With its proud bearing, powerful yet compact body, agility and intelligence, the Lusitano was, for centuries, the favourite of warriors and nobility. Kim Dyson takes a look at this renowned breed.
The Lusitano is believed to be the oldest saddle horse in the world; it has been ridden for well over 5 000 years.
Genetic studies show that the modern Lusitano shares genes with the horses that inhabited the Iberian Peninsula (now Spain and Portugal) in the late Bronze Age.
During the Middle Ages, Iberian horses were found in virtually every royal stable in Europe. They were the first choice of famous warrior kings such as William the Conqueror and Richard the Lionheart. The art of training this strong, brave and lively breed for war became a hobby for the nobility, and this is where the art of dressage was born. To ‘dance with a horse’ became a passion in itself.
Denne historien er fra 26 January 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
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Denne historien er fra 26 January 2018-utgaven av Farmer's Weekly.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Syngenta Seedcare celebrates a decade of innovation
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THE HITCHING POST
I'm a stylish elderly lady with a radiant glow and a good sense of humour that keeps me young at heart.
Cutworms: check the weeds on your fields!
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In their paper on high-density grazing in Southern Africa, professors Angelinus Franke and Elmarie Kotzé from the Department of Soil, Crop and Climate Sciences at the University of the Free State say high-density grazing systems may not accurately reflect natural ecosystems. Roelof Bezuidenhout reports.
Global grain outlook: 2024/25 marketing season
In its latest summer crops report, the Crop Estimates Committee says South African farmers intend to plant 4,47 million hectares of summer grains and oilseeds in the 2024/25 season, up 1% from the previous season. As South Africa exports maize and soya bean, Annelie Coleman reports on the latest trends in the international grain and oilseed markets, amid fluctuations in weather conditions and ongoing armed conflicts.
