Andalusian Horses

Andalusian Horses are are part of a breed recognised since the 15th century, developed in the Iberian Peninsula (covering Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar and some France) and are often known as the Pure Spanish Horse or PRE ( Pura Raza Espanola ) They were often used by Spanish and European kings and nobles as war horses. The breed has now spread throughout the world and there are over 75000 registered Andalusians worldwide.

Horses of this breed often have long, thick manes and tails. They are strongly built and compact but move elegantly. They are known theid docility and sensitivity, as well as being highly intelligent. Though Andalusians are found in many colours, grey is the colour most often associated with them.

The Carthusian Andalusian or Cartujano is generally considered the purest Andalusian strain, and has one of the oldest recorded pedigree lines in the world. The pure sub-type is rare, as only around 12 percent of the Andalusian horses registered between the founding of the stud book in the 19th century and 1998 were considered Carthusians. They made up only 3.6 percent of the overall breeding stock, but 14.2 percent of the stallions used for breeding. In the past, Carthusians were given preference in breeding, leading to a large proportion of the Andalusian population claiming ancestry from a small number of horses and possibly limiting the breed`s genetic variability. There is very little to distinguish the strain but there are slight physical differences; Carthusians have more "oriental" or concave head shapes and are more often gray in color, while non-Carthusians tend toward convex profiles and more often exhibit other coat colors such as bay. Buyers will pay a high price for members of the carthusian strain.

Andalusians have always been used for both riding and driving. Among the first horses used for dressage, they are still heavily involved in international competition in dressage today. At the 2002 World Equestrian Games, two Andalusians were on the bronze-medal winning Spanish dressage team, a team that went on to take the silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. They were also used as stock horses, and were and still are involved in bull fighting and due to their majestic appearance have appeared in major Hollywood movies such as Lord Of The Rings, Gladiator, King Arthur, Braveheart and more.