2002 World Equestrian Games

History of the Purebred Spanish Horse

Purebred Spanish horses are one of the most appreciated animals in the world because of their morphotipo attractiveness, easygoing character, lifting movements and their diversity of functional and sporting aptitudes.

Known as the noblest horse in the world, the Spanish horse is a sensible animal, of defendant nobility, easy to train and very gracious in exhibiting presence and harmony.

Our horse has been an integral part of the culture and history of the Iberian Peninsula for more than 3,000 years. It is considered one of the best examples of the equine species in the world, even in century IV A.C. when it was praised by Aristotle, Virgil and Homer.

It was the fame that the Spanish Purebred reached in that era that led to exportation to Europe to be crossed with other races. Needless to say, it is important to highlight the role of the Spanish horse in the XV and XVI century in Renaissance Europe. It was the most widely employed horse in the best equestrian schools and was loyal steed of kings and noblemen. Thanks to its arrogant bearing, its intrinsic beauty and its great aptitudes for dressage, the Spanish Horse became the prized gift longed for by the European royal houses of past times.

The Spanish Horse was an essential military advantage during the Golden era of the Spanish Empire. Military horsemen mounted the Spanish purebred throughout their confrontations in Europe and America, like the descovery of the New World, where as well as helping to win major victories for the conquistadors it became the basis of all the subsequent equine breeds that would later spread the length of Canada to Patagonia. The Spanish horse took its place in history as the sole breed that formed the equine genetic pool for the majority of indigenous horses that are today bred all over the Americas.

Nowadays the Spanish Horse excels in various arenas, from bullfighting to the High School. It also goes without saying that the breed has excellent sporting qualities as was adequately demonstrated in the recent Olympic Games in Sydney, and in other world-wide and European championships of Classical Dressage. The Spanish Purebred is definitely one of the main candidates to consider for success in the World Equestrian Games.