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.
|
|
