Breed History

He was the chosen mount of royalty and present in nearly ever court in Europe. He possessed striking beauty, nobility, intelligence, versatility, tractability and kindness. He was known as the Horse of Kings or the Royal Horse of Europe.

He was highly skilled in battle… known for his braveness, strength, and willingness to charge forth into danger. He had the stamina to cover vast regions with surprising fleetness, and the sensibility not to give away the position of his rider in ambushes. He learned battle skills such as the capriole and courbette, which were later developed in the classical riding schools. He was the horse from which dressage was created.

Riding academies were formed in Austria, France, Germany & Italy where dressage & high school movements were developed, refined and flourished. The Iberian horse was the favored mount of the academies for its impulsion, forward motion & agility. He has influenced many of today's Warmblood breeds as well as Thoroughbreds.

He arrived on our soils with the Conquistadors and is the forbearer of many of today's most popular breeds in the Americas, including the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa, Mustang, Paso Fino, Peruvian Paso, Azteca as well as influencing the Lipizzan & the Friesian.

"All authors have always shown a preference for the Spanish horse, considering it the best of all horses for high school dressage, due to its agility, its resilience and its rhythm. It is considered the most adequate to show off, because of its bravery, distinction, and noble character."

~Francois Robichon de la Gueriniere,

Equerry to the King of France, circa 1773

"Comparing the best horses, and considering which is most perfect, I would place the Spanish first. I choose him as the most beautiful, the noblest, the most graceful, the bravest, and the one who most deserves to be ridden by a King. And if I compare it with those horses that are also great natural runners, it is always the Spanish horse that gallops with the most precision and art."

~ Saloman de la Broue,

Head Groom of King Henri IV of France, circa 1600

Early History

'Andalusian' is an ancient name to denote the horses from the Iberian Peninsula (about 450 miles from tip to tip). In early history, the entire peninsula was called Andaluz, centuries before Spain & Portugal had defined borders.

Taking its name several centuries later, the region of Andalucia, Spain, is the location where many early breeders were concentrated. Multi-generational breeders of the Spanish Horse still flourish today in this region, as well as many newcomers. The climate is ideal for raising horses.

The name PRE - Pura Raza Española, or Pure Spanish Horse, originated in 1567 Spain with King Philip II 's illustrious breeding program. By the king's decree, roughly 1200 mares were procured from breeders around the countryside. Mares and a select group of stallions who possessed the ideal phenotype or desirable breed traits were brought to the Royal Stables of Cordoba. The king began his breeding program with the intention of concentrating and defining those baroque traits and improving the breed type.

The breed is actually thought by many to be much older, dating back to before the Roman empire. Cave drawings found in the region of Andalucia date back to approximately 30,000--20,000 B.C. (see image at left).

The Phoenicians encountered it in battle in 4,000 BC. The Celts, Greeks, Moors & Romans were taken with it's bravery & cunning. Many believe the Iberian horses are one of the oldest breeds on Earth.