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Today’s pride of the Spaniards, the Andalusian horse has a long and rich history. Horses have existed on the Iberian Peninsula since before our era. They were very hardy and unpretentious, but small horses. The Romans, who conquered Iberia, introduced the blood of the Near East horses to the local population. There is an opinion that the blood of 2000 Numidian mares, who came to Iberia during the conquests of the Carthaginian general Hasdrubal, also flows in the Andalusian horses. Later, during the time of the Arab Caliphate, Barbary and Arabian horses had a great influence on the formation of modern horse breeds. The influence of the Berber horses is especially noticeable in the Andalusian relatives – the Lusitanian horses.
And it seems that they divided the breed into two, focusing on the profile of each horse: with a more convex forehead, they went to the Portuguese. The Andalusian profile is closer to the east.
History
Officially, the Andalusian horse breed was formed in the XNUMXth century. Pretty quickly, the Andalusians earned the glory of a beautiful war horse on the battlefields. These horses were given to kings. Or captured in battles as a valuable trophy.
But her sophistication, sensitivity to the means of control and the desire to cooperate with people contributed to such fame.
All these qualities were actually developed not on the battlefields, but … when grazing bulls. And with further participation in bullfighting. The need to dodge the horns of a powerful, but soviet animal shaped the Andalusians today’s exterior and the ability to turn around “on one leg.”
Thanks to their valuable qualities, Andalusian horses participated in the formation of many later breeds. On both American continents there is no such breed of horses that would not have experienced the influence of the Andalusians. Even the Quarter Horses, which are completely different from the Iberian horses, inherited their “cow feeling” from the Andalusian horse.
Most likely, the “Bashkir Curly” came to the North American continent from the opposite side of Eurasia and are the offspring of the Transbaikal breed of horses, among which curly individuals come across very often.
Of the European breeds, Andalusians “marked themselves” in the Lippitsians, where the Vienna Spanish School performs today. They had an impact on the Kladrub draft breed. Perhaps Andalusian blood flows in Friesian horses.
Carthusian line
The history of the Andalusian horse has not always been cloudless. During protracted wars, the number of the breed was reduced. One such reduction occurred in the first third of the XNUMXth century. It is believed that then the Carthusian monks saved the breeding core of the breed, and the Andalusians of the Carthusian line are today considered the most “purest” of the entire number of the “Purebred Spanish breed”. Breeders prefer to breed “Carthusian” Andalusians, although the description of the Andalusian horse is no different from the description of the Carthusian. Photos and appearance “live” are also completely identical. Even with a genetic study, they did not find any differences between the Andalusians and the Carthusians. But buyers pay much more for the horse’s “Carthusian” pedigree.
No one, including the Spaniards themselves, can confidently say whether the Andalusian or Carthusian horse is depicted in the photo. Theoretically, this should be the Carthusian line.
Decline of the breed
Before the widespread use of handguns, the fighting qualities of the Andalusian horse could not be surpassed by any other breed. The ability to handle complex elements, sensitivity, agility and agility have saved the lives of the riders of these magnificent animals more than once. But with the advent of light weapons, in which it was possible to shoot in the ranks, the tactics of the cavalry changed. Even today, the Andalusian horse has a too small step and, as a result, a relatively low speed of movement. From the cavalry, they began to demand to have time to jump to the ranks of the enemy, while he was reloading his guns.
And the Andalusian horse was forced out of the army by the faster Thoroughbred. Thoroughbreds were no longer required to be able to ride a candle or pirouette at full gallop. The development of hippodromes also contributed to the extinction of the Andalusian breed.
Horse breeding in Spain was in decline until the middle of the XNUMXth century, when interest in the old school of dressage with complex elements above the ground fueled the demand for the so-called Baroque breeds, most of which are Iberian horses. It was then that the “sharing of inheritance” between Portugal and Spain took place.
As a result of the increased demand for Andalusian horses, their number quickly began to grow and today there are already more than 185 thousand Andalusians registered in the Studbook in the world. In Spain, the PRE Association (Pura Raza Española) was created, which includes breeders not only of Andalusian horses, but also owners of Alter Real, Lusitano, Reninsular, Zapatero. In addition to these breeds, in Spain there are also island Iberian breeds related to the Andalusian.
Description
Andalusians are horses with a well-knit, compact body. The head is of medium length with a straight or slightly convex profile. “Sheep” and “pike” profiles are breed defects and such an animal is rejected from breeding. The neck is of medium length, broad and powerful. A distinctive feature that the Andalusians have passed on to other breeds is the high, almost vertical neck extension. Because of this protrusion, the withers merge with the upper line of the neck and appear absent.
The back and loin are short and wide. The croup is powerful, well rounded. The legs are thin, dry, without tendon injury. The disadvantage is the small joints. There is no overgrowth on the legs. The hooves are small and very strong. The mane and tail are the pride of Andalusian horses and their owners. They are specially grown very long, since the integumentary hair of the Andalusian breed is lush and silky.
The average height of the “original” Andalusian stallions is 156 cm. Weight 512 kg. Andalusian mares have an average height of 154 cm and a weight of 412 kg. To advance in modern sports, in particular dressage, the height of the Andalusian horses was “raised” to 166 cm. The Spanish Association set a minimum height limit for a stallion of 152 cm, for mares 150 cm. But the latest figures relate only to registration in the Stud Book. Such Andalusians do not go into breeding. For breeding use, the stallion must be at least 155 cm, the mare must be at least 153 cm.
“Features” of the Carthusians
There is an unconfirmed opinion that the Carthusian lineage has two features that can help distinguish the Carthusian from all other Andalusians: “warts” under the tail and “horns” on the skull. According to legend, this feature was passed on to the Carthusians by the ancestor of the Eslavo line.
“Warts” are most likely melanosarcomas, to which many gray horses are predisposed.
“Horns” are found not only in the Carthusians, but also in breeds that have nothing to do with the Andalusians at all. This is a structural feature of the skull. Perhaps the archaism inherited by modern horses from their ancestor, who was not yet a horse at all.
So it is unlikely that these two signs can serve as confirmation of the “purity” of the Carthusian.
The Andalusians are predominantly gray, but any other solid colors can also be found.
Character
With all the external ardor, Andalusians are animals that are completely subordinate to man. This is not surprising, given that the Spaniards severely reject horses with a character that does not suit the owner.
Passion for riding stallions and unwillingness to kill themselves force breeders to conduct a strict selection for goodwill. And not only selection contributes to the obedience of the Andalusians. Dressage of these horses is often carried out on a seretta – a hard collar with sharp spikes directed inward. buyers of gray Andalusians from Spain note that all horses have traces of serious damage to the snoring. But such training firmly puts the axiom into the horse’s head: “man is always right.” As you can see in the photo of this Andalusian horse, even a child is always right.
Application
Today, Andalusians are actively promoted in modern sports, but they are no less actively promoting traditional Spanish dressage.
Andalusians are used for bullfighting.
And just for riding for fun.
A fairly large number of Andalusian horses have already been brought to Our Country. But in the Federation, the Andalusians are mainly engaged in amateur “classic” dressage, which, just in case, is not shown to anyone.
Reviews
Conclusion
The Andalusian horse, given its complaisance, could be an ideal option for beginner riders, but the hot temperament of these horses is sure to intimidate a beginner. To guess that a horse dancing on the spot and snoring is actually sensitively listening to the rider, the beginner will not be able to.