Author: Julia Bischof, Director ACPRE Australia Inc
Editor: Melissa Dey, Cyberhorse

The true name of the "Caballo Espanol"
The name of the breed which is commonly referred to as "Andalusian" in Australia and other parts of the world, in Spain is officially and correctly "Pura Raza Espanola- PRE". This translates to horse "of pure Spanish race". Calling them Andalusian is not permitted by the Stud Book in Spain. To be correct a registered Spanish purebred is referred to as a "PRE", and a non-spanish purebred or partbred is referred to as an Andalusian.

History of the Spanish Horse Iberian and Barb horses are thought to be the ancestors of the Spanish Horse as we know it today. Since Roman times and probably before then the Spanish Horse was the cavalry mount and war horse of the great rulers of Europe. The Iberian horses are also the foundation stock for most American breeds, since they were transported to the New World for the first time with Christopher Columbus. In 1567 Phillip II of Spain founded the studbook for the Spanish horse at the Royal Stables in Cordoba. In the following centuries, these horses were in great demand as very prized gifts and possessions of the European Monarchs. They constituted part of the foundation stock for the Royal Stables in Denmark, the Spanish Riding School in Vienna and their Lipizzaner, and other Royal Stables with the famous Écuyers of those times. The horses that today are the most desirable, are those within the lines of the Spanish Horse known as "Carthusian Horses", also called Bocado horses. Some historians report that these horses can be traced back to the 15th century, to a herd of animals which were saved from crossbreeding or extinction by Carthusian Monks through the 18th century, and today carry the famous brand called 'Bocado' or are direct descendants of 'Bocado' horses.

Spain's Pride in their National Horse The Spanish Horse is a much-admired possession and the pride of the Spanish Caballero (a gentleman on horseback). A lot of culture and traditions surround the Spanish Horse, something we find difficult to appreciate unless we actually go and visit their country, their horse shows and equestrian events. Ridden horses are generally always kept as entires, stallions (sementales) are rarely gelded, and other than for perhaps a few Doma Vaquera horses, mares are not normally ridden. The mares (yeguas) are traditionally used to thrash maize in the fields working as the traditional cobras groups of mares linked together via leather neck collars.  (Left - At the 2002 Feria del Caballo in Jerez showing a 10-horse cobra of mares from the military stud farm)

The PRE horses are used in many disciplines. Dressage with High School movements is only one of them. Recent successes in international dressage were made possible following the foundation of the Real Escuela de Arte Ecuestre in Jerez in the 70s. This Royal Riding School is set up like the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, with their own palatial grounds and weekly performances. They also tour Europe and deliver spectacular performances. Riders from this Royal Riding School have recently been very successful in international dressage competitions, competing in the world of the warmblood. At the World Championships in Aachen last year, the Spanish Team had a 4th place as a team, and Spanish Riders placed in the first 10 at the last two Olympic Games with their Spanish Horses.

Many horse shows are held all over the country throughout the year, and each year in December the best qualifying horses are entered to be selected for the "Champion of Spain". The shows run conformation classes, classes to assess movement, and specialty classes for 'Cobras' of mares. Cobras are a set of mares tied together at the neck with one handler who has control of one of the mares. Cobras are a spectacular site at the horse shows, they come in sets of 3, 5 and even 10. One very famous cobra comprised 21 mares! The idea is that a breeder can display his or her ability to breed a very consistent type of horse. Left - Riders in Doma Vaquera outfit from the 2002 Feria del Caballo in Jerez.

There is a great tradition of Driving (enganche) horses in Spain, and the bigger horse shows will have driving competitions where the most spectacular vehicles and combinations may be seen.  Other equestrian disciplines in Spain have their origins in the tradition of sheep and cattle herding and bullfighting. The Doma Vaquera is the discipline paying the utmost attention to tradition. Riders and horses have to follow a strict tradition in their outfit and grooming. The Doma Vaquera has only recently been 'standardised' to allow Doma Vaquera riders to compete and keep the traditions of cattle herding alive in a stylised form. Doma Vaquera enjoys great popularity in Spain today. Horses are ridden in a curb bit, all exercises are performed in either walk or canter, and the movements may remind us a little bit of the discipline of reining.  Accoso y Derribo is a discipline whereby a few riders have to chase a young bull and bring him to fall, with a wooden lance, the Garrocha. This is used to determine how brave the young calf will be as a bull and whether it will be fed to become a fighting bull. The PRE horse is never really seen in the bullring, however, because they are just too pricey to risk in such a dangerous situation.

Grooming Traditions and Equipment There is also a great tradition surrounding the grooming of Spanish Horses. All foals have their manes and tail docks clipped very soon after they are born. Broodmares will have their manes and tails clipped twice a year in the traditional style, stallions are presented with natural hair. Feathers and muzzle hair are clipped too, when a horse is presented in a show. Coats of horses are never clipped. Especially the Doma Vaquera and the traditions that go along with it influence the equipment used to present horses in shows or contests. The Serreta (see picture left)  is traditionally used to present horses in shows. It is a halter resembling a cavesson, with a leather covered metal noseband and metal ring coming out of the noseband. If used with knowledge and caution it educates stallions to answer their handler. Serretas are also used with 2 rings on either side, which the reins are clipped into when first breaking in a young horse, so as to avoid having to use a bit in the delicate mouth of a young horse in its early stages of training. Later on, the horse is accustomed to the curb bit, always in black iron. The Doma Vaquera rider then rides with the curb bit and reins in one hand (left), in a Doma Vaquera saddle with big triangular stirrup irons, and himself wears the traditional costume of the cattle worker in the field. The same "traje corto" costumes are used by grooms when showing horses in the ring, and the horses are shown unembelished in any way; merely clean and shining in good health.

Studbook Rules and Organisation
The administration of the Studbook of PURA RAZA ESPAÑOLA today lies with the Ministerio de Defensa, and the Servicio de Cria Caballar y Remonta (Cavalry & Remount), Madrid. The studbook is a closed studbook since 2001, and only animals with both parents registered as breeding stock therein, are eligible to be registered.  The process of registering a Spanish horse has two stages. After a foal is born, the Classification Commission visit, the foal is identified physically, in detail, DNA tested with parent verification, microchipped, its brands noted and then it is inscribed into the studbook. When the horse is at least 3 years of age, the Commission will assess its suitability for breeding. A horse has to obtain 70 out of 100 points in the classification scheme to be admitted to the studbook or approved (APTO) as qualified to perpetuate the PRE breed. The chestnut coat colour is excluded at this stage, unless a horse greys out (historically, there have been claims that with the chestnut coat colour come other traits which are not desirable in the Spanish Horse). PRE Horses born from Artificial Insemination are not eligible for registration at this stage.

The military authorities also support breeders by providing several stallion deposits throughout the country. For a small fee Spanish breeders can get their mares covered at the stallion deposits with a choice of stallions, or they can take a stallion to their farm if they have a sufficient number of mares. This generally means that a lot of breeders do not keep stallions, and use a different stallion over all their mares in the one year, which allows for selection of broodmares that throw very consistent type in the offspring if put to the same stallion. The State-owned research stud, Yeguada de la Cartuja-Hierro del Bocado in Jerez, has many Carthusian horses in its possession, and also the famous 'Bocado' brand itself. This facility aims to perpetuate the Carthusian lineage of horse to improve the rest of the breed and supply breeding stallions to the rest of the country. (Left - A group of mares at the military stud  farm at Vicos near Jerez)

What do we look for in breed type?
At first sight the Spanish horse impresses with its sculptural beauty, proud bearing, natural high action and friendly, docile temperament. The horse is strongly built and yet extremely elegant: naturally high-stepping and yet has catlike agility; and while he presents a picture of spirited animation under saddle or led in hand, he is at all times perfectly amenable to the will of the person controlling him.

The Spanish horse's beauty is a balanced symmetry of noble proportions that was the model for the great sculptors of Europe during the centuries. The head is majestic, with large, kind, well-set eyes, a broad forehead and well placed ears. The neck is reasonably long, broad yet elegant, and well crested in the stallions. Well-defined withers precede a short back, which links to broad, strong quarters. Both tail and mane are luxuriant and silky and worn long. The Spanish horse's temperament is something very special; he is one of the most naturally friendly and docile breeds, if not the most, in the world. The coat colours are mostly grey, but also bay and black. Chestnut horses are not currently registered in the Spanish Studbook, unless a chestnut born horse turns grey. Minimum height is 150cm for mares and 152cm for stallions.

In addition, breeders look for that very special attribute of the breed, the most superb calm but willing temperament of the Spanish Horse and the stallions in particular. Although there is a trend to try and breed horses taller and suitable for competition dressage, we can not afford to compromise Spanish Breed Type in the process. If we do not maintain breed purity, we risk losing forever this valuable foundation stock, which is now becoming so popular worldwide. In Germany, a lot of breeders now cover their best warmblood mares with Spanish Stallions.

The Spanish Horse in Australia
The first Spanish horses arrived in Australia in the early 1970s, thanks to Mr. Ray Williams who imported Bodeguero and several mares in foal and/or with foals at foot. When these horses left Spain, their ties with the Stud Book in Spain ended and no future registrations were lodged by breeders in Australia, NZ and USA. Ray Williams founded Bodeguero Stud and El Caballo Blanco in Western Australia. He was looking for a type of horse which, when bred to the Australian stock, would produce superior riding horses. Some of the imported horses were 'Bocado' horses, but unfortunately those lines were not kept pure in this country and we have no pure Bocados available to us today. 
Ray Williams founded the Andalusian Association of Australia (AAA), which is today the Andalusian Horse Association of Australia (AHAA).  The AHAA maintains a breed register for purebreds and partbreds (Australian Andalusians, first, second and third cross horses) plus those containing 25% Andalusian blood. The numbers registered in their purebred register have now reached the lower 1000s, with many more partbreds of varying amounts of Andalusian blood registered.

In 1998 a second association (ACPRE-Australia Inc.) was "purpose built" by some longstanding members of the AHAA, initiating the process of Revision for horses bred here. In New Zealand ACPRE NZ Inc. was also established for this purpose.  ACPRE-Australia Inc. is officially recognised by Jefatura de Cria Caballar to represent "el Caballo Pura Raza Española" in this country. In October 2001 the Classification Commission for the PRE breed finally visited Australia and has admitted three hundred plus horses into the Spanish Studbook, who are currently awaiting their papers.

Left - Alma Velador, the highest scoring stallion in the Australian studbook classification in 2001. In Australia, the Spanish horse can be seen at shows and in dressage tests or equestrian performances. As for the shows, most agricultural shows have AHAA  'Andalusian' classes. They usually allow both purebreds as well as partbreds.  ACPRE-Australia Inc are now also coordinating PRE classes at shows, for which they provide their own schooled and approved judges, who are able to judge a PRE in accordance with the Normativa (Spanish Breed Standard for the PRE). These judges give accurate direction to the breed and educate the viewing public on the true Spanish horse, by way of their decisions. Australian PRE and Andalusians are used in many disciplines, and there are also groups that train them for High School Riding and Performances.

Where to Find The Spanish Horse in Australia
Classes are held at most larger shows including Royals, for information about upcoming shows contact ACPRE and the AHAA, or you can follow the links at the bottom of the page to The Virtual Saleyard to visit Spanish Horse Events.  
Individual studs may be contacted by appointment for viewing of young stock for sale and stallions standing at stud.  Follow the links at the bottom of the page to visit these listings in The Virtual Saleyard.  Generally studs will have unbroken youngstock for sale. The demand for older trained horses far exceeds the availability, and they are very difficult to find.

More Information - Links

ACPRE Australia Inc. Associacion de Caballos de Pura Raza Espanola  Australia Inc

Andalusian Horse Association of Australia - AHAA do not have a web site yet, but can be contacted on (03) 5263 3402

El PRE - Spanish website with information on the Pura Raza Espanola

Spanish website show results and photos of each entry

Spanish Federation of PRE Breeders Associations

Yeguada Cartuja - Hierro del Bocado

Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Equestre in Jerez