l to passionate quickly and easily, depending on the will of their handler.
There are three main bloodlines in the PSL breed today, each with its own brand:
Photo: Davi Carrano
Lusitanos have agile, elevated movements said to be very comfortable to ride. Stallion Bizet Interagro displays the flashy movement and strong elegant conformation that makes Lusitanos a pleasure to watch and ride.
The Veiga line produces the horses that look most typically Lusitano, with a convex profile known as the “Veiga head.” Developed by Manuel Veiga, they are shorter than the other lines, quick and agile, courageous and obedient, and excel at bullfighting. Veiga described his horses as “nervous, full of gallantry, so obedient they seem to outguess the rider’s intentions; high thin head, long free-flowing manes, elevated movements, and a striking agility challenging all threats and dangers with indomitable courage.”
The Andrade line was developed by Ruy d’Andrade. They are tall, powerful saddle horses with a straighter profile than the Veiga line. With elegant gaits, they are excellent for bullfighting, dressage, and other work. D’Andrade described his bloodline as “strong horses, valiant with the bulls, changing from calm to ardent if spurred, and from ardent to obedient if left in peace; fast when running and rapid on turns; with good walk, sensible to the spurs, submissive with good mouth, endless strength in everything.”
The final line is the Coudelaria Nacional (Portuguese State) and Alter Real line. Based on Spanish horses, they are taller, longer horses that are very good for dressage and driving.
Of course, these lines are often crossed. Crosses of Veiga and Andrade horses in particular have been extremely successful.
Photo: Davi Carrano
Lusitanos such as this stallion, Blackstone Interagro, are powerful and athletic, possessing stamina and speed.
Working for centuries with the bulls using what the Lusitanians called Gineta tactics has made a horse that is bold but careful, intelligent and willing, and quick and agile. Lusitanos are extremely powerful and athletic, with an uphill balance and great stamina and speed. These qualities not only make them supreme mounts for bullfighting, but also make them fine sport horses for multiple disciplines.
One of the most famous Lusitanos is the grey stallion Novilheiro, who was ridden by Grand Prix show jumper John Whitaker of Britain during the 1980s. Novilheiro, out of a Veiga mare and by an Andrade stallion, was a top competitor during his day.
Novilheiro has gone on to sire a great many exceptional sport horses. Not to be outdone, Novilheiro’s full brother Opus II was one of the most famous bullfighting horses of his day, proving that the breed is truly versatile.
Lusitanos also make a fine light driving horse. At the 1996 World Driving Championships in Belgium, a team of Lusitanos won the four-in-hand class.
Photo: Pics of You; Courtesy of JCAndalusians.com
While developed for centuries to be the ultimate bullfighting horse, the Lusitano’s agility, athleticism, and willing temperament make him an excellent mount for a number of different disciplines, including dressage.
Of course, Lusitanos, like the PRE horse, still excel at dressage, especially collection and the high school manoeuvers. Many Lusitanos were present at the 2008 Olympics in Hong Kong in the dressage competitions: the Portuguese and Brazilian teams were mounted entirely on Lusitanos, and Australia’s Hayley Beresford rode the Lusitano Relampago Do Retiro.
More recently, Lusitanos have been used for Western events such as cutting and reining.
Dr. Paulo Gonzaga, founder of Brazil’s Interagro Farms, the largest Lusitano breeding farm in the world, perhaps describes the Lusitano the best in his book O Cavalo Lusitano: “They are strong, vigorous horses, obedient, generous of character, agile, and articulate, elegant, distinct and arrogant, proud, lordly and noble of spirit; they are also docile, intelligent, and submissive, easy to teach for every horse activity. Such characteristics make the Lusitano the best saddle horse in the