ANDALUSIAN

An ancient breed with a majestic mane, Stephanie Anthony discovers more about this graceful and intelligent Spanish favourite

REGAL AND AGILE, the Andalusian was once revered by Spanish nobility — so much so that owning an Andalusian outside of its native country was greatly restricted until the 1960s. The Andalusian originates from the rugged, hilly areas of the Iberian Peninsula and is one of the most ancient breeds. All modern-day Andalusian horses can trace their lineage back to a small number of animals bred by religious orders during the 18th and 19th centuries. They were used for a variety of purposes, including as a cavalry horse, in the bullfighting rings and in dressage schools where they were admired for their courage and athleticism. In Spain Andalusians are known as the Pure Spanish Horse or

PRE (Pura Raza Española) and are registered in the Spanish Stud Book. They have been used in the development and improvement of many other breeds, including the Lipizzaner.

The Andalusian is frequently grey in colour, but bay, chestnut, black, palomino and dun also occur. They characteristically have a long head with a broad forehead and convex profile, a long, arched neck and a short body with powerful hindquarters and strong, fine legs. They are short-striding horses with an elegant springy action which is particularly suited to dressage work.

Today Andalusian horses, with their striking conformation set off by a flamboyant, sweeping mane and tail, regularly appear on screen in war and fantasy films. They also remain a popular riding horse across various disciplines.