the Romans), played host to between ten and twelve thousand Spanish horses. In the early 20th century, Spanish horse breeding began to focus on other breeds, particularly draft breeds , Arabians, Thoroughbreds and crosses between these breeds, as well as crosses between these breeds and

11495-477: The desired color, sometimes with restrictions. Andalusian horse The Andalusian , also known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE ( pura raza española ), is a horse breed from the Iberian Peninsula , where its ancestors have lived for thousands of years. The Andalusian has been recognized as a distinct breed since the 15th century, and its conformation has changed very little over

11616-515: The early 20th century. Exports of Andalusians from Spain were restricted until the 1960s, but the breed has since spread throughout the world, despite their low population. In 2010, there were more than 185,000 registered Andalusians worldwide. Strongly built, and compact yet elegant, Andalusians have long, thick manes and tails. Their most common coat color is gray , although they can be found in many other colors. They are known for their intelligence, sensitivity and docility. A sub-strain within

11737-443: The hind foot lands ahead of the front hoof print) but also exhibit greater flexing of both fore and hind joints, movement consistent with the more elevated way of going typically found in this breed. The authors of the study theorized that these characteristics of the breed's trot may contribute to their success as a riding and dressage horse. A 2008 study found that Andalusians experience ischaemic (reduced blood flow) diseases of

11858-533: The importation of new Andalusian blood to Australia for many years, but since 1999, regulations have been relaxed and more than half a dozen new horses have been imported. Bloodines in the United States also rely on imported stock, and all American Andalusians can be traced directly to the stud books in Portugal and Spain. There are around 8,500 animals in the United States, where the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA) registers around 700 new purebred foals every year. These numbers indicate that

11979-521: The influence of the later Habsburg families, who ruled in both Spain and other nations of Europe, the Andalusian was crossbred with horses of Central Europe and the Low Countries and thus was closely related to many breeds that developed, including the Neapolitan horse , Groningen , Lipizzaner and Kladruber . Spanish horses have been used extensively in classical dressage in Germany since

12100-466: The intestinal issues. ... the noblest horse in the world, the most beautiful that can be. He is of great spirit and of great courage and docile; hath the proudest trot and the best action in his trot, the loftiest gallop, and is the lovingest and gentlest horse, and fittest of all for a king in his day of triumph. —William Cavendish, the Duke of Newcastle, 1667 The Andalusian horse is descended from

12221-414: The introduction of Arabian , Thoroughbred , Spanish-Norman and Hanoverian blood. However, in the 19th and 20th centuries the strain was re-established with the further introduction of Spanish blood. In the early 20th century, with the 1910 revolution that ended the monarchy, the Alter Real strain faced extinction, as records were burned, stallions were gelded and the stud discontinued. Ruy d'Andrade,

12342-501: The introduction of the Thoroughbred , interest in the Spanish horse faded after the mid-18th century, although they remained popular through the early 19th century. The Conquistadors of the 16th century rode Spanish horses, particularly animals from Andalusia, and the modern Andalusian descended from similar bloodstock. By 1500, Spanish horses were established in studs on Santo Domingo , and Spanish horses made their way into

12463-429: The legs do not have excess feathering . Andalusians tend to be docile, while remaining intelligent and sensitive. When treated with respect they are quick to learn, responsive, and cooperative. There are two additional characteristics unique to the Carthusian strain, believed to trace back to the strain's foundation stallion Esclavo. The first is warts under the tail, a trait which Esclavo passed to his offspring, and

12584-417: The legs from the knee down) are discouraged by breed registry standards. Andalusians are known for their agility and their ability to learn difficult moves quickly, such as advanced collection and turns on the haunches. A 2001 study compared the kinematic characteristics of Andalusian, Arabian and Anglo-Arabian horses while moving at the trot . Andalusians were found to overtrack less (the degree to which

12705-625: The mascot of the University of Southern California , is an Andalusian. The dramatic appearance of the Andalusian horse, with its arched neck, muscular build and energetic gaits, has made it a popular breed to use in film, particularly in historical and fantasy epics. Andalusians have been present in films ranging from Gladiator to Interview with the Vampire , and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life to Braveheart . The horses have also been seen in such fantasy epics as The Lord of

12826-573: The military called for horses with more speed in cavalry charges as well as horses with more bulk for pulling gun carriages. In 1832, an epidemic seriously affected Spain's horse population, from which only one small herd survived in a stud at the monastery in Cartuja . During the 19th and early 20th centuries, European breeders, especially the Germans, changed from an emphasis on Andalusian and Neapolitan horses (an emphasis that had been in place since

12947-495: The modern Andalusian horse of the Iberian Peninsula and Barb horse of North Africa present convincing evidence that both breeds crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and were used for breeding with each other, influencing one another's bloodlines. Thus, the Andalusian may have been the first European "warmblood", a mixture of heavy European and lighter Oriental horses . Some of the earliest written pedigrees in recorded European history were kept by Carthusian monks, beginning in

13068-506: The modern Lusitano, as studies comparing ancient and modern horse DNA indicate that the modern "Lusitano C" group contains maternal lineages also present in wild Iberian horses from the Early Neolithic period. These ancient horses were used for war, with clear evidence of their use by Phoenicians around 1100 BC and Celts around 600 BC. It is believed that these invaders also brought horses with them, contributing outside blood to

13189-423: The most unlucky being in places where the horse could not see them – for example the temples, cheek, shoulder or heart. Two whorls near the root of the tail were considered a sign of courage and good luck. The movement of Andalusian horses is extended, elevated, cadenced and harmonious, with a balance of roundness and forward movement. Poor elevation, irregular tempo, and excessive winging (sideways movement of

13310-547: The mountains north of Jaen . The Carthusian horse, also known as the Carthusian-Andalusian and the Cartujano, is a sub-type of the Andalusian, rather than a distinct breed in itself. A common nickname for the Andalusian is the "Horse of Kings". Some sources state that the Andalusian and the Lusitano are genetically the same, differing only in the country of origin of individual horses. In many areas today,

13431-416: The overall breeding stock, but 14.2 percent of the stallions used for breeding. In the past, Carthusians were given preference in breeding, leading to a large proportion of the Andalusian population claiming ancestry from a small number of horses and possibly limiting the breed's genetic variability . A 2005 study compared the genetic distance between Carthusian and non-Carthusian horses. They calculated

13552-552: The points the darker base color in all horses, not just those carrying agouti. Most other genes that produce spotting patterns or white markings allow point coloration produced by agouti to show except where masked by white depigmentation. There are not always separate names for a pattern over a bay base coat, but one exception is the Bay pinto , sometimes called ”tricoloured” . A gray horse can be born any color, but as it gets older some hairs turn white. Most will eventually develop

13673-459: The strain. Spain's worldwide military activities between the 14th and 17th centuries called for large numbers of horses, more than could be supplied by native Spanish mares. Spanish custom also called for mounted troops to ride stallions , never mares or geldings . Due to these factors, Spanish stallions were crossed with local mares in many countries, adding Spanish bloodlines wherever they went, especially to other European breeds. Because of

13794-486: The tail warts. In the past, most coat colors were found, including spotted patterns. Today most Andalusians are gray or bay; in the US, around 80 percent of all Andalusians are gray . Of the remaining horses, approximately 15 percent are bay and 5 percent are black , dun or palomino or chestnut . Other colors, such as buckskin , pearl , and cremello , are rare, but are recognized as allowed colors by registries for

13915-427: The term pura raza española or PRE to describe the true Spanish horse, and claim sole authority to officially register and issue documentation for PRE Horses, both in Spain and anywhere else in the world. In most of the world the terms "Andalusian" and "PRE" are considered one and the same breed, but the public position of the ANCCE is that terms such as "Andalusian" and "Iberian horse" refer only to crossbreds, which

14036-459: The world; of those in Spain, 65,371 or about 42% were in Andalusia. The Carthusian Andalusian or Cartujano is generally considered the purest Andalusian strain, and has one of the oldest recorded pedigree lines in the world. The pure sub-type is rare, as only around 12 percent of the Andalusian horses registered between the founding of the stud book in the 19th century and 1998 were considered Carthusians. They made up only 3.6 percent of

14157-426: Was broken by the transfer of the book to ANCCE, which is a non-governmental organization. The court found that by giving ANCCE sole control of the stud book, Spain's Ministry of Defense was acting in a discriminatory manner. The court held that Spain must give permission to maintain a breed stud book (called a Libro Genealógico ) to any international association or Spanish national association which requests it. Based on

14278-405: Was established in the early 18th century when two Spanish brothers, Andrés and Diego Zamora, purchased a stallion named El Soldado and bred him to two mares . The mares were descended from mares purchased by the Spanish king and placed at Aranjuez , one of the oldest horse breeding farms in Spain. One of the offspring of El Soldado, a dark gray colt named Esclavo, became the foundation sire of

14399-483: Was founded in 1748 by the Portuguese royal family to provide horses for the national riding academy and royal use. The Portuguese School of Equestrian Art (Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre) uses these horses exclusively in their performances. The strain was developed from 300 Iberian mares imported from Spain in 1747. When Napoleon invaded Spain in the early 19th century, the Alter Real strain deteriorated due to

14520-485: Was founded in 1972. Spain's Ministry of Agriculture recognizes the ANCCE as the representing entity for PRE breeders and owners across the globe, as well as the administrator of the breed stud book. ANCCE functions as the international parent association for all breeders worldwide who record their horses as PRE. For example, the United States PRE association is affiliated with ANCCE, follows ANCCE rules, and has

14641-791: Was often impossible to find a member of the breed to purchase at any price. Spanish horses also were spread widely as a tool of diplomacy by the government of Spain, which granted both horses and export rights to favored citizens and to other royalty. As early as the 15th century, the Spanish horse was widely distributed throughout the Mediterranean, and was known in northern European countries, despite being less common and more expensive there. As time went on, kings from across Europe, including every French monarch from Francis I to Louis XVI , had equestrian portraits created showing themselves riding Spanish-type horses. The kings of France, including Louis XIII and Louis XIV , especially preferred

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