Andalusians are best known for their elegance. With grace and pride they perform even the most complicated high school exercises and make every feat look like a breeze. The sublime and expansive movements leave no doubt that the Andalusian is considered the first dressage horse.
But the Spanish horses don’t just know how to convince externally and through their appearance. It is especially their friendly, loyal and sensitive nature that their owners love about them. Because once you have won the heart of an Andalusian, the horse is a loyal and obedient companion. On the other hand, they can be somewhat skeptical of strangers and observe them with caution until they have gained confidence.
In addition to high school, the gentle horses are also good family horses. Andalusians can also often be found hunting, in bullfights and in front of light teams. The elegant horses are extremely versatile and adapt well – provided you treat them right. Because with dominance or even violence you don’t achieve much with Andalusians.
As high school horses, it is also important that the Andalusians are very docile, docile and also disciplined – combined with their extraordinary jumping power and elegant yet muscular physique, this makes them ideal dressage horses.
History of the Andalusian
The breed began in the 15th century when the royal family and other nobles in Jerez de la Frontera encouraged the Carthusian monks to breed horses. They were known for breeding particularly noble horses, which today are the forefathers of the P.R.E. are valid.
The abbreviation P.R.E. means Pura Raza Española, which translates as pure Spanish race. Today only Andalusians are allowed to be P.R.E. be designated if they are entered in the stud book and are of pure Spanish blood. These are considered particularly noble and have been regulated by the Spanish breeders’ association since 1912. Only small breeders, who all use their own brand, breed the proud horses. If the origin of the horse is not proven, it must not be P.R.E. are called and is referred to as Andalusian.
Lustianos and Andalusians were kept in one stud book for a long time, but from 1967 the breeds were listed separately. However, the relationship between the two breeds can still be clearly seen today.
Interesting and worth knowing
Well-known Andalusians in film and television
Their noble appearance and their willingness to learn also make the Andalusians popular horses in films. An Andalusian also plays a part in one of the greatest trilogies in film history: In the Lord of the Rings films, Schattenfell, Gandalf’s obedient horse, is embodied by the two white Andalusian stallions White and Domero. Shadowfax belongs to the Mearh, they are considered the noblest horses of Rohan and Gandalf even called Shadowfax the lord of the Mearas.
Tim Burton’s 1999 film Sleepy Hollow follows a headless horseman (played by Christopher Walken) who terrifies a whole village as he decapitates people seemingly at will. Constable Ichabod Crane (played by Johnny Depp), who doesn’t believe in ghosts, travels from New York to Sleepy Hollow to solve the murders. Here he finds some surprises besides the beautiful Katrina (played by Christina Ricci). The Headless Horseman’s horse is said to be a black Andalusian named George.
The horse ridden by Cinderella in the 2015 film adaptation is also Andalusian. The horse should give the rather passive character Cinderella more strength, self-confidence and also self-determination.
Other milestones in film history cannot do without the elegant horse breed either: the horse that Russel Crowe rides in the film Gladiator is an Andalusian. Likewise, in Winter’s Tale, a white Andalusian is ridden by Collin Farrell and Mel Gibson’s horse in Braveheart is also said to be an Andalusian. These are just some of the many movies where you can admire the Spanish horses.
An Andalusian has even made it into the computer gaming world: The Andalusian The Boss’s Horse has a recurring role in the games Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of Patriots, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Metal Gear V : The Phantom Pain. In two of the games, however, the horse is only seen as a painting or as a statue.
Advice on keeping Andalusians
Every horse is unique, no matter what breed it belongs to. And no matter how long or short the pedigree is, every horse has similar needs, such as those for food, exercise, and social contact. These must be satisfied in order to enable a happy horse life. However, depending on what the breed of horse was originally bred for, there are many different characteristics: some are bred to be sport horses and need more exercise than others, and some are more leisurely workhorses. Just remember that the classification into draft, warm-blooded and thoroughbreds is made primarily on the basis of temperament.
With our horses, too, it always depends on the individual creature. Because not all Shire Horses are strong-nerved giants and not every Arabian is a tenacious racer.
Care and nutrition
It doesn’t matter whether you own a large draft horse or a small pony: every horse needs a certain amount of care to stay healthy. The hooves in particular require your special attention. You can read about what you should consider here in the tips for proper horse care.
You also strengthen your bond with your four-legged friend with regular grooming. Finally, nibbling each other’s fur is a common social interaction between horses.
