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What is a Lusitano?

The Lusitano is a pure breed of horse from Portugal, usually used as a saddle horse though he is also prized as a light driving horse. He is compact, highly manoeuvrable, intelligent, brave and agile. He is hot-blooded, like Arabs and Thoroughbreds - the foundation stock for the modern Thoroughbred contained a considerable amount of Lusitano blood.

The Lusitano is also a very attractive breed of horse, though this is largely fortuitous - the Lusitano has been selected for countless generations for functionality in battle and, later, in the bullring, rather than for looks.

   
Why is the Lusitano as he is?

The Lusitano horse originated in the hilly and rough areas of the Iberian peninsula. The mountainous terrain moulded him into an agile horse, able to leap and keep his footing like a mountain goat. He had to learn not to panic - no use running blindly over a 1000' drop! He also had to be hardy, to survive the extremes of weather and the rough surroundings.

Thousands of years ago, men noticed these characteristics and began to prize him as a war horse. He could out-maneouvre the opposition and could be relied upon to keep his head. The mountain horse was refined into an animal that could anticipate his rider's wishes and, crucially, keep his rider as far as possible out of danger, whilst exposing himself to the risks of battle. He was used as a dignified and responsive mount upon which courtiers refined their equestrian skills in the movements of the High School.    
    
The Lusitano fell somewhat from favour in this country when cross-country pursuits became popular in the nineteenth century. He was used less as a war-horse as battle tactics turned to flat-out charges rather than tricky close-contact warfare. 

Instead, he has been deployed as a mount in the bullfight - a stylised form of battle, still requiring the same characteristics of bravery, intelligence and agility from the horse. Accordingly, he has continued to be selected for these qualities until the present day.

For more information about the breed and its history, I recommend Sylvia Loch's The Royal Horse of Europe, published by J A Allen & Co Limited. A special discounted rate for J A Allen & Co Limited books is available for Lusitano society members - please contact Jane Lloyd Francis (Tel: 01650 511222)

But I don't want to bullfight - what else can he do? 

As the appeal of the Lusitano has broadened in recent years, he has turned his hoof to many different pursuits. He is still highly-valued as a mount for classical dressage, and he has enjoyed some success in the competitive arena also. (See, for example, the achievements of Orphée with Catherine Durant).
    
His athleticism lends him to be a talented jumper - John Whitaker's horse Novilheiro was a Lusitano. Novilheiro in particular demonstrates the versatility of the breed - he wasn't a "special strain" of Lusitano bred specifically for jumping - his full brother Opus II was one of the most famous bullfighting horses of his day. He can excel in Western disciplines. He is an impressive and responsive driving horse, and the sports of working equitation and horseball could have been made for this quick and agile breed.

The Breed Standard:

1. TYPE - With rounded outlines the silhouette of which can be fitted into a square, weight around 500 kg.
2. HEIGHT - Medium, to be measured at the withers at the age of 6 years - average females 1,55 ms (15.1 hands); males 1,60 ms (15.3 hands).
3. COAT - Any solid colour. Grey is the most common.
4. TEMPERAMENT - Noble, generous and ardent, but always gentle and able to withstand duress.
5. MOVEMENTS - Agile, elevated forward, smooth and having a great facility to carry the rider in comfort.
6. APTITUDE - A natural ability for concentration. Besides its original use (combat and bullfighting) it shows great ability for classical dressage, jumping and high school.
7. HEAD - Well proportioned, of medium length, narrow and dry. Slightly sub-convex profile with the forehead in advance of the bones of the eyebrows. The eyes elliptical in shape, big and alive, expressive and confident. The ears are of medium length, fine, narrow and expressive.
8. NECK - of medium length and arched, the junction between head and neck is narrow, the neck is deep in the base and well inserted between the shoulders, rising up from the withers without any convexity.
9. WITHERS - Well defined and long, with a smooth transition from the back to the neck. Always higher than the croup.
10. CHEST - of medium size, deep and muscular.
11.  RIBCAGE - Well developed, long and deep with the ribs obliquely arched into the joint with the spinal column which promotes a short and full flank.
12. SHOULDERS - Long, slanting and well muscled.
13. BACK - Well defined and tending towards the horizontal making a smooth union between the withers and loins.
14. LOINS - Short, wide, muscular, slightly convex, well connected with the back and croup with which they form a continuous harmonious line.
15. CROUP - Strong and rounded, well balanced, slightly slanting, the length and width should be of identical proportions, the profile convex and harmonious with the point of hip relatively unobtrusive, giving the croup a transverse section of elliptical shape. The tail emerges from the same line as the croup, being of long, silky and abundant hair.
16. LEGS - The forelegs are well muscled and harmoniously inclined. The upper arm straight and muscular. The cannons slight and muscular. The fetlocks are dry, relatively big and with very little hair. The pasterns are relatively long and sloping. The hooves are of good constitution, well defined and proportioned without being too open; the line of the coronet is not very evident. The buttock is short and convex. The thigh is muscular and tends to be short, making the gaskin in the same vertical line as the hip bone. The leg is slightly long from the hock making the point of the hock in the same vertical line of the point of the buttock. The hocks are large, strong and dry. The back legs present a picture of relatively closed angles.

(Source - Lusitano Stud Book)

Anne Langan has recorded her experiences starting out as a small breeder of Lusitanos in Portugal - click here.