The Lusitano is the national horse of Portugal. It is named for Lusitania, a name given to the Iberian peninsula by the Romans.
What does the Lusitano look like?
The Lusitano is a compact horse with a thick mane and tail. It stands 15-16 hands tall. Colors are solid colors of horse, rarely seen are palomino and buckskin.
Characteristics and uses
This brave horse was used as a war horse as it was known to be calm under fire. The Lusitano was ridden in the bull-fighting ring in Portugal. It is still used for mounted bull-fighting, a sport in which the bull is not killed and all efforts are made to avoid the horse’s injury as well. Horses bred for this sport are agile and calm, so that they are not spooked by the bull and can easily avoid confrontation with it. Lusitanos also compete in Olympic disciplines such as the high-level combined driving competition, dressage and jumping.
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