Conference noted::equitation

    If you find anything out let me know.  I'm very curious myself about
    them.  Don't they orginate from Puerto Rico?   Or am I thinking
    of another breed?  I heard they are extremely docile.  My husband
    and I would love to get a horse and we have been thinking of different
    breeds to look at when we are ready and the Andalusions is one of
    them besides of course the Arabian (which I adore) must be because
    of all the Walter Farley novels I read as a kid.
    
    Bobbi
    
    

Hi!
    No, Andalusions originated in Europe (Spain?).  I had a friend in college 
whose uncle breed them and he had some stories to tell!  One story which I
remember was that Kevin was trail riding one of the geldings and it took off.
It totally ignored him pully-reining, etc, so to get the horse's attention,
Kevin ended up biting his ear!  It worked! :-)

    They are wonderful horses and like any breed, they can get high spirited
and silly. 

				-Caroline

	One bit of info. I did find is that the average Andalusian (sp) 
weanling commands a price of around $6,000.  sigh.

    RE: .3
    You would have to morgage part of the house for one of them. :^)
    I personally haven't seen one here at Colo. Spgs..
    
                                                       Steve
    

	The Andalusian horse is a native of the region of Andalucia
	Spain. 

	It is a spirited breed renowned for it's exceptionally smooth 
	gait.  Spanish riders regualarly perform the trick of carrying
	a champagne type glass filled with wine on top of their hats 
	and performing manoeuvers at walk, trot and canter without 
	spilling a drop (very impressive to watch !).

	The horse is not particuarly big, but intelligent and spirited, 
	rounded in shape (not thoroughbred shape) with a pretty, 
	slightly arab shaped head, I imagine that their ancestors
	would have been crossed with the arab/moorish horses in the
	middle ages, hence the looks and size.

	They are a hardy breed and as the area of Andalucia, stretching
	right across the south of Spain, Seville and Granada being the
	main cities, is hot, dry and in places rocky.

	Picture flamenco dresses, men with flat, brimmed hats with 
	short bolero jackets on beautiful horses - these are 
	Andalusians !!

	Look at some travel brochures for the south of spain and they
	are sure to have some pictures of this sort of scene ....

	CJA

    re: 301.6, sounds like a description of the Paso Finos.  I just
    finished reading some literature on them and the said that one of
    the things they do at a show is carry the wine glass on the hat.
     It was the fino gait that was very comfortable since this horse
    does not have a true trot.  
    
    Andalusians tend to be a bit roman nosed vs. dished faced like an
    arab.  My instructor has an Andalusian/TB cross gelding.  He looks
    a lot like an Andalusian, is gray going white and about 16 h. the
    TB refined him a bit but he still has that rounded rear-end.  He
    is trained to do Grand Prix dressage, and she just took him to a
    show 4th level and got 1st in her class.  She did mention that out
    of the horses related to hers, the others had more winging action
    with the legs, that's why she got this one.  He can be spirited
    when he is turned out, but he's pretty sensible.  I'll try to find
    out where she bought him from.

According to the "World of Horses Encyclopedia" they claim that Andalusians
(thanks for the spelling) act very spirited and firey, but are, in fact,
very docile and tractable and make super parade horses.  One book states 
that at some point in time a king decided that men were only allowed to
ride stallions - and so the breeders made tractability a priority - and
to this day Andalusian saddle horses are rarely gelded in Spain.

I am convinced that all breeds have individuals who aren't "typical" for 
the breed - be it conformation, disposition, etc, in fact a picture of a 
Trakenher in one book that I have is one sad looking animal - not a good 
representation. RE: .07 - can you explain what you mean by a rounded hindqrtrs.
What effect does this have?  I noticed the roman-nosedness in a number of
illustrations - however - the picture of the stallion from Canterberry (his 
name is Canterberry Montgomery - I think) has a pretty head but it wasn't 
a profile. I'd be interested in knowing where your instructor bought her
horse.

    She couldn't remember the woman's name who bred him, but
    the stallion is no longer here.  The other horses were not
    suitable for dressage as the paddled in front.  SORRY I COULDN'T
    GET more info.
    

I got a chance to visit Windy Hill Andalusians and was surprised to find
they only had one Andalusian mare.  The owner wasn't there and her husband
suggested I call or stop back in a few days if I had any questions for her
about Andalusians - she could possibly help someone locate a horse to buy.
The mare I saw there was really nice - a grey with dark points and lots of
mane.  Conformation wise she is about 15.1H with a massive front end and
neck.  I did notice the way the croup tends to drop down severly with a very
low set tail as mentioned in this note.  I almost have to say that -overall-
Andalusians give me the impression of looking like two different horses (a
substantial horse from the front end - and more refined from the back).  I
hope to talk to Alice, the owner, to learn more, but in the mean time - I'm
off to Canterberry Farms....

(I did not get the opportunity to watch this mare trot (to determine any
winging action) as my husband kept feeding her grass and she wasn't about
to leave his side).

Alice Altman returned my call this weekend - she is very pleasant to talk to.
Her mare is still possibly for sale - pending a final decision of an interested
party.  The price range is about 7-8,000.  She also has a young gelding for
sale - $10,000 range.  She said that the lowest price range that someone would
find a mature Andalusian is around $6,000 and they are few and far between.  
She said that some people are crossing Quarter Horses with Andalusians - called
an "Azteca" - with great successes as cowhorses.

This is definitely a second mortgage situation.  Maybe I'll go back to looking
at "mongrels".

- Janice 

    Janice,
    
    Did you get to Canterberry yet?  Alices prices tend to be a
    bit on the high side even for other breeds.  Did you happen to
    see the article in this month's Pedlar about Andalusians?  It
    was in the dressage section with a photograph of a woman riding
    a dark colored stallion.  Marth's horse Perfeccion is mentioned
    in the article also.  I don't know if you can get any contacts from
    that article.  
    
    Are you looking for another horse? or only an Andalusian?

I haven't been to Canterberry yet - I hope to soon.  I've been to a quite
a few other farms - QH, Arabians, Morgans...  I guess you could say I'm 
getting educated about whats out there.  I'm still not in the position to
buy anything right now - too many other commitments - including my husband
starting his own excavating business (riding rings a specialty).

Andalusians are impressive - but even if I did have 10,000 to spend, I don't
know if I'd go that high for a horse - not for my purposes - which is novice
dressage and hacking. 

    I couldn't remember where the original note was, but I
    remember someone was looking for an Andalusian horse.
    
    Unicorn Valley farm here in Ohio breed Andalusians and
    crosses. Banbury Brio (he's sweet) is standing there and
    they had a couple of young horses for sale.  It's owned by 
    Janna Gaber  (513)962-2145. They aren't real expensive here
    but I know Janna ships them to a dealer in the east who
    "marks them up" significantly.

    One of my students just bought the most beautiful horse I've seen in 
    a long time. Of all things it's an Andalusion/Saddlebred cross.
    It's grey, 17+ hands and elegant. Between the 4 ft jumps and the
    trot extensions, it's going to be difficult to decide to make him
    a jumper or dressage horse.
    
    

    Does he like to gallop? How about 3 day event!! 8^)
    
    

    Oh, he gallops all right :>)
    
    But he's got sooooo much scope over fences, he'd make the perfect
    grand prix jumper.
    
    

    Has anyone heard of a new breed being developed called an American
    Azteca?  I think that is the way it is spelled/pronounced.  It is
    supposed to be a cross between a Quarter Horse and an Andalusion.
    
    I had a woman who wanted to lease my mare (a QH) to breed to an
    Andalusion stallion in Kentucky (can't remember his name but it started
    with a "T".   Anyways, I was wondering if anyone else has heard of this
    new breed.
    
    Karen

    Not to sound flip, but I do know that Breyer Horse company does have
    and Aztec modle.  He is supposed to be Andalusion, I think.
    
    Virginia

   I believe Canterbury (Actually I think they spell it Canterberry?) 
   Acres in Spencer MA is involved with Aztecas and other strains 
   derived from Andalusian bloodlines. I recall another derivative 
   is called an "Iberian Warmblood". (Depends on what the Andalusian 
   is crossed with.) There is at least one association which defines 
   the acceptable crosses. And I also remember seeing several copies 
   of a magazine devoted to them.

    I looked in the Andalusion note and there was mention of the Azteca. 
    Sounds pretty interesting.  This person told me that they are
    considered "pure" fifth generation.  So I guess this is a separate
    breed.
    
    Karen

A couple of years ago I saw a movie called "Ladyhawk" with Rutger Hauer
and Matthew Broderick. It Was a fantasy type move about sorcerers and such
and the horse that Rutger rode really had me fascinated. It was Black, had 
a wavy main and tail, was really stocky like a knights horse. What really
caught my attention was the way this horse moved. It was like it was dancing
at walk and trot. It was a Beautifull horse. 
Does anyone know of the horse I am talking about? I would really like to know
what kind of horse it is and whether that kind of movement is natural to the
breed of if it is taught.

Thanks in adv.

Lj

    I haven't seen that movie but other hrse people who have seen it claim
    that the horse was a Friesian.

    The horse in Lady Hawk was Freisan. Im gaining a lot of experience with
    this breed right now, since my best friend got a 2 yr old colt in
    March.  She had to go clear to Michigan to get him.  He's 16 hh at 2,
    weighs about 1000.  
    
    The high action is a breed trait, and any good quality Freisan will
    move like that from birth.  'Boaz' is fantastic to watch playing in his
    paddock....he really is a magnificent-looking horse.  His paddock
    boarders on a dirt road, and lot of passersby have stopped when they
    spot him and knocked on her door asking about him.  Very good natured
    and easy going, too.  Nice to work around, if still a bit pushy at
    times, and a quick learner.  Freisans are gaining in popularity in
    New England these days, but Boaz is the only one is New Hampshire
    registered with the Royal Dutch Studbook, and his sire was one of only
    7 (or 9, I dont remember) 'approved' studs in North America.  He will
    be tested by the officials from Holland in the fall of 95 to see if he
    can become 'approved' himself.  If not he will be gelded.  Apparently,
    gaining approval is considered to be like winning the lottery.  
    
    If you are NH, Boaz will be going to the Hopkinton State Fair on
    Sept 3 in Open Colts and Fillies (at least he is planned to).  Stop by
    and visit if you get a chance, his owner loves to show him off!
    

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I live in Co. Springs but he sounds 
like a really neat horse espescially if he's anything like the horse 
in that movie.
Good luck to your friend!

LJ