| The Lusitano is an ancient breed of horse native to | | | | horses are highly trained to swerve instantly, yet still |
| Portugal that is filled with tradition. It has historical links | | | | remain calm when a charging bull approaches, and |
| to the military, to bullfighting and to the classical training | | | | they also need to possess an extreme dose of |
| methods of the "Haute Йcole". It is known | | | | "bravura", agility, and obedience. In Portugal, the bull is |
| by many names such as Lusitanian, Betico-lusitano, | | | | not killed in the bullring, but calmly exits the arena after |
| National Horse, Peninsular Horse, Pura Raza | | | | the fight escorted by tame steers, so the horse must |
| Espaсola (PRE) and Portuguese Horse and | | | | obediently remain still. However, these days, the |
| has inspired powerful descriptions such as "a horse for | | | | Lusitano has become so expensive that many bull |
| a King in days of victory", but the official Lusitano | | | | fighters cannot afford a pure Lusitano, and if they can, |
| breed name comes from the word Lusitania, which | | | | they will not risk injuring their horse while fighting the bull. |
| was name that the ancient Romans gave to the | | | | This means that cruzados, or mongrels, are being |
| western part of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lusitano has | | | | ridden in the bullrings instead, but they are often able to |
| a natural ability for concentration and learning quickly, | | | | excel nearly as well. A cruzado may be a crossbreed, |
| with a great disposition for High School work. It is | | | | but it could also be a true Lusitano whose pedigree is |
| courageous and enthusiastic for what are known as | | | | incomplete or unregistered. |
| the gineta exercises, which include combat, hunting, | | | | Today, the Lusitano horse is recognized for its ability to |
| bullfighting, and working with cattle. | | | | perform well in a plethora of equestrian disciplines. In |
| The Lusitano is very similar in conformation to the | | | | the attempt to become more competitive with the |
| Andalusian horses of Spain and the two breeds are | | | | world-wide sport horses, the European Warmbloods, |
| thought to have originated from a common source, the | | | | and targeting events like show jumping and modern |
| rare and nearly extinct Sorraia, which is a smaller | | | | dressage in which the warmblood excels, the Lusitano |
| horse that is characterized by a dun colored coat with | | | | is starting to lose its Iberian type. |
| primitive markings. In fact, until 1960, Lusitanos and | | | | Traditionally, the Lusitano is a horse of medium size. At |
| Andalusians were registered together in the Spanish | | | | the age of six years, the average height is 15.1 hands |
| Stud Book of the Associaзгo | | | | for mares and 15.3 hands for stallions, although they |
| Portuguesa de Criadores do Cavalo Puro Sangue | | | | may be found over 16.0 hands high now, while also |
| Lusitano (APSL), also known as the Portuguese | | | | looking more like Northern European warmbloods. |
| Lusitano Breeders Association. However, selective | | | | They weigh approximately 1100 pounds. |
| breeding in the Lusitano resulted in a more convex | | | | There is no discrimination against any solid color. |
| profile reminiscent of the older Andalusian or Iberian | | | | Originally, the Lusitano was grulla or dun, but buckskins, |
| horse whereas the Andalusian has developed a more | | | | palominos, cremellos, and perlinos can also be found. |
| Oriental head shape. The modern Lusitano is on | | | | However, the gray gene has taken over the breed, |
| average a cleaner-moving, braver, and tougher-built | | | | and most Lusitano horses are various shades of gray, |
| horse than the average modern Andalusian. They are | | | | depending on their age. It has become the most |
| now considered to be separate breeds and in the | | | | appreciated and esteemed color of the breed. Their |
| United States they are represented by the International | | | | overall body profile is described in the official breed |
| Andalusian & Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA). | | | | standard as "sub-convex (with rounded outlines); a |
| Additionally, the Lusitano's history is identical to that of | | | | silhouette that can be fitted into a square." |
| the Spanish or Iberian horse. For most of their common | | | | The Lusitano has a well-proportioned noble head of |
| history, Portuguese and Spanish horses were bred as | | | | medium length that is narrow and dry, with the cheek |
| if they were one breed. The Iberian horse was called | | | | inclined to be long. It has a slightly sub-convex profile |
| Andalusian, Estremenjo, or Castillian, depending on the | | | | with a slightly curved forehead narrowing to a finely |
| region it was bred in, and it was called Lusitanian in | | | | curved nose. The eyes are elliptical or almond-shaped |
| Portugal. Today, the breed is known as Lusitano or | | | | and are large, alive, expressive and confident. The |
| "Puro Sangue Lusitano" (PSL), meaning pure-blooded | | | | medium-length ears are fine, narrow and expressive. |
| Lusitano. | | | | The neck is of medium length and arched, ending at a |
| The ancestors of the modern Lusitano were incredible | | | | narrow junction with the head. The body is |
| horses. When the Phoenicians, Greeks, and | | | | short-coupled with powerful shoulders, a deep rib cage |
| Carthagians landed on the west coast of the Iberian | | | | and broad powerful loins. The mane and tail are |
| Peninsula, which is now Portugal, they came across | | | | abundant and silky with the tail set rather low on an |
| riders whose horses were of superior speed and | | | | unobtrusive hip. Even when excited, the tail is not |
| whose fighting ability from horseback was incredible. | | | | carried very high. |
| This perfect union, the connection of horse and rider | | | | The Lusitano has a trait that is often associated with |
| as one entity, led to the myth of the Centaur, and it | | | | Iberian horses. It is called "campaneo" in Spain, and it is |
| was thought that this half-human/half-horse creature, | | | | the action of the front leg that does not show a |
| stemmed from the delta of the river Tejo. The tale | | | | straight forward movement, but rather swings out |
| told to explain the fantastic speed of these horses | | | | laterally to a degree. It appears to be an inherent trait |
| was that "they conceived their foals by the wind." | | | | of the Iberian horse. Just as in the Andalusian breed, |
| In Portugal, the horses were sought after over the | | | | some Lusitano horses can be found that do a lateral |
| centuries as a war horse and were bred in a | | | | gait. |
| continuous effort to produce the best war horse or | | | | While the Lusitano was not bred for its gait, but for its |
| bullfighting horse. When the Iberian horse was no | | | | agility in the bullring, there are still some individuals that |
| longer needed as a war mount, mounted bullfighting | | | | have retained the gait and the action of these Lusitano |
| became the horse's main use. But when mounted | | | | horses is showy. The cannon bones are |
| bullfighting was prohibited in Spain by a royal decree | | | | comparatively long and lend to the knee action and |
| for several centuries, the sport lived on in Portugal | | | | proud, elevated movements. The hind leg is positioned |
| without interruption. The Lusitano continued to be bred | | | | well underneath the body axis, producing the hock |
| for its bullfighting agility, which happens to be identical to | | | | action so suited to collection and impulsion. The |
| their ability and agility for high school dressage. | | | | movements are agile, sure-footed, elevated forward |
| The Lusitano has all the courage of the Spanish Horse | | | | and uphill, and carry the rider in comfort. It is a gait that |
| coupled with remarkable agility, quickness and balance, | | | | there is no clear written description of, and one that |
| which makes the Lusitano the perfect horse for | | | | must be seen or ridden to be fully appreciated. |
| mounted bullfighting in Portugal. These bullfighting | | | | |