Ezt a puha és elegáns járású, akciós mozgású lovat mintha csak a magasiskolára teremtették volna. Világhíre az elismert portugál lovas, Nuno Olivera nyerge alatt tett szert. Időközben azonban egész Európában honossá vált.

A tenyésztők már több éve próbálkoznak a luzianto teljesítményének javításával, hogy a fajta a díjlovagló négyszögben is minnél ismertebbé és keresettebbé váljon. Ezt a szép járású és kecses eleganciájú, akciós járású lovat valóban egyre gyakrabban látni Nem zetközi versenyek színhelyén.

AZ IBÉRIAI LÓ
A luzitániai elődei megegyeznek az andalúziai ló őseivel, és a két fajtának mind a mai napig igen sok közös tulajdonsága van. Azelőtt mindkét fajta az andalúziai megnevezés alatt futott, ma azonban mindegyikük saját törzskönyvel rendelkezik.

IGEN RÉGI FAJTA
A luzitániai a világ legdrágább lófajtái közé tartozik. Ma már a rómaiak is nagyra értékelték ezt az erős, nem túl nagy termetű lovat hajlékonysága, temperamentuma és összetett mozgásokra való képessége miatt. Az ibériai lovat az évszázadok során sok más fajtával, főleg arab telivérekkel keresztezték. A reneszánsz és a barokk korában egész Európa egyik legkedveltebb lova volt. Kitűnő mozgásának köszönhetően csatákban és bikaviadalokon is alkalmazták. A klasszikus lovaglási mód fejlődésével a népszerüsége is egyre nőtt. Európa minden udvarában saját "genett-re" vágytak a magukra valamit is adó lovasok (akkoriban így nevezték az ibériai lovat.).

A NÉPSZERŰ ÁTÖRÖKÍTŐ
Az amerikai lótenyésztés alapját tulajdonképpen azok a spanyol és portugál lovak képezték, amelyeket a néhai tengeri utazók magukkal vittek az Atlanti-óceánon túlra. Az ibériai lovat emellett a 16. és 19. század között Európában mindenütt más lófajták nemesítésében alkalmazták. Nem csupán a fríz lónál érezhető ez a befolyás, de páldául a híres lipicai vagy connemara-póni esetében is.

EGY IDŐRE KIMENT A DIVATBÓL

Miután évszázadokon keresztül nagyon keresett volt, az ibériai ló később egyre inkább feledésbe merült. A háborús taktika megváltozotta technika fejlődött, és már nem használták a lovakat. Néhány évtizeden keresztül a bikaviadalokat is betiltották. Ezzel párhuzamosan egyre inkább divatba jött a lóverseny, és vele a gyors telivérek. Abben az időben merőben új lótípusra volt igény, amely az ibériai lovat, úgy tűnt, végleg háttérbe szorította. S ez nem is csoda, hiszen az ibériai valóban nem rendelkezik sem átlagon felüli ugróképességgel, sem pedig különleges gyorsasággal.

A TENYÉSZKÖNYV
1960 után azonban ismét magnőtt az érdeklődés a fajta iránt. A luzitániai elsősorben a közismert portugál lovas, Nuno Olivera munkásságának köszönhetően vált ismerté, akia nagy tehetségű lovaka tfőleg a magasiskola gyakorlataiban tökéletesítette. A fajta tenyészkönyvét 1966-ban nyitották meg. A luzitániai ma már ismét egyész Európa legkeresettebb lovai közé tartozik.

----------FAJI JEGYEK----------
A luzitánó vagy luzitániai ló kitűnően alkalmazkodott őshazája - az Ibériai félsziget, beleértve Portugáliát is - forró és száraz klímájához. Ez nyilvánvaló, ha megnézzük vékony szálú, finom szőrzetét, selymes sörényét és kemény patáit.

KÜLÖNLEGES JEGYEK
Kecsesség és keegyensújozottság az erős oldalai ennek a kis termetű lónak. Térölelő, kényelmes jármódjait mind díjlovaglók, mind pedig ahobbilovasok nagyra értékelik. A luzitániai rugalmas mozgása révén a könnyedség, hajlékonyság és elegancia érzetét kelti, s bátorsága is figyelemre méltó.

KÜLLEM
A luzitániai nagyon harmónikus testfelépítésű ló. Feje finoman metszett és száraz, az orrhát többnyire egyenes, és nem homorú, mint az arab telivéré. A kifejező, nagy szemek szelídségről árulkodnak. A kissé vaskos, közepes hosszúságú nyak jól tűzött, és erős vállak fogják közre. A mar erős és széles, men túl domború. A hát rövid, izmos és csaknem egyenes, az ágyék kifogástalan, erős, a far kissé csapott, ami lehetővé teszi az összetettséghez szükséges súlyfelvételt a ló hátsó felén. A lábak kecsesek, de erősek. A sörény és a farok selymes, dús és hosszú.

MARMAGASSÁG
150-165cm.

SZÍN
Szürke, pej, fekete, ritkábban fakó vagy sárga.

JELLEM
A luzitániai örökölte a már időtlen idők óta rendkívül szigorú tenyésztési elveknek alávatett ibériai elődei szelídségét, tanulékonyságát és bátorságát.. Barátságos, inteligens, és engedelmes, kellemes, kiegyensúlyozott, együttműködő fajta, ugyanakkor tüzes vérmérsékletű, temperamentumos ló.


Készítette: Bécsi Johanna

Lusitano

Der portugiesische Lusitano (oder Lusitaner) ist dem spanischen Andalusier sehr ähnlich, hat aber etwas weniger Ausdruck. Er gehört zu einer alten Rasse, die von Andalusiern abstammt, und wurde für leichte landwirtschaftliche Arbeit genauso gebraucht wie als Reitpferd.
Lusitanos sind ausgesprochen gute Reitpferde; ihre Anmut und Beweglichkeit prädestinieren sie für die Arbeiten der Hohen Schule. Außerdem werden sie im portugiesischen Nationalsport, dem - unblutigen - Stierkampf eingesetzt. Dieser wird nur vom Pferd aus betrieben, und die Pferde sind hoch geschult und reagieren auf die kleinste Hilfe des Reiters. Es ist ein phantastischer Anblick, wenn sich das Pferd mutig dem angreifenden Stier stellt und erst im letzten Augenblick ausweicht. Wird ein Pferd beim Stierkampf verletzt oder gar getötet, wird dies als großes Unglück angesehen.

Größe: zwischen 153 und 163 cm.
Farbe: vorwiegend Schimmel, aber alle anderen Farben sind auch erlaubt.
Kopf: klein, mit geradem Profil. Kleine Ohren. Mutig blickende Augen.
Hals: manchmal etwas zu kurz und dick.
Schultern: lang, schräg. Widerrist nicht besonders deutlich ausgeprägt.
Gebäude: kurzes Kompaktpferd, kräftig, mit breiter Brust. Schweif sehr niedrig angesetzt.
Gliedmaßen: kräftig, trocken, von mittlerer Länge.
Aktion: mit Showcharakter, aber weniger als beim Andalusier.

Lusitano


Also Known As: Lusitanian, Betico-lusitano, National, Peninsular, Portuguese
The Lusitano is found in Portugal. These horses are very similar in conformation to the Andalusian horses of Spain. The two breed are thought to have originated from a common source but selection in the Lusitano has resulted in a more convex profile reminiscent of the old Andalusian or Iberian horse whereas the Andalusian as developed a more Oriental head shape.

Since setting up their own Stud Book, the Portuguese have been able to make great strides in monitoring and improving the breeding program. Having been sought after over the centuries as a war horse, the same genetic abilities enable the Lusitano to be the perfect horse for mounted bullfighting in Portugal. In Portugal the bulls are not killed in the bullring so the horse must be very agile and still remain calm.

Lusitano horses are generally between 15.1 - 15.3 h.h but there are some that make over 16 h.h. Often gray or bay, they may be any true color, including dun and chestnut.

Their most recognizable characteristics include-


-a long noble head, most typically with a convex profile, narrowing to a finely curved nose
-large generous eyes, inclined to be almond shaped

-a powerful arched neck with a narrow hairline, deep at the base and set at a slightly wide angle to the shoulder, giving the impression of being fairly upright

-a high wither leading smoothly from the neck to the back

-a short-coupled body with powerful shoulders, a deep rib cage and broad powerful loins

-a gently sloping croup with the tail set rather low and an unobtrusive hip

-fine clean legs with excellent dense bone- the hind leg positioned well underneath the body axis, producing the hock action so suited to collection and impulsion

-agile elevated movement coupled with a smooth and comfortable ride

-an abundant, silky mane and tail.


Reference:
Sarah Beaumont
Hendricks, Bonnie L., International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds, Univ of Oklahoma Press, 1995.

Mason, I.L. 1996. A World Dictionary of Livestock Breeds, Types and Varieties. Fourth Edition. C.A.B International. 273 pp.

Images:
Michele M. Varner, Carriere, MS
SORREL, Germany, Phone: 01149-7163-90 99 00, email: kaercher.sorrel@t-online.de
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Breed Standards for the Purebred Lusitano Horse

The Breed Standards for the Lusitano horse, as defined by the APSL are as follows:

TYPE Middleweight (around 500kg) Average build; subconvex profiles (of rounded shape), with a silhouette which can be fitted into a square.

HEIGHT measured at the withers with a stick, at six years old

Average height: Females 1.55m (~15hh 1in); Males 1.6m (~16hh)

COAT The most appreciated and esteemed are all shades of grey and bay.

TEMPERAMENT Noble, generous and ardent, but always gentle and submissive.

MOVEMENTS Agile and elevated, forward-projected, smooth and very comfortable for the rider.

APTITUDE A natural predisposition for collected work, and the exercises of Haute-École, great courage and enthusiasm for the "Gineta" exercises (combat, hunting, bullfighting, cattle-herding etc).

HEAD Well proportioned, of medium length, dry and not fleshy. The cheek-bone not pronounced and the lower jaw relatively long. The nasal profile lightly sub-convex, forehead rounded above the eyebrows, eyes elliptical and almond shaped, large and lively, expressive and confident. The ears are of moderate length, fine, narrow and expressive.

NECK Of medium length, arched and with a narrow crest: the junction between neck and head is narrow and fine. The base of the neck is large and inserted smoothly into the shoulders; the neck rises from the withers smoothly with no noticeable depression.

WITHER Well defined and long, forming a smooth transition between back and neck; always higher than the croup. In stallions, heavily muscled but still clearly demarcated.

CHEST Of medium size, deep and muscular.

RIBCAGE Well developed, large and deep, ribs lightly arched, joined at an angle to the backbone to form a short and full flank.

SHOULDER Long, well sloped and muscular.

BACK Well defined with a tendency to be horizontal, making a smooth transition between wither and loin.

LOIN Short, wide and muscular, lightly convex, well connected with the back and croup with which it forms a continuous, harmonious line.

CROUP Strong and rounded, well proportioned, gently sloping. Of equal length and width, and convex outline and harmonious, the point of hip relatively unobtrusive, giving the croup a transverse section of elliptical shape. The tail arises on the same slope and curvature as the croup, with abundant long, soft hair.

LEGS The upper arm is well muscled and harmoniously inclined. The forearm is upright and muscular; the knee large and dry; the canon dry and somewhat long, with the tendons clearly defined; fetlocks dry and rather large with hardly any feather; pasterns long and sloping; hooves sound and of good shape and proportions. The buttocks are short and convex; the thigh muscular and tending to be short and so placed that the stifle is vertically beneath the point of hip. The gaskin is of a length to place the hock vertically beneath the point of buttock; the hock is large, strong and dry, below which the description is as for the forelegs. The hind legs present a picture of relatively closed angles.

THE LUSITANO HORSE

By Juan Valera-Lema, Ph.D.

Archaeological evidence in the Iberian Peninsula, modern day Spain and Portugal, indicates that the origin of the Lusitano horse dates back to at least 25,000 BC in the form of its primitive ancestor, the Sorraia breed. Cave paintings in the Iberian Peninsula dated from the 30,000 B.C. depict portraits of horses and activities related to a horse culture. Furthermore, there have been findings of small tools made of bone which were used to make rope from the hair of horses.

The Sorraia is believed to have developed from crosses between the Tarpan and the Przewalski horses. Looking further into the evolution of the horse, we find that the most ancient ancestor of the horse was a small, herbivorous mammal of the genus Hyracotherium (or Eohippus) from the Eocene Epoch, having four-toed front feet and three-toed hind feet. This ancient horse existed fifty million years ago in an area that is now the western United States. Eohippus eventually became modified into what we know as the horse.

These horses then migrated from America through the land bridge connecting Alaska and Siberia and entered Asia where they established themselves and latter disseminated to Europe and Africa. However, when the Spaniards arrived to the Americas, the horse had been extinct in the continent for about 8000 years. The Sorraia remained isolated for several millennia in the southern part of Iberia in the Alentejo and Andalusian regions of modern Portugal and Spain.

Noted Portuguese historian, Mr. Ruy d'Andrade suggested that by the Neolithic period (4000 BC) the native tribes of the area may have used horses in war. Around 3000 BC, Iberians tribes from North Africa invaded the peninsula, which would be latter named after them. They were soon to be followed by the Phoenicians and Celts, who were largely responsible for a two way exchange of horses which brought into the Iberian peninsula, an influx of oriental breeds from Libya, Egypt and Syria. By the time of the first expeditions of the Greeks, in 800 BC, the Celts and Iberians formed an alliance known as the Celtiberians. According to Lady Sylvia Loch " It was the horses of the Celtiberians that were to become famous throughout the civilized world.

From this period onward, we find many references to the Iberian or Celtiberians horses and riders of the peninsula by Greek and Roman chroniclers. Homer refers to them in the Iliad around 1,100 BC and the celebrated Greek cavalry officer Xenophon had nothing but praise for the gifted Iberian horses and horsemen..". Xenophon in one of his books written about 370 BC admiringly describes the equestrian war techniques of Iberian mercenaries who were influential in the victory of Sparta against Athens in the Peloponnesian wars.

This type of warfare consisted of individual horse charges with fast starts, stops and pirouettes followed by retreats and renewed attacks. A form of riding that was been made possible by the use of incredible agile horses, curb bits and stirrups. Further invasions by the Carthaginians and Romans, recognized the superiority of the Iberian horses and horsemanship to the point that the Romans adopted the Iberian equestrian style of warfare and set up stud farms in the conquered Iberian territories. Horses from these stud farms were then used by the Roman cavalry to accomplish the expansion of their Empire.

Mr. Arsinio Raposo Cordeiro writes that: "the perfect bond between Iberian man and horse may have provided the original inspiration behind the legend of the Centaurs, a hybrid man-horse creature deemed to spring from the valleys of the Tagus River. At the time, it was also believed that the mares of this region were sired by the wind, which accounted for the amazing speed with which they endowed their progeny".

In 711 AD, the Muslims initiated the invasion of the Iberian peninsula, at the time being ruled by the Visigoths, and in varied degrees the Muslims occupied the peninsula until the end of the fifteenth century. A lot has been written about the influence of the Arabian horse on the Iberian stock during the years of occupation. The fact is that although politically this was an Arabian invasion, ethnically the invaders were Moors. The leader of this initial invasion was a Moslem Berber named Tariq ibn Ziyad who led 12,000 Saracens (largely Berbers from Algiers and Morocco) across the Strait of Gibraltar into Spain. These people brought some of their native Berber horses with them on the expedition.

Although it is not exactly clear of how many of the invaders had brought horses with them, one can speculate that because of the difficulties in transportation the number of horses was limited and that most of the Cavalry men procured their horses from the outstanding existing Iberian stock of the south of the Iberian peninsula.

Lady Sylvia Loch states. " it is now almost conclusively established that the Barb (or Berber) horse also developed as a breed from primitive Sorraia stock which gradually migrated from Spain and Portugal into North Africa in prehistoric times. Contrary to popular opinion, therefore, the Iberian horse was the likely forefather to the Barb and not vice versa. It would be more accurate to say that at the time of the Moorish conquest, Barb blood was reintroduced to the Iberian Peninsula."

Regardless of the exact influence of one breed over another, it is evident that the exchange of blood was mutually beneficial and that it produced many similarities between the two breeds, to the point that the modern Barb resembles the Iberian stock and the criollo horses of South America. During the almost eight hundred years in which Spain and Portugal were in constant war with the Moors, horse and horsemanship had become finely attuned to the war exercises. This superb war horse was the one that the conquistadors introduced and dispersed throughout the together with the a la gineta style of riding, which influenced the horse cultures of the Gauchos, Charros and Llaneros.

By the XVII century the Iberian war horse, or Jennet as it was beginning to be called, had become important not only in the battlefield but also in the great riding academies founded in France, Germany, Italy and Austria. In Portugal, almost 100 years before the famous Italian author Francesco Grisone, the King Dom Duarte wrote a classic book, "Livro da Ensynanca de ben Cavalgar a Toda Sela" in 1435. The Portuguese traditional interest in horsemanship seems to have always preceded their Spanish neighbors in its progressive sophistication, creating an equestrian tradition that has lasted intact to this day.

When not at war, Bullfighting on horseback and High School public displays were the main entertainment for the dedicated Portuguese landed gentry. Today, the annual Fair of Golegc still combines, in the most spectacular way, the aspects of traditional Gineta riding and classical European High School riding in the display of the most exemplary Baroque horse, the Lusitano. In modern Portugal, the performance of the horse in the bullring is perhaps one of the most important factor in the breeding selection process of the Lusitanos and this factor has sustained the preservation of the characteristics of the classical Iberian war horse, so esteemed in the world across the ages.

In a description by .Sylvia Loch, she states: " To look at, they are noble rather than pretty with aristocracy written all over their fine, slightly hawked, long faces. They develop a powerful neck and shoulder which makes them look extremely majestic in front. The quarters are not large, but the loins are wide and strong and the hocks long and wiry giving them the power to bounce forcefully forwards with masterful impulsion. Deep flexion is obtained from the developed second thigh and the longer than usual cannons and pasterns. The same characteristics that are essential for the bullfights, also make the Lusitano extremely efficient for other sport activities, or as a working or pleasure riding horse.