Andalusian Spanish Pura Raza Espanola - the most famous of the horse breeds of Spain , enjoyed worldwide fame in the XVI - XVIII centuries . Andalusian horses stood in the stables of almost all European monarchs and many nobles. Horses of this breed were considered the best "for the parade and for war", in fact in those days the importance of this breed for world horse breeding was comparable to the value of thoroughbred horse breed in later eras. The Andalusian horse is ideal for high school riding, it is this area that has become the main "specialty" of the breed, in which it has been improved over the centuries. Initially, dressage had close ties to military art, tactics of conducting horse-fight, where responsiveness to controls, speed, dexterity of the horse, and possibly possession of some school elements gave the rider an advantage. Later, the higher school of riding gradually turned into pure art, which, however, is of great importance for the proper education and formation of the horse.
Under the strong influence of the Andalusian breed during its heyday, a whole group of Spanish-type rocks was formed, which today began to be called “Baroque rocks”: it is now a defunct Neapolitan, Frederiksborg from Denmark (preserved in a small number to this day, but has changed a lot from for crosses), Lippitsanskaya (world-famous horses of the Vienna School), Cladrub . Andalusian blood gave the Frisian breed a high neck set and special majesty. It carries a certain charm of baroque rocks and the Oryol trotter, although this breed belongs to a different type and a different era.
If we talk about America, the New World was almost conquered on the back of a Spanish horse. Almost all Latin American breeds carry one or another share of Andalusian blood (and one or another share of the blood of other, less “noble” breeds of Spain and Portugal). In North America, the influence of other European breeds is more pronounced, but even there the Andalusian horses left their genes. Spanish ancestors also had such breeds of North America, such as Quaterhorse, Appaloosa , and Native American ponies.
At the beginning of the 19th century, for a number of reasons (Napoleonic wars, changes in cavalry tactics, the spread of hippodromes), the Andalusian horse was supplanted from its position by a purebred riding breed, topping the list of improvement breeds to this day. For a long time, Spain’s horse breeding was in decline, but in the second half of the 20th century, interest again appeared in it, as well as in other “Baroque breeds”. Today the Andalusian breed is one of the most popular "amateur" breeds in Western Europe. At the same time, Spanish riders compete in Andalusian equestrian sports, successfully competing with today's dressage leaders - German half-blood horses.
The official Spanish name of the breed is Pura Raza Espanola, abbreviated to PRE. For Spaniards, PRE is the purebred representative of the breed in question, and Andalusian is basically any horse from Andalusia. Part of the use of this name is the desire to give importance to the breed. However, in many countries outside Spain, the breed name "Andalusian" has historically taken root.
Andalusian horse can safely be considered one of the most beautiful breeds in the world. It is not too large (usually 155-160 cm at the withers), compact physique, rounded. She has a noble medium-sized slightly hunched-up head, a very high-set curved neck with a developed crest, giving the horse's appearance special majesty, a wide chest, and rounded ribs. The back is straight, the croup is rounded, lowered, the tail is set rather low. Andalusian horses are distinguished by their natural high speed. A distinctive feature of the breed is its lush and long mane and tail. The suit is mostly gray, sometimes bay and black.