The Andalusian is a stunning, fast horse that is highly desired by riders all over the world. The Andalusian would make a good horse for someone who has never owned a horse before, since they are easily trained and have a great temperament. The Andalusian is fairly rare; only a little over 200 foals are registered with International Andalusian Horse Association in the United States each year. The Andalusian Horse is a stunning animal, often described as noble and elegant. They typically stand anywhere from 15.2 to 16.2 hands. The Andalusian has a rectangular shaped head and vivid eyes. The Andalusian horse has a long, broad neck. His mane and tail have lots of thick hair. Most often, the Andalusian will be gray or white, but bay and black can also be found. The Andalusian Horse originated in Spain, specifically, the Province of Andalusia. Primarily Cathusian Monks in the late Middle Ages bred Andalusians. They bred the Andalusian by crossing the Iberian Horse and the Barb Horse. The monks did a very good job of keeping the bloodline of the Andalusian pure. In the 1800's, the purity became threatened when Napolean invaded Spain and stole many horses. However, the monks were very clever and hid a whole herd of Andalusian, which they used later to re-start the bloodlines. Surprisingly, the first Andalusian to be exported out of Spain was not until 1962! The Andalusians have been well known as "war horses". They played a large role in many wars, including the war between Athens in Sparta in 450 BC, and the Second Punic War in 218 BC |