The Lusitano Horse – Horse Illustrated

With a historical past spanning 25,000 years, the Lusitano’s roots run as deep because the bushes on the Iberian Peninsula, the place the horses’ diversifications to the weird setting created a courageous companion for people. The Lusitano is among the oldest driving horses, with proof to indicate they’ve been ridden in what’s now Portugal for no less than the previous 5,000 years.

In the event you’ve by no means been to Portugal, you will not be conscious of its distinctive topography. In an arid local weather, with the Tagus River operating the size, the ancestors to the Lusitano shared the grasslands with wild bulls. Predators have been a menace to the horses, however the wild bulls provided some safety, so long as the horses didn’t irritate them. It’s believed this fascinating relationship is why the Lusitano has a deep-seated cow sense along with intelligence, agility and velocity.

Right this moment, hundreds of years later, the Lusitano is a really comparable horse. The United States Lusitano Affiliation (USLA) works with the Portuguese Breeder Affiliation for the Lusitano (APSL) to assist American and Canadian homeowners of Lusitanos get their horses registered and inspected for breeding if obligatory.

This yr, the USLA hosted their first USLA Lusitano Convention in February 2023 with internationally acclaimed instructors and Lusitano specialists from all over the world.

Lusitano, P.R.E., or Andalusian?

It’s simple to get the Lusitano, P.R.E., and the Andalusian confused. (P.R.E. stands for Pura Raza Española, which interprets to Pure Spanish Horse.)

“The Andalusian is an American breed created and managed by the Worldwide Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Affiliation (IALHA),” explains Sheri Prucka, USLA President. “[IALHA] permits the crossing of assorted Iberian breeds, together with the Lusitano, P.R.E., and others to create purebred Andalusians. The time period ‘Andalusian’ has traditionally been utilized to horses from the area of Andalusia within the southern a part of the Iberian Peninsula.” That is the southern finish of recent Spain.

Prucka provides that it’s essential to know that the P.R.E. shouldn’t be the identical because the Andalusian, and neither are Lusitanos. Lusitanos are registered with the APSL. However apart from names, she says the Lusitano differentiates from the opposite two breeds primarily based on their pure assortment and motion.

“The Lusitano stands aside primarily based on the breed’s present leads to aggressive dressage, which stem from their clear gaits and pure assortment which have developed from selective breeding targeted on discipline work and the game of bullfighting in Portugal,” Prucka explains. “Due to their historical past, Lusitanos are typically courageous and make glorious companions for his or her riders. Right this moment, the main focus of breeders has turned to dressage and dealing equitation, sports activities the place the Lusitano excels.”

Star Lusitano Horses

Prucka shares that as of this previous December, 43 of the 826 ranked Grand Prix dressage horses are APSL Lusitanos.

“Due to the pure assortment of the Lusitano, they’re a superb alternative for grownup amateurs wishing to take part in increased stage sports activities,” she says. “It’s usually simple to coach them to execute the flying modifications, piaffe, and passage which might be required at increased ranges, and riders don’t want as a lot bodily power as is required with most breeds.”

Candace Platz of Poland Springs, Maine, is the proud proprietor of three Lusitano Grand Prix stallions: Don Juan LAM, Beduino LAM and Enrique. Platz was inspired to strive Lusitanos by Rodrigo de Matos, a principal rider of The Escola Portuguesa de Arte Equestre.

“He invited me to Portugal to his coaching heart to expertise Lusitano horses, and that was the start,” she says. “Nearly all of my 2022 Grand Prix rides have been with out teaching and through a six-month hiatus the place I had no instruction however skilled alone. The success of my yr was not as a result of I’m a terrific rider—I’m not—however as a result of these horses are so sport and stable of their work ethic that, as I say, ‘Any of them might throw down a good Grand Prix dressage take a look at in a Costco parking zone on any given Sunday.’”

Nancy Smith from Wellington, Fla., additionally owns a Grand Prix-level stallion, Eragon VO from Brazil. Smith obtained into Lusitanos as a result of her sponsor, Sarah Bushong-Weeks, had one she needed Smith to coach. Now Smith has six Lusitanos in coaching, together with Eragon.

“He has positioned properly within the CDI area on the International Dressage Competition and has simply been named the No. 1 Lusitano on the Grand Prix stage in the USA for 2022,” she says. “He additionally enjoys stress-free rides out across the mile observe that surrounds the lake on the Palm Seaside Equine Sports activities Complicated the place we board our horses. He has a beautiful character, is all the time a group participant, and offers his greatest effort every day. He’s snug to trip and likes to work. He’s a uncommon mixture of amateur-friendly and proficient sufficient for knowledgeable to compete internationally.”

On the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Video games (held in 2021), Portugal’s dressage group was made up fully of Lusitano horses. Different nations additionally had Lusitanos on their groups, together with Brazil, Austria, Spain and Mexico, for a complete of 14 horses representing the breed.

Remedy Horses

The Lusitano excels outdoors the dressage ring as properly. The Shea Heart for therapeutic driving in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., has two Lusitanos of their program. Each horses, a gelding named Shaw and a mare named Tess, got here to them on mortgage and tailored so properly they’ve stayed on.

“Lusitanos are a extremely smart, reliable, athletic and versatile breed,” says Sarah Sales space, communications director for the Heart. “Their prepared personalities and compact but sturdy conformation mix to make them a super horse for our program. Their easy gaits are optimum for a lot of totally different diagnoses, together with cerebral palsy, a number of sclerosis and stroke.”

This text in regards to the Lusitano appeared within the April 2023 problem of Horse Illustrated journal. Click on right here to subscribe!