Andalusian and Lusitano Horses

Until recently, Thoroughbreds and warmbloods had replaced Iberian horses in competitive dressage, a discipline with which the horses had been synonymous for hundreds of years. Although warmbloods still dominate the sport of dressage today, the Iberian breeds are making a comeback. In America, dressage enthusiasts have noticed the unique attributes of the Andalusian and the Lusitano. But there is a great deal of confusion with the two breeds. Are they separate breeds, or are they one in the same? It’s not an easy question to answer. Although Lusitanos and Andalusians are historically the same breed, nationalistic suspicions between Spain and Portugal in the 1960s separated what was historically one breed into two.

**For the full article, pick up the April  2007 issue of HORSE ILLUSTRATED.**

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