The Lusitano

The Lusitano The finest example of the Baroque horse.

- Marike Kotzé

The Lusitano is descended from the oldest riding horse known to history – the traditional Iberian horse, who in turn can be traced back to the primitive Sorraia horse. The Sorraia horse has been found depicted in cave paintings that date as far back as 20,000 BC, on the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Much later, at around 900 BC, horses who were brought over from Africa by Phoenician traders and Celts were bred with the Sorraia horse, giving rise to the Iberian horse.

A brief history

The Iberian horse was first used in war and then to herd the famous black fighting bulls found in Spain, Portugal and the south of France. The Portuguese national interest in horsemanship along with bullfighting on horseback were the biggest driving forces behind the development of the Lusitano in Portugal.