ANDALUSIAN

Known for centuries as the Spanish horse, one of the oldest horse breeds. Native to the Iberian peninsula, the Andalusian has influenced the development of more breeds than any other horse except for the Arabian and the barb. The beautifully proportioned Andalusian is a strong, medium-sized horse. It stands about 153 to 163 cm (about 60 to 64 in, or 15 to 16 hands) high at the withers. (the high part of the back, located between the shoulder blades). The back is short, the hindquarters wide and well-muscled, and the legs strong. The arched neck supports a wide head with a hawk-like profile. The Andalusians large, almond-shaped eyes are expressive, and its well-set ears are small. Its coat originally was colored bay (reddish) and black, but most Andalusians now are colored gray. The silky mane and thick, low-set tail are long and flowing.} Ancestors of this horse may have lived on the Iberian peninsula before the last Ice Age. The modern Andalusian probably developed through natural crossbreeding (rather than through a selective process by horse breeders) between the descendants of these ancestral horses, the primitive sorraia pony, and the barb.The horse was brought to southern Europe by Muslim invaders in the 7th century. Later in the Middle Ages, the Andalusian was crossed with the Friesan horse, a mix that was the preferred mount of knights. In the late 15th century, monks in France developed the breed into one of the finest in the world while maintaining its purity. The Andalusian was the horse of the Spanish conquistadors, and Spanish explorers, claimed it was second only to God in contributing to the successful conquest of the Aztec Empire of Mexico in the early 16th century. The Andalusian produces outstanding new horse breeds. Descendants include the Lipizzaner, mustang, quarter horse, and American saddlebred. Originally developed as a fine, responsive riding horse, the Andalusian strength and agility made it the horse of choice for battles and bullfighting. Today the Andalusian is used for dressage (guiding a horse through a series of complex maneuvers with slight movements of the hands, legs, and weight of the rider), parades, and pulling coaches in international competition.

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