The Spanish General Gonzalo de Cordoba (on white Andalusian horse) receiving the defeated French after battle in 1503
The History of the Spanish (or Andalusian) Horse
A medieval manuscript of Spanish knights (left) and Moorish cavalry (right) showing the size difference between Spanish and Arabian horses
Spain has been known since ancient times for the excellence of its horses. The first mention of the qualities of the Andalusian horse as a war horse was around 450 B.C. The Romans, especially, valued the strength, intelligence and bravery of the Spanish horse.
During the Reconquista in the Middle Ages, the Spanish Christian kingdoms put large efforts into breeding Warhorses. The Spanish or Andalusian breed was improved during this time, especially in the Kingdom of Castile, as larger and stronger horses were bred to carry armoured knights into battle. The size advantage of the Andalusian horse over the Arabian horse ridden by the Moors gave the Christian armies a distinct edge in combat.
Felipe IV of Spain on an Andalusian horse by Diego de Velazquez
During Spain's golden age in the XVI and XVII centuries, the Andalusian or Spanish horse became famous across the royal courts of Europe. The Andalusian was referred to as "The Prince of Horses" or "The Horse of Kings". Andalusian horses accompanied Spanish armies in their campaigns across Europe. As most Spanish cavalrymen preferred to ride only Stallions, these horses had a large influence on local breeds. Famous European breeds that have a strong Andalusian influence include the Friesian, the Hanoverian and the Neapolitan. The famed Spanish Riding School of Vienna with its Lipizzaner horses was founded during this time with Spanish breeding stallions, mares and riding styles - hence the school's name
The Carthusian strain of the Andalusian horse
Napoleon's French armies invaded Spain in 1808, bringing the Napoleonic wars to the peninsula. This was a time of crisis for the Andalusian horse as many were lost in battle against the French and entire herds were plundered by the invaders. Luckily, several breeding herds were successfully hidden from the French. One breeding herd was hidden by Carthusian monks near the city of Jerez. This became the famous "Carthusian" strain of the Spanish horse. The breed recovered in the following decades though Spanish Horses were not allowed to be exported until 1969
The horse "Shadowfax" in Lord of the Rings was played by 2 Andalusian Stallions
Today, Spanish or Andalusian horses are quite popular in equestrian events such as dressage and show jumping. Andalusian horses are eager learners and carry themselves proudly - traits that are appreciated in dressage. Andalusian horses have also been extensively used in films including "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia"
The Spanish or Andalusian horse
Characteristics of the Andalusian horse
The Spanish horse is characterized by a broad neck, a deep, massive chest, and well-rounded hindquarters - all traits developed while it was bred as a warhorse. Andalusian horses are also known for their very full manes and tails. Their coats tend to be grey (80%) varying from a dark grey to snow-white in colour, with the balance of coats split between black, bay, chestnut and the rarer "palomino"
Spanish horses are proofed by a national association and only those meeting breed standards are given the designation P.R.E. (Pura Raza Española). All certified PRE horses are monitored by a unique microchip and are registered in the association's database.
At El Olivo de Cazorla we deal only in P.R.E.-certified horses.
Links for more information:
http://www.lgancce.com/web2/ Link to the Genealogical Database of the Association of Pure Bred Spanish horses. The genealogical tables of all certified horses can be found here searching by name or microchip number
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andalusian_horse A good Wikipedia entry on the Andalusian or Spanish horse